Grouse Mountain facts for kids

Kids Encyclopedia Facts

Quick facts for kids Grouse Mountain
Grouse Mountain Skyride
Location	British Columbia, Canada
Nearest city	North Vancouver
Coordinates	49°22′46.40″N 123°4′54.49″W / 49.3795556°N 123.0818028°W / 49.3795556; -123.0818028
Vertical	365 m (1,198 ft)
Top elevation	1,231 m (4,039 ft)
Base elevation	274 m (899 ft)
Skiable area	212 acres
Runs	33 (14 night skiing) 17% beginner 54% intermediate 21% advanced 8% expert
Lift system	4 chairlifts 1 magic carpet
Website	GrouseMountain.com

An abandoned aircraft engine, remaining near the old chairlift route and the 1954 F-86 crash site

Sun setting on the modern-day mountaintop chalet and lodge (left) as seen from the tram's passenger gate.

Grouse Mountain is a famous mountain in British Columbia, Canada. It's part of the North Shore Mountains near North Vancouver. The mountain reaches over 1,200 meters (4,100 feet) high.

It's home to the Grouse Mountain Resort, a popular place for both winter and summer fun. In winter, you can enjoy skiing and snowboarding. In summer, there are many activities like lumberjack shows and wildlife viewing. You can reach the top using two special cable cars called Skyrides. There's also a challenging hiking trail called the Grouse Grind.

History of Grouse Mountain
Weather on Grouse Mountain
The Eye of the Wind
Winter Fun: Skiing, Snowboarding, and More!
Summer Adventures
- The Grouse Grind Trail
Grouse Mountain in Movies and TV
Images for kids
See also

History of Grouse Mountain

How Grouse Mountain Got Its Name

Grouse Mountain was named in October 1894. The first hikers to reach its peak saw many sooty grouse birds there. These birds are a type of game bird common in the area.

Early Days of Skiing

The first lodge on Grouse Mountain was built in the 1920s. Scandinavian workers carried planks up the mountain by hand. This path later became the Grouse Grind hiking trail.

By the 1930s, a road was built to the top. This road helped people get to the lodge. The area at the bottom of the "Cut" ski run was the mountain's original base. Skiers called it the "Village" because many small cabins were built nearby.

In 1949, the mountain got its first double chairlift. This allowed skiers to go down the "Cut" run from the top. Two years later, in 1951, a longer lift called the Village Chair opened. It ran from a bus stop at the bottom of the mountain.

Modern Grouse Mountain

A fire destroyed the original lodge in 1962. The government of British Columbia then helped build a new lodge. They also funded a new aerial tramway to take people to the mountaintop. This tram, called the Blue Tram, opened in 1966.

The McLaughlin family bought the mountain in 1976. They built a second, larger tramway called the Red Tram or Super Skyride. This tram can carry almost 100 passengers and is now the main way for visitors to reach the top. The older Blue Tram is mostly used for carrying supplies.

Over the years, Grouse Mountain has added more modern chairlifts. In 2005, the Olympic Express high-speed chairlift was built. This was to celebrate Vancouver being chosen for the 2010 Winter Olympics. Even though no Olympic events were held on the mountain, NBC's Today show broadcast live from Grouse Mountain during the Games.

In 2008, two new quad chairlifts were added. These lifts run slower, making them great for beginners and children.

Weather on Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain has a cool and often wet climate. It gets a lot of rain, especially in autumn. November is the wettest month.

Winters are snowy, with about 868 centimeters (over 28 feet) of snow each year. Even though it's cold, it's not as freezing as some other parts of Canada. This is because the Pacific Ocean helps keep the temperatures milder. Snow usually stays on the mountain from mid-November until early May.

Summers are warm and usually drier. August is the warmest month.

The Eye of the Wind

The 1.5 MW wind turbine.

Grouse Mountain has a special wind turbine called "The Eye of the Wind." It's located at the very top of the resort. This turbine is unique because it's the first of its kind in North America built at such a high altitude.

The turbine is 65 meters (213 feet) tall. Its three blades are 37.4 meters (123 feet) long! It started working in 2010 and helps provide electricity for the resort. It's expected to supply about 25% of the resort's power.

You can even take an elevator up to an observation deck inside the turbine. From there, you get amazing views!

Winter Fun: Skiing, Snowboarding, and More!

Skiing and Snowboarding

Grouse mountain's snow terrain, as seen from Burnaby, featuring the Cut (left) and expert peak runs (right).

A panoramic view of Grouse Mountain in wintertime.

The ski and snowboard area is on the southern side of the mountain. It's open in winter, usually from December to May. You take the tram from the base to the mountaintop lodge to access the runs.

Grouse Mountain has four chairlifts and 26 ski runs. About half of these runs are lit up for night skiing and snowboarding.

The most famous run is the Cut, which is a beginner run. You can easily see it from Vancouver.
There are runs for all skill levels:
- Green runs are for beginners.
- Blue runs are for intermediate skiers.
- Black diamond runs are for advanced skiers.
- Double black diamond runs are for experts.
The mountain also has three freestyle terrain parks. These parks have jumps and features for snowboarders and skiers to practice tricks.

Grouse Mountain is also home to the Tyee Ski Club. This club trains children and teens to become competitive ski racers.

To make sure there's enough snow, the mountain uses 37 snow guns. These guns can cover 75% of the ski area with artificial snow. This helps extend the ski season and ensures good conditions.

Snowshoeing

If you enjoy walking in the snow, the Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park is for you. It has four groomed snowshoeing trails. There's an easy loop for beginners and more challenging trails around Dam Mountain.

Ice Skating

Right next to the main lodge at the top of the mountain, there's a large outdoor ice skating rink. It's a fun place to skate with a beautiful view.

Summer Adventures

The Grouse Grind Trail

Grouse Mountain
Highest point
Elevation	1,231 m (4,039 ft)
Prominence	86 m (282 ft)
Geography
Location	British Columbia, Canada
Parent range	Howe Sound Group
Topo map	NTS 92G/06

An elevation profile of the trail

Grouse Mountain is famous for its challenging hiking trail called the Grouse Grind. It's often called "Mother Nature's Stairmaster" because it's so steep!

The trail climbs 853 meters (2,800 feet) over 2.9 kilometers (1.8 miles). It has 2,830 stairs! Most hikers take about 90 minutes to reach the top. Some very fit people can do it in under 30 minutes.

The Grouse Grind hiking trail

The Grouse Grind is usually closed from November to April or May due to bad weather and safety concerns. It's important to be prepared if you hike the Grind. Many people underestimate how difficult it is. Hikers should not try to go down the Grouse Grind. Instead, they should use the nearby BCMC Trail or take the tram down.

Here are some of the fastest times recorded on the Grouse Grind:

Event	Person	Time (min:sec)	Date
Overall Unofficial Record	Sebastian Salas	23:48	August 24, 2010
Annual Grouse Grind Mountain Run (Men's)	Sebastian Salas	25:01	September 19, 2010
Annual Grouse Grind Mountain Run (Women's)	Leanne Johnston	31:04	September 21, 2007

The record for the most "Grinds" (trips up the trail) in one day is 19. This was achieved by Wilfrid Leblanc on June 22, 2019.

Grouse Mountain in Movies and TV

Grouse Mountain has been featured in several films and TV shows:

In a 1989 episode of MacGyver called "Cease Fire," the aerial tramway was used.
It stood in for "Skyland Mountain" in a 1994 episode of The X-Files called Ascension.
The ski lodge was used in the movie Mr. Magoo.
Canadian singer Nelly Furtado filmed her music video for "Spirit Indestructible" here.
Grouse Mountain was the setting for a duel in the Arrow episode The Climb.
It was used as the fictional ski resort "Summit Peaks" in the movie American Pie Presents: The Book of Love.