BCMC Trail

Mention you are taking the trail up to the Grouse Mountain Lodge, and most people will assume you are hking the Grouse Grind. However, there is a nearby alternative that covers much of the same terrain with the bonus of considerably less traffic.

Named by the British Columbia Mountaineering Club, the BCMC Trail starts and ends at the same point as the Grouse Grind. Originally serving a BCMC cabin part the way up the mountain, this slightly less developed trail provides a year-round alternative to the often crowded Grouse Grind.

From the trailhead, the first few hundred meters offer a mellow introduction as the trail runs east with the countours. Then you reach a junction and begin the ascent at an unrelenting grade that averages nearly 25 percent for almost a mile. A series of numbered red trail markers keep you company on the climb. Starting at 1, the markers can be both motivating and demorilizing as you seek number 160 and the summit lodge.

In the first half of the trail it's likely your time will be spent concentrating on switchbacks, loose rocks, and slippery roots under the thick forest canopy. The grade does ease ever so marginally around marker 100, and at 130 there is an opportunity to detour up the rock to the left and catch your first glimpse out of the forest and down to Capilano Lake. The final section follows the pipeline along the relatively gentle ridgeline to the Grouse Grind summit and the resort lodge, where you can finally enjoy views over Vancouver, the Georgia Strait, and beyond.

It is possible to punish your knees by taking the trail back to the base; however, the far more popular option is to take the gondola ($10) from the peak back to the parking lot. Note that pets are allowed on the trail, but they are not permitted on the Grouse gondola.