Go out and stand on the mountain in the presence of the LORD, for the LORD is about to pass by. I Kings 19:11
Sarah and I went hiking on a trail called the Grouse Grind. It's a pretty intense hike, but well worth the views. The mountain is called Grouse Mountain, where you can snow ski in the winter. It is the highest point in Vancouver at 3,700 feet. It was a bit of a overcast day, but if you look in the background of the picture you can see Vancouver West in the foreground, ships sitting in the harbor area, and the Point Grey Peninsula in background. Point Grey is where the University of British Columbia is located, with Regent College nestled in the midst of UBC's campus.
For those of you who like numbers here's the scoop on the Grouse Grind:
| Length: | 2.9 kilometres (1.8 miles) |
| Elevation Gain: | 853 metres (2,800 feet) - Base: 274 metres above sea level (900 feet) - Summit: 1,127 metres (3,700 feet) - Total Stairs: 2,830 |
| Statistics: | Annually, over 100,000 people hike the Grind™. |
| Average Time: | On average it takes up to an hour and a half to complete the hike. For novice hikers, up to two hours is recommended. |
| Participants: | Hikers range in age from 7 to 90, with an equal male/female split. |
Seriously, look at the statistics above, because what I am about to confess is shameful! It took Sarah and I 1 hr, 50 mins to complete the hike. Granted, we had some minor issues like migraines and sprained ankles, but nonetheless were able to endeavor on such a feat. Well, initially we were surprised because this turned out to be a more intense hike than we had planned. We almost turned back. Right about that time, we saw a 5 year old hiking up the mountain!!! It was so easy a 5 year old could do it....mind you, a Canadian 5 year old. These Canadians are outdoor, fitness gurus. Then, we saw 2 women in heels hiking the trail. Finally, as if the nail had not been hammered in the coffin already, we saw a father carrying his baby on his back hiking up the trail and reach the summit. What were we thinking? When we finally reached the pinnacle, we learned that the record time to hike the mountain for that day was 25 minutes. Who are these people? I couldn't have driven up the mountain that quickly. Needless to say, we will be conquering that mountain again, but in a more respectable time.
When you come visit, come with your outdoor prowess up to par, because this is the best view in all of Vancouver, but there's only 2 ways to reach the summit. One: you can pay $55 per person to take the cable car up. Two: you can hike for free, and take a $10 cable car ride down. On many levels, option 2 is the only realistic option for us, so if you want to see the best view in Vancouver, come prepared to shame some 5 year olds!
Happy Friday!
In grace and truth,
JS
