American thanksgiving is something we should try to import to Europe instead of Halloween. True! Not only do you get to eat well and a lot (although according to the stereotypes, that’s not something to be surprised about) but you also get this long weekend to do whatever you want or go wherever you feel like going. That is if you’re not into that Black Friday shopping spree. Back in 2006, during Thanksgiving weekend, a group of friends and I decided to go to Vancouver in Canada’s British Columbia, just 3 hours away from Seattle. We drove there but it has an airport just in case you are further away than I was. Vancouver is great on its own and worth a lot of (future) posts. Since the 2010 Winter Olympics are coming soon, it will probably benefit from the publicity and have a lot of people coming to visit. If you wanna have a glimpse of it, check the games once they start in February 12th, 2010. From what I experienced, though, Grouse Mountain will not be used for Winter Olympics events. I guess it’s too wild for it. Or maybe they forgot to include the sport you can do there – hiking up the mountain.
Bottom and parking lot
You can easily get to base of the mountain from the city center by using public transportation. By car is fine too since there is a big parking lot there. But going up, only two ways: the gondola lift or your feet. The trail that goes up the mountain starts around the parking lot – it’s fairly easy to find. Actually if you don’t find it you can just venture up yourself. There’s nothing to be wrong about, just follow the way up. It depends which time of the year you’re going, but during November there was no snow at the bottom. So the trail starts in between the trees and goes all the way up in a zig-zag. It’s not steep and it’s quite family friendly, and as a plus you get to breathe all that fresh air around you. As you approach the top, it will probably get colder and you’ll see some ice and then the snow and it might get slippery too. Unless you go in the summer – I don’t know if there’s still snow on the top of it during that period. Check the weather conditions beforehand just so that you can take the suitable clothes and shoes. You don’t want to slip on the way up and slide on your ass all the way down. It can happen.
Find the U.S. Army guys
On average for a non-hiker it will take 2 hours to arrive at the summit without hurrying. If you want to take it even easier, bring some snacks and water with you, have a break and let yourself get lost in the woods (hypothetically of course). When you are close to your final destination, you will probably hear the voices of children sledding or skiing or playing with the snow. And ignore Mr. Tumnus, he’s usually there trying to sell you dirty photos of the White Witch. For that, check your surroundings when you reach the top. You don’t want to be run over by a sled. It is easy to locate the visitors center and reward yourself with a warm chocolate and some food at the restaurant. The place is quite OK, but it’s not like you have any other choice there. So eat it! And from there, if the weather allows, you can see Vancouver all the way down… I think. It was quite misty when I was there.
You're not in Narnia
To get back down, three options: your feet, your ass, or the gondola lift. Take the gondola, and if you’re lucky enough you can be one of the first inside, so run to the window in the front and kick the kids in your way if necessary. That way the ride down is like… like riding a gondola lift down the mountain. Exactly. It has an amazing view over the trees and if you forget for a moment that you are being suspended by a shaking cable while the ground is far from you, then it’s quite nice. And try to resist the temptation to do it again once you step out of the gondola lift, because there are more places around Vancouver that deserve your attention. They have feelings too.
Fun game: Jump inside the gondola while going down and scream
