Did you know there are some alternative ways up Grouse Mountain, in addition to the famous Grouse Grind and BCMC trails? This spring (on one of our first grind hikes of the season) the Grouse Grind and the BCMC were closed. But there was a detour via the Baden Powell and Larsen trails, so we discovered a whole new way up the mountain.

Lots of people hike up Grouse Mountain each day either as tourists, or as part of their fitness routine. If you’d like to avoid stairs and hike up Grouse via a more natural (and rooty) route, this is a fab option. It is also far quieter, so you’ll see fewer hikers along the way.

Larsen trail up Grouse Mountain – the basics

Distance: 3.75 km (one way)
Elevation Gain: 810 m
High Point: 1100 m
Time: 1.5-2 hours
What to bring:
As always the 10 essentials.
Bring microspikes in winter or snowshoes if there is recent snow.
Facilities: There are loos, a starbucks and drink machines at the bottom by the Skyride. There are restaurants, a cafe, a shop, loos and even a beaver tails stand at the resort on the top. 
Dogs: Dogs are allowed on this trail, but they can’t ride the gondola, so you’ll have to hike both ways with them.
How hard is it? It’s harder to follow than the Grind or BCMC, but still quite obvious. You’re gaining over 800m in 4km, so it’s hard work.

Getting Started

You can start from the carpark at the base of Grouse Mountain. There is a gate at the entrance that is locked after 3pm for people who are getting started. (Don’t worry, you can still exit through the gate after that if you are coming down.) There is also a second entrance to the BCMC and Baden Powell trail further along (parking lot D.) The second entrance does not have a gate to stop hikers.

Baden Powell Trail

The first kilometer of this trail is along the lovely Baden Powell Trail. You won’t be able to avoid steps, but this is the least steep section of the route. Baden Powell is a rugged (but gorgeous) 48km hiking trail, from Horseshoe Bay in West Vancouver, all the way to Deep Cove. If you have hiked in Vancouver it is likely that you’ve been along many sections of this walk. Long sections of the route are possible year-round.

I noticed that part of this trail seem to have been affected by storms in recent years. There is not much undergrowth, and lots of downed trees and debris. Still, it won’t stop you from meeting cute, sweary squirrels. Can you spot one below?

Larsen Trail

After just over 1km, look out for a left turn. When we visited there was a huge detour sign, but normally you’ll need to watch out for a smaller wooden sign post.

As soon as you turn, the trail gets steep. You climb 440m+ in elevation in a single kilometer. I stopped so many times to catch my breath!

It is wild, rooty and beautiful. It is a bit like the BCMC used to be a few years ago before it was upgraded with more steps.

Back to the BCMC trail

After that super steep kilometer, the trail re-joins the BCMC trail. We know this section of the trail quite well, and from here it is only another 200m in elevation gain (in slightly less than a kilometer). This feels relaxing after that madness of the Larsen section!

Larsen Trail in winter

Like the BCMC, it is possible to hike up the Larsen trail in the winter, as long as you are prepared (with spikes or snowshoes) and aware of the avalanche danger. Both trails traverse through simple avalanche terrain (you can check this via Avalanche Canada’s trip planner.) But they go below some challenging terrain, so be sure to check the forecast, and consider taking an AST1 if you like to snowshoe!

We did this hike in springtime in mid-may, so there was still plenty of snow once we reached the lodge on Grouse Mountain.

Other trails up Grouse Mountain

Trail	Distance	How hard is it?	Details
Grouse Grind	1.9 km	Intermediate	Busy. Very well maintained with good solid steps Not open in winter
BCMC	2.6 km	Intermediate	Less busy than GG Well maintained but a bit more rugged Possible in winter
Baden Powell + Larsen	3.75 km	Challenging	Very quiet trail Rugged, rooty trail Possible in winter
Flint and Feather	3.4 km	Very Challenging	Very quiet trail No signposts. Rugged trail with scramble Avoid in winter
Grouse Mountain Highway	12 km	Intermediate	Quiet trail Well maintained logging road

Visit the bears

We normally pay a visit to the two beautiful grizzly bears of Grouse Mountain on our way home. This is Grinder and Cooler.

If you get to the top early enough you can also watch the lumberjack show, see birds in motion, ride a chairlift to the top of the mountain or eat at the cafe or restaurants. There is a whole resort above the clouds once you’ve hiked up!

Heading down

If you spend several hours up on Grouse Mountain, you will probably want to ride the Sky Ride down the mountain. It costs $20, although you can save a little by purchasing 5 download tickets for the price of 4. If you prefer to hike down, you can either go the way you came up, or take the BCMC the whole way down. You are not allowed to hike down the Grouse Grind.

The Larsen trail might not be famous, but it is a nice way to hike up Grouse Mountain. Especially if you’d prefer to avoid the crowds of the Grouse Grind! Do you like the look of this? Are you a fan of rooty trails, or do you prefer the manicured steps up? Or would you prefer to avoid hiking altogether and pay to ride the Skyride right up!?

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