Grouse Grind

Just spent the last few days in Vancouver, visiting an old friend (Jim McDougall) that I knew from high school. We also lived together in Halifax and on a kibbutz in Israel back in the 70's. Man, time just keeps moving doesn't it? On Monday, I had the day to myself, so figured to just walk from downtown Vancouver to Stanley park, and then maybe over the Lion's Gate bridge. It was a gorgeous, sunny day, if a tad warm (as in extended heat wave in the mid-30's). The walk went well and I ended up on Capilano Road, trying to sneak into see the famous bridge ($30 to walk a bridge not on my list of tourist activities). I walked up to Capilano River Park and hiked down (way down) to the water for a bracing swim, then tried to brook my way back to the infamous bridge. Not a lot of luck there. The water was low, but not that low. There were a few cross-chasm walking bridges in the Park, so I contented myself with that.

Back on the road, I made my way up to Grouse Mountain and decided to the Grouse Grind just had to be done. I had been walking 4-5 hours by then, and it was now 1:30 PM. Great time for a gruelling hike, wouldn't you say?

The first 20+ minutes were fun. Steep, but not deadly, and there was shade. I figured I'd soon see the 1/2 way mark. Well, I saw a sign, but it was the 1/4 mark, which also marked the end of the 'soft' climbing. Yowsa! It was time to hunker down, slow down and start rationing the water. The hike got brutal and just stayed that way right till the end. The middle section wiped that little smile right off my face.

Lots of people on the Grind that day. Could see 1/2 dozen people ahead and behind me most of the way up. A delicious cold Coke at the top costs $3. I had already decided that I would pay $10 if that is what it cost.

All in all, a stupid Gonzo thing to do on a seriously hot day. I suffered for the next 24 hours, no doubt about it. That being said, telling people that you hiked from downtown Vancouver to the top of Grouse Grind has a certain cachet...in my mind at least.