Grouse Grind reopens for 2021

Grouse Grind enthusiasts rejoice!The popular North Shore hiking trail nicknamed "Mother Nature's stairmaster" reopenedfor the 2021 season on Monday.

The trail is open 7a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily, and hikers should be aware the trail is one-way, uphill, only.

Reservations to take the Grouse Mountain Skyride down the mountain are available online.

Upgrades scheduled for the nearby BCMC Route meanthat trail will be closed at various times through the spring and summer, leaving the Skyride as the only option for Grind descents.

The first scheduled closure of the BCMC Route isMay 10 to accommodate helicopter drops of materials. Starting later this month, the trail will be closed from Mondays to Thursdays for up to 10 weeks.

"For public safety, it is imperative that hikers do not use the route while crews are working," said a release from Metro Vancouver.

The Grouse Grind is a steep, 2.5-kilometretrail with an elevation gain of 853 metres that winds up the south face of Grouse Mountain. An average of 370,000 people hike the Grind every year.