Capilano Suspension Bridge and the dreaded Grouse Grind

7 juillet 2016 19:50 Published by Olivia Watt Laisser vos pensées

You spend the summer in Vancouver for the first time ever and not cram your weekends with tourist-like activities. A few weeks ago my friend and I decided it would be fun to explore some of Vancouver’s favorite attractions. The Capilano Suspension Bridge was our first stop and what a cool experience that was. The bridge, which, according to the website, is 137 metres long and 70 metres, is surrounded by beautiful trees and the view is spectacular. It’s also definitely wobbly but that just added to the fun and our sense of adventure. (Fortunately, I don’t have a fear of heights.)

We also couldn’t resist the Capilano treehouse, which is advertised for kids so obviously was meant for us. That treehouse, by the way, is made from reclaimed wood. We also took in the cliff walk overlooking the incredibly rainforest. Coming from semi-desert in the B.C. Interior, this was an entirely new hike. No cacti here to stick into the bottom of a shoe. It was such a beautiful area with a great history behind it. The bridge itself opened to visitors in 1889. Amazing! We also brought the sun with us from our hometown “desert” so it was the perfect day to be outside enjoying nature.

A few hours on the suspension bridge and hike made for an excellent morning and we decided to head back to the city for refreshments. Somehow, though, we ended up getting lost and found ourselves near Grouse Mountain. One of Vancouver’s “peak” attractions, we definitely had plans to tackle “the grind” later in the summer. However, since the sun was high and fate seemed to have brought us close by, we thought “no time like the present.” It’s an understatement to say it was not easy. It was straight up and more than 2,000 steps to the top. My friend and I thought we were in pretty good shape but after that gruelling climb, we knew we were going to have to spend a bit more time on hill training.

After many laughs and many, many breaks, we made it to the top and, boy, were we happy to see that last step. We immediately bought water and rewarded ourselves with a cookie (which could be why we are not in top shape.) Even though it was hard, we both felt a sense of accomplishment. I googled Grouse Grind when I got home. (I probably should have done that first.) Anyway, I discovered the 2.9-kilometre trail is affectionately called Mother Nature’s Stairmaster. A pretty mean mother, I say. Regardless, though, if you are in reasonable physical condition, you should try it once. But remember, the number one rule is don’t look up!

Thanks for reading!

-Olivia