Grouse Mountain is the nearest big mountain to Vancouver. It's 4100 feet high and is reached by the largest sky tram in North America, providing an unbelievable view of the city as you ascend a mile up to the ski resort.
One slight problem: I looked up on the sales signboard and saw that a round-trip ticket on the sky tram is $40. That's a lot of cashola for an unemployed schmuck like myself.
An alternate route to ascend Grouse Mountain is the Grouse Grind, a grueling 90-minute hike known as "Nature's Stairmaster."
I looked down at my broken leg, then back at the signboard. Then back down at my broken leg. Then I sighed, went over to the sales desk, and forked over the $40 for my sky tram ticket. Not to be a wuss, but I don't think the Grouse Grind is ideal for broken limbs. Just hazarding a guess here.
At the top of Grouse Mountain was a cheesy chalet with expensive shops, a cafe, a ski and snowboard rentals place, and lots and lots of snow.
The pictures below are much better if you click 'em to make them bigger.
View of Vancouver as we ascend:
Gorgeous view of downtown Vancouver skyscrapers through the trees on Grouse Mountain:
Another sky tram passing by:
You can see the huge freighters on the water far below:
Some genius on the "Danger: Closed" trail, with a view of the city down below:
The sky tram at the top:
The tramway is actually Swiss by design. Apparently the Swiss know something about mountains. Weird, I know.
We begin the descent:
Might be a nasty fall:
Another tram struts its stuff:
View of Vancouver as we descend...see the massive cruiseships bound for Alaska?
Maybe it's a little steep...
Trams are cute!
Coming in for a landing:
Back on terra firm. Thank God.
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