Grouse Mountain

Grouse Mountain

LOCATION:  North Vancouver, BC
DRIVING DISTANCE (YVR): 34 mins (25 km)
MARKED RUNS: 33
TERRAIN: 212 acres 
RATING: 3/5 Stars

Vancouver’s Backyard Playground

Grouse Mountain, known as the “Peak of Vancouver,” is only 20 mins from downtown Vancouver… If you don’t hit any bridge traffic on the Lion’s Gate - which during daylight or rush hour; near impossible. It’s a great option if you want to be close to the city, and you can squeeze in a few runs after work or school. Night skiing with the sparkling city lights is pretty unique.

In terms of overall experience, if you are an advanced skier or snowboarder, it could be pretty limiting. There are a few steeper runs like the Cut or Expo that are fun for a quick lap, but the vertical drop is pretty short, and you’ll run out of challenging options pretty quickly. It can also get super busy, especially on weekends and holidays. There’s an additional gondola for the 2024-25 season just for skiers and snowboarders, which will alleviate the line up to go up the mountain… but not much for chairlift lines at the top. Keep in mind that as it’s a local hill, there are a lot of beginners and families, which can make it tough to maneuver. For snow quality, although there are snow machines, the snowpack depends on the year. When the snow’s good, it’s awesome, but that can be rare. Being so close to sea level, you get a lot of wet, heavy snow—or even rain which degrades the snowpack. Powder days are becoming an unicorn.

HERE ARE SOME TIPS

Be Patient in Line
Gondola and chair lift lines at Grouse Mountain could get super busy, so think about going during peak hours and evenings. The view from the top as the sun sets and turns into evening is spectacular.

Parking and Transportation
Parking is available right at the gondola. It’s free for Club Openroad members (just make sure to have the Open Road license plate holder), or $10 for a full day (as of 2024-25). It’s possible to get free parking, but it’s limited in the neighborhood and municipal officers are pretty diligent with giving out tickets. If you don’t want to drive, it’s possible to catch a bus to Grouse from the Seabus terminal or from Phibbs Exchange.

Ticket Fee
Grouse Mountain offers a popular Y2Play pass where you get significant discounts for signing up early for a season’s pass in February or March of the year before.

Pros

  • Closest ski resort from YVR and downtown Vancouver
  • View of the city on piste (on a non foggy day)
  • Grouse Mountain resort has lots of activities to offer after a day of skiing or snowboarding: light walk through the forest, ice skating, sledding… And of course apres at Lupins Cafe or Altitudes Bistro..

Cons

  • Crowded on the slopes and in chair lift lines on popular days
  • Limited terrain and feels like half of the trails are geared towards less advanced skiers/boarders
  • Daily rate of $100 on weekends or $90 on weekdays as of 2024-25 is a bit steep

Grouse Mountain is often the first ski/snowboard resort you will go to in Vancouver. After learning how to ski or snowboard, you will probably want to visit other hills - especially if you don’t have a season’s pass.

WEBSITE:
www.Grousemountain.com

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Disclaimer: The following reviews are based on our personal experiences during our visits. Everyone's journey is unique, and your experience may differ. The best way to form your own opinion is to get out there and try it for yourself!

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