The first record of anyone summiting Grouse Mountain was in October of 1894. Back then climbing was a lot more challenging than it is today. The bridge across Burrard Inlet and the road to the base of the mountain did not exist, so those with their eyes on the summit required three or four days to reach it. On their way to the top, those first climbers hunted the plentiful Blue Grouse (sometimes referred to as Dusky Grouse) and christened the peak ‘Grouse Mountain’ in the birds’ honour.
Word of the first ascent spread quickly, which in turn attracted many hikers to the area. Among those were Don and Phyllis Munday who are credited with building the first log cabin on the mountain. In honour of their contributions to mountaineering the Munday Alpine Snowshoe Park bears their name today.
In 1910, in an effort to make the mountain’s summit more accessible, an ambitious group of entrepreneurs planned to build a railroad to the top. Due to the steel shortages attributed to the start of the First World War in 1914, the railroad was never constructed. In 1929 the Tyee Ski Club was formed and by the mid-1930’s Grouse had its first rope tow. Since then downhill skiing, and later snowboarding, has prospered on Grouse Mountain. The Tyee Ski Club is now one of the oldest in all of Canada.
Grouse Mountain holds the distinction of being the first in the world to install a double chairlift in 1949. This lift replaced a required two-to-three-hour hike from the bus stop near the mountain’s base and thrust Grouse Mountain into a leadership role within the skiing industry. Two years after the initial lift was installed the chairlift for The Cut was constructed meaning visitors and skiers were now able to reach the mountain in a two-stage trip. With the new lifts in place, the original Grouse Mountain Chalet began attracting international visitors who were attracted to the skiing, the dining, and the dancing, all happening on The Peak of Vancouver. Building on an already well-established history of skiing and ski clubs, the Snow School opened in 1965
It was also the first in Canada to install and operate an aerial tramway system. On December 15, 1966, the Grouse Mountain Skyride opened to the public, making it even easier for visitors to reach the mountaintop. Two new restaurants and a gift shop also opened their doors at the same time. Around the same time, Grouse built Canada’s largest snowmaking system, although this was completed in 1973.
The renovations and enhancements have continued through the years. Just a few of the many highlights include the opening of the Theatre in the Sky, the premiere of the World Famous Lumberjack Show, the unveiling of the Grouse Grind, the launch of the Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, playing host to the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, and the brand new state of the art gondola that is set to open this winter. As you can see Grouse Mountain has long been a leader in both the tourism and winter sport industries and continues to be at the forefront even today.
For even more historical stories from Vancouver and the surrounding area, please see these previous posts including Vintage Photographs from Vancouver’s Most Popular Beaches, Old Photographs of Hiking, and Vintage Photographs of Parks from Around Vancouver.
The photos above were collected from the City of Vancouver Archives. If you’re interested, additional information can be found for each photograph on their website. Stay tuned for additional posts featuring historical photos from Vancouver, British Columbia, and across Western Canada. We’d love to know what you think in the comment section below.
