Grouse Mountain | Snowshoe Grind

The Snowshoe Grind is the winter continuation of the infamous Grouse Grind.  However, this trail is much more scenic and less strenuous than the Grouse Grind.  Since the Grouse Mountain website does not have much visual content on this route, we thought it would be useful to provide some insightful information on this day trip.

Getting There 

Grouse Mountain is accessible by car, complimentary shuttle bus, and public transportation.  The shuttle bus departs from Canada Place in Downtown Vancouver and pay parking lots are available at the bottom of the mountain for $8 a day.  In order to avoid this hefty fee, there is a few street parking spots on Nancy Greene Way, just a few minute walk from the gondola.  Keep in mind during peak hours and holidays that these two options may be very popular, so taking public transportation may be the best option. Additionally, make sure to check grousemountain.com for current conditions, as they close the trail for avalanche inspection following significant snowfalls. This results in the trial being on "standby" that usually lasts the whole day.

Admission 

As far as expenses go, the admission for the gondola is $45 (for adults).  This can be avoided by the true hardcore by hiking up the BCMC trail that leads up the mountain and paying $10 for the gondola ride down.  The BCMC trail entrance is blocked off due to the Grouse Grind closure during the winter.  However, the fencing ends at the east end of the parking lot and there are paths established that lead to the BCMC.  The BCMC runs parallel to the Grouse Grind, approximately 50-100 metres east.  Although the trail is usually packed down, it is not recommended to use this trail after a heavy snowfall as it is not maintained.  If attempted, crampons are a must.

Trail 

The Snowshoe Grind trail begins in the Chalet area, near the Light Walk portion (Christmas addition).  Once past this area, the trail follows flat terrain for about a kilometre.  There are trail signs and orange markers labelled "SSG" to show directions for the trail.

Then, it turns into a steep uphill for an additional kilometre to the top of Dam Mountain (same route as the summer Dam Mountain trail).  This marks the end of the Snowshoe Grind.  However, there is more to explore.  Continue the marked black poles to go to the Discovery Loop.  This trail leads down to the north side of the summit, and wraps around the mountain at a lower elevation. This can either be taken back to the Snowshoe Grind or to Thunderbird Ridge (out and back trail section) by taking a left turn. The Thunderbird Ridge is the most scenic part of the whole area, as there is an abundance of uninterrupted views of the surrounding wilderness. It is also worth noting that snowshoes are not completely necessary most days due to the compaction of the snow, and hiking boots with crampons can be used as a substitute. A GPS recording of the trails can be found here.