Grouse Grind on list of 10 most dangerous hikes in the world

NORTH VANCOUVER (NEWS1130) – New Mexico-based Outside Magazine has come out with its top 10 list of the most dangerous hikes in the world.

The only Canadian entry on the list was right here in the Vancouver area: the Grouse Grind.

But Tim Jones with North Shore Rescue says the mountain simply isn’t that dangerous.

“To me that’s fear mongering,” says Jones, who knows the mountain well and has handled dozens of rescues throughout his career.

He tells us it’s not that technical of a climb and that climbers needing to be rescued are often just unprepared for the uphill trek. “For most people, it’s their alpine Stairmaster workout.”

Jones has seen his fair share of interesting stories on the mountain but he says that doesn’t make the designated route up the mountain dangerous. “They should actually have the goofiest hikes category and it would probably be up there at the top.”

He notes his fellow rescuers have encountered some strange sights.

“The stuff that we see at night, we’ve had ninjas come out of the forest, we’ve had guys in chicken suits,” he describes.

Jones, also a paramedic, says the Grind can sometimes get overcrowded which makes rescues challenging but most climbers are prepared.

“I mean the majority of people are very fit, they hydrate themselves but you get that percentage of people that are the ones that we see,” he explains.

Jones says most climbers are well prepared for the steep uphill trek but it’s those who aren’t ready or who venture off trail and need to be rescued, who make it seem more dangerous than it is.