North Vancouver, British Columbia — Reaching the slopes of Grouse Mountain hasn’t always been the easiest endeavor. In order to reach the skiable terrain at Grouse, guests took one of their two trams. Since there’s no terrain back at the base area, skiers and riders took these trams down at the end of their day. Since these trams only have two cabins each, it takes time to get up and down the mountain, leading to lift lines. That’s why Grouse Mountain constructed a gondola, which made its grand debut last night.
On December 12th, Grouse Mountain held a grand opening ceremony for the Blue Grouse Gondola. The festivities included a ribbon cutting ceremony, a live DJ performance, free hot chocolate and hot cider, and fireworks.
“The addition of the gondola has allowed us to explore a whole mountain of opportunities not previously available with just the Red Super Skyride. It’s an exciting time for Grouse and we’re so happy to be sharing these new amenities with our community,” said Michael Cameron, who’s the President of Grouse Mountain.
The modern Leitner-Poma gondola is a beauty. The gondola, which features 27 eight-person gondola cabins, has a ride time of 5.5 minutes. From the gondola, you can see incredible views of the mountains and the Vancouver skyline. This gondola replaced the old Blue Skyride tram. The old Blue Skyride has been removed, while the Red Skyride remains open and operational.
“The opening of the Blue Grouse Gondola marks a significant milestone for Grouse Mountain and the region, enhancing our appeal as a premier year-round destination. This investment not only improves access to one of Vancouver’s most iconic attractions but also drives economic benefits by attracting more visitors, creating jobs, and supporting local businesses. It’s a win for tourism, the community, and our regional economy,” said Royce Chwin, the CEO of Destination Vancouver.
In the coming years, Grouse will continue to modernize its facilities. Phase two of the gondola project will include renovating the current base buildings, improvements to parking lots, building a new Guest Services area, adding retail, offering more food and beverage options, and building offices.
More summer activities are also planned. A mountain biking park and a mountain coaster began construction earlier this year. The mountain coaster will open next spring, and the mountain biking park will begin operations in the summer of 2025.
Image Credits: Grouse Mountain
