Impatient hikers causing Grouse Grind trail conditions to deteriorate?
http://www.vancitybuzz.com/2015/02/i...y-deteriorate/

We did GG early this morning(March,22,2015) Metro Vancouver started to work on the trail today, their sweeper caught up with us after the half way and we walked up together, he is very nice gentleman! He told us they will work on GG Monday to Friday between 7am - 5pm, it's fine if we do GG before 7am or after 5pm, weekends are ok as they do not work on the weekend. he said they are expecting a 5 week working period on GG. BCMC won't be affected.

I agree, Grouse Mountain and the agencies responsible for the Grind should really be far more flexible in opening the trail. It should be based on weather, not on calendar dates.

Without bias from the article yet, I'll say that it's bad based on the fact that the land owners, Metro Vancouver, not City of Vancouver, do yearly maintenance on the Grind before things get really busy with the Grind users. It's this annual maintenance that makes the Grind such a usable trail for thousands and thousands of people every year. The kind of maintenance they do involves, but isn't limited to: helicopters slinging in lumber loads and other heavy equipment, moving large rocks, moving dirt, cutting down hazard trees, etc.

These activites just aren't a good mix with the public who in large part, by the time they're half way up or wherever the maintenance is being done, don't take turning around lightly. So they end up going off trail to avoid the workers, causing ground disturbance off trail among other situations or going right through stunned workers who can't do much because they're focused on their task.

It really bugs me how some people (in general Mazegirl, not directed at you!) feel so entitled to carry out their habit, ritual, whatever we want to call it, in conflict with workers who want to be able to do their job in as safe a way as possible. In this case, their job and how well they do it is directly linked with the safety of the recreating public, whether we're talking about the ones that are using it when it's still closed and being worked on or the ones that will enjoy it after it's had it's yearly maintenence and opened. Sure it's been a lot drier this winter but there's still going to be work needing done.

I'll go read the article now.

I was there this morning started around 8am, there were only 5 ppl on GG all the way up , it can be just time management thing - maybe post the maintenance times.

I agree Hemlock, last time (October) I hiked the Grouse Grind it was in great shape thanks to all the work done by trail crews and funded by taxpayers. But it also seems a bit overbuilt.

The BCMC trail I took down was in pretty poor shape. Perhaps, given the volume of hikers, the time has come to bring the BCMC trail to the GG standard. That way one or the other can be closed for maintenance, the public will have a choice, one trail can be designated for both uphill and downhill travel.

I do the grind throughout the winter. the maintenance usually only takes a week or two. Most people are respectful of the work crews and are happy to wait until told that it's safe to proceed. There are no trees down, or slides this year that they need to worry about.

Just to add data point. Most people are respectful. However, on at least three occasions in the past few years (4 or so years?) I've seen users elbow past the people stationed below on the middle and upper section to go up (we were standing waiting during a time when the trail was just opened). The crews above were working on a super narrow section and clearing rock. If the rock fell it would take out people below. So the crew has to stop for a good chunk of time while the impatient person got through the kill zone.

I'm told that's why the whole trail is just shut down now while work is pending - because it was hard to ask people to wait for ten minutes while a danger section was worked on.

I agree with Hemlock. Its more an issue of the ability of MV to manage the area. With the rockslide on the Seymour River they're attention is focused on that area and I don't think they have the resources as this time to address opening the grind.

Its February... they're on winter staff levels...

I know that a lot of people have an affinity for the Grouse Grind, but there are at least 10 other trails that go "up" Grouse or Fromme.....why not hike one of those when the Grind is closed.

I would hazard a guess that it has a lot to do with the marketing around the Grouse Grind and the overall visibility it has from the bottom. It takes a little bit of effort to find the other trails, and if you're walking up the Grouse Grind to begin with, you're probably not interested in that effort.

From what I've read, it was the heavy rains that caused erosion and resulting instability this year. Because it is still winter, the weather can be unpredictable and so to go in and assess the trail, do the necessary maintenance to open the trail only to have it closed again if conditions deteriorate is a waste of time and money for Metro Vancouver. I respect the closure and do the BCMC in lieu of the Grind.

That being said, it is frustrating to see Metro Van issuing warnings but not doing anything to prevent those who choose not to listen. If they aren't willing to ticket or somehow enforce the closure, they ought to do what they can to get it open and safe for travel. This is an unusual year after all. It would also be nice to see Grouse Mountain have some kind of input. I know the trail isn't under their jurisdiction, but I would imagine it would be in their best interest to get it officially open.

The company that owns the Grouse Mountain facilities benefits financially from almost everyone doing the grind, through gondola downride tickets, food and drink sales, etc etc.(Who gets the parking fee money?)
I hope Metro Vancouver recovers trail maintenace costs from them, and not from taxpayers. Other trails are volunteer maintained.

Why do Vancouver folk continue to support paying for the Grouse Grind? Just leave it alone and it will (for better or for worse) become like the other trails on the mountain.

We usually hike BCMC off-season all the time, just changed to GG 3 weeks ago as it is much drier and much better trail condition. I didn't pay attention to the surrounding as I just want to finish GG as a quick suffering regular exercise(how lucky we are to have GG so close by), but yesterday I did pay attention and took some pics as attached. I sense that GG does need some maintenance. I feel that doing GG in the earlier morning or late afternoon won't affect the trail maintenance, if it does, we will stop and wait unconditionally, hope it is reasonable.

We did GG early this morning, Metro Vancouver started to work on the trail today, their sweeper caught up with us after the half way and we walked up together, he is very nice gentleman! He told us they will work on GG Monday to Friday between 7am - 5pm, it's fine if we do GG before 7am or after 5pm, weekends are ok as they do not work on the weekend. he said they are expecting a 5 week working period on GG.

BCMC won't be affected.

Hats off to them for maintaining the Grouse Grind.