Hiking the BCMC Trail in North Vancouver
Contents
BCMC Trail Hike Information
Difficulty: Difficult
Distance: 3.10Km
Elevation Gain: 789m
Highest Elevation: 1,093m
Average Gradient: 25.45%
Effort/Reward Ratio: High / Moderate
Time Needed:
– Slow: 2 – 3 Hours
– Moderate: 1.5 – 2 Hours
– Fast: 1 – 1.5 Hours
Dogs Permitted?: No
Season: Year-Round
4×4 / High Clearance Required? No
Scrambling / Exposure: None
BCMC Trail
Trailhead Coordinates: 49°22’16.5″N 123°05’54.3″W
BCMC Trail Overview
The BCMC trail is a very popular point-to-point hike in North Vancouver, beginning at the base of Grouse Mountain and ending at Grouse Mountain lodge. The BCMC trail is similar to the even more popular Grouse Grind, beginning and ending at the same point, though thanks to its slightly longer route this makes for a somewhat easier climb than the Grind.
Unlike the Grouse Grind the BCMC trail is open year-round and users can hike both uphill and downhill. For this reason many people choose to hike the Grouse Grind up and hike down on the BCMC trail. In the winter when the Grouse Grind is closed the BCMC trail is the most popular hike to the Grouse Mountain lodge.
Despite its year round opening the BCMC trail is often snow covered at higher elevations throughout winter and for most of spring. Microspikes might be helpful and navigation can sometimes be tricky when snow covers the trail, so a map is always useful to take.
While the BCMC trail is absolutely a challenging hike, it is simpler and more enjoyable than the relentless Grouse Grind, with a reduced gradient and more opportunities to catch your breath. It is also a more spacious trail with plenty of spots to stop and take a breather, something the Grind lacks.
The BCMC trail is entirely forested with no views whatsoever. Many people consider it more of a workout than a scenic hike, but if you appreciate forested trails there are certainly aspects to enjoy. At the top of the trail hikers can recover in the Grouse Mountain lodge with a drink and some food, plus there are a number of activities at the top that you can enjoy before heading back down, such as ziplining, lumberjack shows, rope adventures and a grizzly bear habitat. Hikers can then decide whether to take the gondola back down to the trailhead (at a cost) or to hike back. The trail linked here is for the uphill stats only.
In the summer months more adventurous parties can continue beyond Grouse Mountain towards Crown Mountain, passing next to Dam Mountain and Goat Mountain on the way. In the winter hikers can strap on snowshoes and complete the Snowshoe Grind to Dam Mountain and Thunderbird Ridge. Hikers should not go beyond Dam Mountain in the winter as the backcountry is closed due to dangerous terrain. The BCMC trail is not pet friendly.
Maintaining this website requires a significant investment of both time and money, if you find this website a useful resource, please consider making a donation using this button.
Is the BCMC Trail worthwhile?
The BCMC trail is a test of your fitness with a fairly relentless climb to the top of Grouse Mountain. It is both easier and more enjoyable than the Grouse Grind, and if you have done neither I might suggest starting with the BCMC trail to see how you find it before attempting the Grind.
There are no real views throughout the hike, and even at the top any views are pretty limited (unless you take the gondola down). The BCMC trail should be treated more as a fitness test than a scenic hike, with many people hiking it multiple times with the hopes of beating their personal best.
Overall the BCMC trail has its place in the hiking glossary, but it’s not something I would recommend on a sunny bluebird day. Not only are there no views, it’s not that pleasant to hike on a hot and humid day. This is a good option for a cloudy/cool day when you still want to get out into nature with a physical activity.
How difficult is the BCMC Trail?
With an average gradient of over 25% the BCMC trail is no doubt a consistently steep climb that is going to challenge you. The start of the trail is fairly mellow before the middle section, which is a consistently steep climb. The final section levels out to a more manageable ascent up to the lodge. This is a much simpler climb than the Grouse Grind, which is a relentlessly steep ascent with an average gradient of around 30%.
Technically speaking the BCMC trail is pretty straightforward with an easy to navigate, well marked trail. In the winter and spring snow will cover the higher elevations and microspikes will be helpful to prevent slipping. Navigation can sometimes prove tricky with snow on the ground so a map would be beneficial.
BCMC Trail Route Information
The trailhead for the BCMC trail is shared with the Grouse Grind at the bottom of the Grouse Mountain gondola. Parking is paid and rates can be found on the Grouse Mountain website. The trailhead is on the right hand side of Nancy Greene Way and should be simple enough to find after parking.
You will immediately pass through a gate and a variety of signage indicating the park hours, risks and maps of the area. The gate signifies the start point for those timing themselves. Almost immediately the trail splits with many hikers going left onto the Grouse Grind and fewer people heading right onto the BCMC trail. Take care not to end up on the Grind here as it can be easy to miss the junction.
The trail starts off benign as it is shared with the Baden Powell trail, but after a couple of hundred meters you’ll take a left turn onto the dedicated BCMC trail. You’ll soon cross a small bridge over a creek, after which the climbing starts, albeit somewhat gradually.
At around the 500m distance mark the real climb begins as the trail starts to zigzag through the forest at a sustained, steep ascent. You’ll likely start to see distance markers on the trees indicated by a number out of 50. These will be present throughout the hike to let you know how far you have left to go. Note that these are based on distance, not elevation, so initially they go up very slowly, though towards the end of the hike when the gradient mellows out, they go up a lot quicker.
The trail is now steep and remains so for the majority of the mid-section of the hike. At around the 1km mark you will pass a junction with the Flint and Feather trail, though it’s not very obvious and you can just ignore it. After another 500m of sustained climbing you’ll reach another junction where the trail splits between the Larsen trail and the BCMC trail. Ignoring the Larsen split, the trail remains steep for the next 500m once again. It’s really just a matter of finding a consistent pace that you can maintain without getting so out of breath that you need constant stops. Even if you move slowly, consistency is the key and reducing the number of stops you need will likely result in a faster pace (if that’s your goal). Nonetheless, don’t fret if you need to take breaks to catch your breath.
By the time you reach the 2km mark of the trail the gradient begins to mellow out and the hardest part of the hike is now behind you. Distance wise you’re about ⅔ of the way through the hike at this point, but elevation wise you’ve climbed over ¾ of the total elevation.
The remainder of the trail still climbs but it’s now a lot more manageable, with some flat spots sprinkled within, and you can likely finish the final third without requiring much in the way of rest stops. If you’re hiking in winter/spring you’ll likely have hit the snowline at this point, in which case navigation can sometimes be a little tricky. Just keep an eye out for markers on the trees and footsteps on the snow.
The remainder of the hike is straightforward and soon enough you’ll find yourself at the Grouse Mountain lodge. The official end point for those on the stop clock is at the staircase leading up to the lodge. You now have a choice of either heading into the lodge for a celebratory drink, exploring all the amenities/activities that Grouse Mountain has to offer, catching the gondola down or hiking back down the BCMC to the trailhead. By now most people opt for a drink, some food, checking out the grizzly bears and catching the gondola down (note: make sure to buy a download ticket before lining up).
When should I hike the BCMC Trail?
The BCMC trail is open year-round as long as it is deemed safe. Sometimes the trail gets closed in the winter if conditions are particularly poor, but for the most part the trail is open.
Anytime of year is fine for the BCMC trail, but the middle of summer on a hot, sunny day doesn’t make for the most pleasant experience as the temperatures, combined with the steep climb, can make this a taxing and sweaty hike. I prefer to go on a cool and cloudy day when conditions are comfortable. Spring and fall are usually good times to go, just take note that you may still hit snow at higher elevations. While many people manage without microspikes just fine, I recommend carrying them anyway just in case.
Top Tip
Avoid hiking this on an extremely hot or humid day and ideally time it for a cooler, cloudy day. Starting early in the morning is ideal as well, both in terms of weather, parking and to avoid crowds.
Make sure to bring enough water and some snacks, you don’t want to get half way through only to realize you’re hungry or thirsty.
Don’t assume the conditions at the top are the same as the bottom. You may start hiking in dry and warm conditions but it could very well be snowy, damp and cold at the top depending on when you go.
