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Is the Grouse Grind Vancouver’s most dangerous trail?
Posted by: Matthew Inouye
Posted on: September 3rd, 2018
The Grouse Grind made local headlines yesterday after a middle-aged man was airlifted from the infamous trail following a heart attack. In 2015, even Outside Magazine named the Grind one of the most dangerous hikes on Earth. But truly how dangerous is the Grouse Grind -- or has its popularity simply fueled an impression of being death defying?
As the 2018 summer hiking season ends, Mountain Guru looks at the most dangerous hiking trails in Metro Vancouver over the past year. Media articles can exaggerate tales of danger on the trails – or only focus in on popular routes, so we’ll be looking at stats and calls posted since August 2017 by North Shore Rescue, Lions Bay SAR, Coquitlam SAR, Ridge Meadows SAR and Central Fraser Valley SAR.
Search and Rescue Helicopter over Howe Sound
Trail with the most overall incidents
Crown Mountain Trail. The jagged, narrow and steep peak of this mountain is popular for those once-in-a-lifetime #Instagram shots. However, it’s also a very popular spot to become stranded apparently. Over the past twelve months, SAR reports show five stranded incidents, two injuries and one fatality.
Runner up: The Lions – those two popular peaks that the Lions Gate Bridge was named after. Five incidents including two lost, two stranded and one injured.
Trail that you’re most likely to get lost on
Dog Mountain. Maybe it’s the fresh snow-pack, or simply inevitable due to how popular and accessible this trail is to snowshoe on if you’re a casual hiker or beginner. Four separate calls were placed this past year for individuals and groups of hikers that lost the trail.
Metro Vancouver’s most dangerous park
From a surge of bear sightings, attacking wasps, steep drop offs and a dangerous waterfall, Buntzen Lake tops the list as Metro Vancouver’s Most Dangerous Park. Over the past twelve months, SAR reports show three stranded hikers, two lost, two injured and one hiking related fatality.
Atop Eagle Ridge on the north end of Buntzen Lake, the Swan Falls viewpoint is particularly treacherous. This trail has made it into the news several times over past years as climbing down from the viewpoint requires a steep 30 foot descent on a rope.
Swan Falls at Buntzen Lake Looking south towards Buntzen Lake from on top of Swan Falls on Eagle Ridge.
Descending down from the Swan Falls viewpoint Climbing down from the Swan Falls viewpoint requires a 30 foot descent by rope.
Where’s the Grouse Grind on this list?
With only three incidents this year, the Grouse Grind ranks low when compared to trails like Crown Mountain, West Lion, Golden Ears Trail, Eagle Ridge, Mount Harvey and the Howe Sound Crest Trail. In fact, Grouse Mountain’s website notes over 150,000 people hike the trail annually. If even incidents reached over two dozen annually, your odds of something happening would be less than 0.0002%. Of course, this stat doesn’t account for tourists grappling with the sweaty, chaffing discomfort of hiking in jeans.
Read our Hiking Basics 101 resource before you head out on your next hike.
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