r/vancouverhiking • u/ExternalRelation9361 • May 31 '25
Trip Reports GROUSE GRIND
Super happy to have made it outside and gone on this trail. But wanted to post here to tell the girl who told me at 3/4 to "stick to the left, if you're taking a break" that I WAS LITERALLY MOVING, albeit slowly. Just trying to push past, one step at a time.
There are some areas that are super narrow on the trail so it's kind of hard to figure out which end to stick to to not "get in the way" -Grouse's website says stay on the right, so I did.
But can we all collectively agree to have some compassion when on the trail - trying to get your PB does not exclude you from acting like a decent human being. Most of us are sweaty, tired, and cranky near the end, honestly trying to just make it through that last bit, so can we not make it WORSE by mocking someone that is slower than you?
Were there groups of people blocking the steps at times? Yes. I just walked around. Was it annoying? Yes. Did I find the need to use a snide tone and comment? No. Why? Because why is it my business to say anything - who gave me the audacity? Being fast or more athletic does not give you a free pass to be a jerk.
Definitely soured the experience of getting to the top. But I'm putting the call out to all the slow hikers to go to Grouse, and complete the grind at your own pace - it apparently irks these wannabe athletes to see people working on themselves and progressing.
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u/mrstoodamngood May 31 '25 edited May 31 '25
Everybody sucks here. She's wrong in that if you're taking a break you stick to the RIGHT, not to the left, on any trail. You're right about this.
But the courtesy on the Grouse Grind, and any trail really, is you stick to the right (ie. get out of people's way) if you are taking a break OR going slow. Especially because the Grouse Grind, unlike other trails, IS uniquely for many a timed hike and people ARE trying to actively beat their PBs on a daily basis. There's an official timer and they sell chips so people have their times officially recorded for crying out loud. Some people are out there training every single day. She's not mocking you - she's telling you directly (albeit with the wrong information) what the norm and etiquette of the trail is. And if someone got in your way you SHOULD say something so they learn.
It is every hiker's own responsibility to learn what the trails' expectations are - there's so much info available online there really is no excuse. I have witnessed many visitors not respect local trail etiquette and it's disheartening and frustrating when you encounter it over and over. There are more and more newbies on the Grouse Grind so I have made it a habit to just say "excuse me" in a friendly but loud tone to combat those not in the know.
I would also say that most Grouse Grind users are sweaty and tired at the end, yes, but not cranky. Most are not suffering to make it through the last bit as you claim. I've been doing the Grouse Grind regularly for over 20 years.