I just got home from a great hike up The Grouse Grind. It was opening day for 2012 so I thought  a quick jaunt up the trail before my Open House would be a great way to start off the weekend. “The Grind” is known to be one of Vancouver’s best trails; bringing over 100,000 visitors every year to the “peak of vancouver”. It’s a grueling 2.9 km trek traveling over 853m in elevation from start to finish, but well worth it once at the top. The trail features over 2830 stairs/natural steps and the average hiker completes in 1.5 - 2 hours. The stats really get put into perspective during your first climb when you think to yourself “you must be half way”, only to go a little further and see the 1/4 way marker.

 It was great to see the trail opening three weeks earlier than last year thanks to some fantastic warm weather we’ve seen in Vancouver over the past week. Of course today was no different as I couldn’t have asked for a better day. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky and I got myself out the door in time to beat the heat. The conditions really were perfect. The first 3/4’s of the trail was completely dry, but as I got into the final stretch I found a good amount of snow. I managed to make my goal of finishing in under an hour as I touched the “Grind Timer” at 58 minutes.  For 10 dollars I enjoyed a great tram ride down the mountain and sat down to take in the incredible view our city offers from above!

If your looking for some great physical activity that isn’t going to break your bank I would really recommend The Grind. It can be a bit challenging at times, but there are lots of spots to pull off and catch your breath. Remember to dress appropriately and keep in mind you are climbing a mountain; extra clothes are always a good idea. I promise once you make it to the top you’ll agree; this city really does sell itself!
I hope you guys all have a great long weekend and are able to get out there and enjoy the start of Summer!