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Story and Photos by Perry and Cindy Mack
The Peak of Vancouver makes an excellent day trip for the RVer looking for one of most beautiful urban out door experiences any city on the planet has to offer. We're going to provide you with a hot day itinerary to help you have a terrific experience.
Shoot to arrive at 9am. On our trip, we managed to park in parking lot A, which is at the base of the gondola. There is bus parking available for larger class A's. Parking is $8/day but you can avoid this by arriving early and parking on Nancy Greene Way. Many people do this, I recommend turning around now in parking lot A so you're facing the right direction for your departure later in the day.
We started our trip by checking in at guest services and getting our tickets. The gondola ride in the morning is quite spacious as there are so few visitors first thing. It rises upward like a cloud providing god-like views of ships anchored in English Bay, high rises in Vancouver's downtown, the green-forested Stanley Park and the campus of UBC shimmering in the summers haze in the distance. Stand in the rear of the gondola to get postcard-quality photographs of the aerial views.
It's quite likely that your companions on this journey into the sky won't speak English. An eclectic mix of the world’s population are your travel companions and you'll overhear French, German, Mandarin, Japanese, Spanish, Portuguese, Punjabi and more. While many mountain top viewpoints describe themselves as the ‘Top of the World’, this eclectic mix of languages makes you feel as though you really are.
As the gondola shudders to a stop you disembark are greeted with fabulous blue skies and the welcoming Peak Chalet. Passing the yoga class, we followed the path lined with giant woodcarvings, to the grizzly habitat to see Coola and Grinder - two grizzlies rescued from the wilds as abandoned cubs. The 'walk and talk' with a volunteer provided the grizzlies' family background as well as terrific information about grizzlies. I say walk and talk because as the guide passionately delivered grizzly lore, we walked outside the habitat moving with the bears.
Looking northward we noticed the chairlift had begun moving - as yet devoid of visitors – which to us meant no lines. The chairlift gently picks you off your feet and lifts you skyward at a leisurely pace. Memories of the Gondola views are replaced by even more breathtaking views over your shoulder. Don't rubberneck your way to the chiropractor though; these views will be before you on the return trip. Having said that, I took a view photos, as you never know when mountain weather will change.
We stepped off the chair and I joked with the staff, “Do I need to hit the ground running?” The chair moves sloth-like on to the platform and even if you are on crutches you can 'beat the seat' to safety.
In the distance we spotted a large windmill and headed towards it. The 'Eye of the Wind' erupts 102 metres needle-like into the sky with a tiny bubble, the viewPod, resting just below the apex cradling the 37.3 m blades of the windmill. We boarded the elevator, rated for 8 people but comfortable for four and are whisked to the top. Spectacular floor to ceiling 360 degree views take your breath away and you'll be immediately glad to came early as you can feel the temperature beginning to rise in this Jetson's like bubble in the sky. Your eyes switch from focusing on the facts etched into the protective Plexiglas to sights reminiscent of the views from Olympus itself. We were quite comfortable as there were only four people sharing our viewpoint but for those of you with a fear of heights or claustrophobia, this is not for you. A guest services representative at the top pointed out some of the sights and I asked her if she was there to make sure everyone behaved. ‘Yes’, she replied, ‘I'm also here in case there's any technical difficulties and am trained to help visitors rappel through that hatch to safety.’ ....???? I look down and for the first time notice that part of the floor is Plexiglas and I can see 65 m to the forest floor, and then I look to where she is pointing and see the 'safety' hatch. It's time to go.
After being delivered safely to ground we set out to stop at the kiosk we passed earlier in our blind curiosity to discover the secrets of the giant windmill. Lo and behold, adventure seekers can book zipline rides and tandem paraglide experiences. While our time didn't allow us to enjoy either of these adventures, our view from the ground left us wanting to. How many paragliders are in your family?
Approaching eleven o'clock, we began our descent on the chairlift. The languages of the world drifted past with every chair and my camera clicked photos of the awe-inspiring views below and the people thrilling to their paraglide adventures overhead.
A gentle breeze of warm sea air ruffled our hair and the aroma of barbequed food overwhelmed our senses. It was time for lunch. We typically plan our lunch for 11am to avoid restaurant crowds, get the best seats and good service, as the staff is prepared for the crowds yet to come. We chose the Altitudes Bistro, which serves up meals in the $12 to $20 range with great views of city and ocean. Your other choices include the Rusty Rail BBQ & Grill or the Lupins cafeteria. A five star restaurant is open after 4 pm, and was in use during our visit by a wedding reception. We were briefly serenaded by the drifting sound of bagpipes as men dressed in kilts passed by.
Your alternate choice is also to pack a blanket and picnic basket. We passed family lazily spread out on their blanket, diving into a spread of fresh meats, cheeses, fruit and salads. We were tempted to throw ourselves at their mercy and beg to join them.
But lunchtime had passed and we had a noon date with some lumberjacks. Not an exclusive date, but a show highlighting lumberjack skills along with a healthy dose of comedy. It was quite literally fun for the whole family - entertaining visuals and comedy for the kids, with underlying wit and allegory for the adults. Spoiler alert, the inebriated guest is part of the show… and you will gasp.
The birds of prey demonstration was equally entertaining, even more so for nature lovers. Remember to bring or buy some water and even an umbrella for shade. Sunscreen is a must for these sunny days and bug spray is a necessity if you're going to enjoy hikes through the woods.
Walking back to the Peak Chalet for our return to earth, more guests shrieked in delight as they soared on ziplines overhead. With wildlife viewing, paragliding, ziplines, hiking and spectacular views, Grouse Mountain provides an unparalleled out door experience. From sky-high adrenalin rushes to peaceful aerial views, Canada's grizzlies to raptors in the skies, Grouse Mountain will provide an epic day for everyone in your group.