It's all in the details

I was thinking over the last few days about how to get the information to the people who want it. People like you, who are reading about what's new at Grouse Mountain.

If you're signed up to our email newsletter, you know we have about 427 different categories to choose from. Okay, I'm exaggerating - we have a dozen, and you can choose what you'd like to hear about. Hopefully you're getting most of the information you want. You can also change your preferences at any time by going through what looks like the sign-up process. Just enter your email address, then re-enter it and you'll get an email with a link to update your selections.

While email is great way for us to communicate important announcements to you, there are lots of little details that don't really warrant a message to your inbox. I mean, we know you get a lot of email, so we only want to give you the really important stuff.

It ocurred to me yesterday that I can let you know how you can get some of those less important details that might make the difference for you if you're a regular visitor to Grouse Mountain.

As you can see if you look just to the right of the screen, Grouse Mountain is on Twitter. I tweet stuff out as it seems interesting or relevant. I don't do a lot of conversational banter there, because I've never thought people really want to chat with a company much - that's like Maytag friending you up on Facebook. Just not right (no offense intended to Maytag... I'm just saying). Occasionally, however, the Grouse Mountain twitter stream will include replies to people who have asked questions.

You, however, don't need to join Twitter to get these updates. Unless, of course, you want to. Personally I love twitter - it's where I get almost all my news now, but I digress... What you can do, is subscribe to our twitter stream by RSS and get it in your Google Reader (or whatever other feed reader you use). Here is the RSS feed for Grouse Mountain's Twitter stream. Then you get the info without having to sign up somewhere new.

I could try to explain to you the type of info that goes up on Twitter, but why not just have a look and see if that's something you'd like to follow.

The Snow is AMAZING

Well this morning I took the opportunity to enjoy one of the best perks of my job... a little on-hill time. I decided to check out the new chairs and, well, the new snow.

As of this morning, we'd received 14cm in the last 24 hours and rediculous amounts in the last week. I found some fantastic powder on Paper Trail and under the Screaming Eagle chair on Cut.

Here are some photos from the morning...













This, incidentally, is the child safety restraint on the new Greenway Chair:



So come on up and join us during this beautiful Christmas break!

Winter Season Starts Saturday!

Grouse Mountain's 82nd winter season starts tomorrow at 8:30 am! Skiers and riders will get their first taste of Paradise.

Come experience Vancouver's newest high-speed quad chair, The Greenway, servicing Paradise Park for the season launch. This week's cool overnight temperatures and frequent snowfall combined with our ongoing snowmaking efforts to make this opening possible.

Stay tuned throughout the weekend and next week for updates on further terrain.

Some photos from today:







See you on the slopes!

Stuff the Bus on December 6th!

The annual Stuff the Bus Blanket and Jacket Charity Drive starts its tour of Vancouver right here at Grouse Mountain tomorrow, Saturday, December 6th. Items received go to support the homeless through the St. James Community Service Society.

2,592
Estimated number of homeless in Metro Vancouver according to the march 11th Homeless Count

4,993
The approximate number of people who live in Single Room Accommodation (SRO) in Vancouver's Downtown Eastside (2007 Survey)

5,120
The estimated population of the Downtown Eastside either 'unwell' or 'in crisis' according to Vancouver Coastal health

25,000
Approximate number of seniors (65+) in Vancouver who live alone. 25,000 is also the approximate number who have an income less than $15,000 a year.

75,000
Estimate number of people in Vancouver living with mental illness: 1/3 of people will mental health disorder also have a substance use disorder

150,000
Estimated total number of people in Vancouver living on low incomes (2005 Statistics Canada Census)

Please bring any blankets or warm clothing you may have to the bus parked at the base of the mountain (across from the Skyride terminal in parking lot A) from noon to 5pm. Stuff the Bus continues across Vancouver until December 12, 2008.

"Stuff the Bus" Drop-Off Locations:

December 6th: Grouse Mountain
December 7th: Vancouver Aquarium
December 8th: Costco Downtown
December 9th: BC Ferries (Tsawwassen-Swartz)
December 10th: Harbour Air
December 11th: Town Pants concert at Richard's on Richards
December 12th: Capilano Suspension Bridge

Go root through your closets and pull out the stuff that doesn't fit and the stuff you haven't worn in a couple of years. Chances are, there's someone else who needs it.

An AMAZING Sunset

This is the view from the top of Grouse Mountain right now. Makes me wish my office was at the top of the mountain...

The Peak of Christmas begins Saturday!

Enjoy one of Vancouver's favourite holiday traditions with your family this year. A visit to The Peak of Christmas includes ice skating, a visit to Santa's Workshop, reindeer interpretive sessions, daily live entertainment and classic Christmas movies in the Theatre In The Sky.



The Peak of Christmas activities (.pdf) are available from November 29th through December 24th and activities are complimentary with a Grouse Mountain General Admission, Annual Membership, Lift Ticket or Winter Season Pass.

Introducing Grouse Park Sessions

I'm thrilled to introduce the all new Grouse Park Sessions blog. We are now on the hunt for the best and the brightest passionate young minds to showcase our parks and to bring us insightful and breaking industry news from all over the web and all over the world.



Hear from our local Terrain Park expert, Dave Cashen, our pro riders and the rest of the Grouse Park team about what's hot in the world of park riding and the snow sports industry.

New Chairlifts on schedule for a December opening

Our new quad chairlifts are attracting some attention. Have a look at the latest CTV coverage shot from Chopper 9! The Greenway and Peak chairs are expected to be completed in time for December break.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow!

Here are some photos from this afternoon...

We want you to consider joining us

There are so many things to talk about right now, I barely know where to start. Going into the winter season is like that. To anyone who got all excited when we launched this blog last winter and then felt we totally dropped the ball by never posting, please accept my apologies. It's proabably a time management thing, and I plan to solve it permanently.

Anyhow, I digress... now is the time to think about whether or not you'd like to consider joining our team here. We're holding a job fair on October 18th and 19th from 9am to 4pm. This is the time to come, show up, talk to managers here at the mountain and see if there's a good fit between what we're looking for and what you're looking for.

We're looking for a whole variety of people: Tourism career superstars who deliver amazing service and already know how to go the distance when it comes to serving our customers. Honestly, we want every single customer to feel like a rockstar, so if you have the skills, we want you to join us. We also want the super fun, crazy traveler types. Quite honestly, they usually have the best stories to share. Come spend the winter with us (even if it's your summer, for you Aussies) and enjoy the city of Vancouver. We're so close to the urban centre and accessible by transit; we really are your best bet for winter employment.

For all the kids out there who want to get in on the action in order to get a free ski pass (because I'll be honest, that's what I wanted when I started at Apex Mountain a zillion years ago), we have jobs for you too. If you're keen to work hard, put your learning hat on and earn some money and skills in the process, we'll help you figure it all out.

We're looking for Customer Service Representatives, Food Servers, kitchen staff, rental shop attendants, Lift Operators, patrollers, and loads of others - you can check out the full listing of current position openings... We have part time seasonal, full time seasonal, full time permanent and part time permanent jobs for the taking for the right candidates. I really think we have something you may be interested in.

I have been working in this industry since 1997, when I was a liftie at Apex Mountain just outside of Penticton. I joined the Grouse Mountain team in 1999 as a Guest Services Representative and now I'm doing the best job imaginable. Follow your dreams; follow your gut. Take your life wherever you want it to go. You can do anything you put your mind to.

And if you have questions, ask.

Sign up for Mobile Updates

We're super excited to announce our new mobile subscription options to keep you informed this winter. Sign up for one of our subscriptions or just use our Mobile Snow Report when you need information on the fly.

Big Snowfall Alerts
Text SNOWALERT to 333777 and we'll let you know when we've received more than 10cm of new snow overnight.

Special Deals and Offers
Text GROUSEDEALS to 333777 and we'll send you info about great deals and special offers.

Mobile Snow Reports
Text GROUSEREPORT to 333777 and we'll send you a quick snapshot of the day's weather, conditions and runs open. No commitment required.

There is no cost to any of this except standard text messaging rates from your mobile provider. You can unsubscribe at any time by texting STOP to 333777. Subscriptions may include up to 10 messages per month.

UnderGrouse: Photos of Life in North Van

The Presentation House Gallery in North Vancouver is running a super cool contest through the month of October called UnderGrouse: Photos of Life in North Van, which encourages North Shore teens (13-18) to pursue a deeper interest in photography by submitting a series of three photos following the theme.

Together the photos should relate to each other in a way that creates or implies some kind of narrative. Put some thought into it! Be creative! Is there an aspect of North Vancouver that you feel is worth photographing? This is your opportunity to show us more than just a pretty picture, so give us something to think about.

Now, there’s even $1,000 cash on the line plus some other great prizes for 2nd and 3rd place. So check it out, invite your friends, and get out there! The deadline for submission is October 31st.

The Presentation House Gallery is located at 333 Chesterfield Avenue, on the corner of Chesterfield and West 3rd Street.

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank is looking for a few passionate volunteers

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society has been supporting those in need for the past quarter century. What started out as a temporary measure to provide food assistance to a small number of people in need now serves approximately 25,000 recipients each week, and 10,000 are children.

Food Bank programs include the Basics for Babies program, Kids Picks, Community Kitchens, and Community Angel Food Runners program which recovered the equivalent of 1.3 million meals last year (providing food to 100 to 120 agencies weekly the food they need for their food programs). The food bank is busy within our communities trying to meet these needs and could not do this without volunteer support.

Turkey Trot 10k Run, October 12th and 13th –
40 Volunteer Positions Available

The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society has been involved with Turkey Trot from its beginnings in 2000. In its ninth year it continues to grow in popularity as one of the must-do races of our community. This fun event promotes and celebrates wellness for people of all ages, and all participants are encouraged to bring food or cash donations in support of the Greater Vancouver Food Bank to fight against hunger in our communities.

Benefits of being a Turkey Trot Volunteer:

• Exclusive Turkey Trot t-shirt
• Gourmet food at race
• Camaraderie with a great, generous team!

The available shifts:

• Sunday, October the 12th. From 11am to 3pm
• Monday the 13th. From 6:30am to 11:00am. **Race Day**

The available positions:

• Race registration
• Chip distribution
• Course marshals
• Food distribution
• Set-up, and take down
  
  

Investors Group Comedy Tour, October 28th –
15 Volunteer Positions Available

The Investors Group’s Western Canada Comedy Tour will be held Tuesday October 28th at 8:00pm at the Orpheum Theatre at 884 Granville Street, Vancouver. The Greater Vancouver Food Bank Society is looking for 10-15 volunteers to help out on site from 6:00pm to 8:00pm. The task will involve assembling boxes and taking food donations and then loading the boxes into a van at 8:00pm. Free tickets are available for the volunteers to attend the show if they wish.

Contact Doug Aason at douga@foodbank.bc.ca or 604-876-0659 ext. 109 to help out with either of these events for this great cause.

Where to find Grouse Mountain on the web

As social networking and spending time online becomes a way of life for many people (me included), we've decided to implement a few ways you can find out what's going on here at the mountain. We want you to be able to find what you're looking for quickly and easily and we don't want to bombard you with a bunch of information you don't want.

Here are a few options:

Grouse Mountain Email Newsletters:
You can sign up for our email newsletters and choose from a whole bunch of different options:

• General Interest
• Winter Recreation
• Blue Grouse Sustainability
• Y2Play Pass Info
• Winter Snowfall Alerts
• Terrain Parks
• Summer Recreation
• Hiking and Grouse Grind
• Dining Info and Events
• Career Opportunities
• The Peak Times: Corporate Newsletter

Our RSS Feeds:

• This What's New at Grouse Mountain blog
• The Park Sessions terrain parks blog
  (this will get far more exciting once the snow starts falling)
• The Ranger's Journal blog from our very own wildlife expert, Devin Manky
  
• Grouse Mountain Calendar of Events
• Grouse Mountain Press Releases

Facebook:
We have a few different pages and groups going on Facebook

• Grouse Mountain Fan Page
• Grouse Grind Fan Page
• Last year's BYOP group (where you can find and connect with terrain park riders)
• Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife group
  

Plus, most of our events get posted there too, so if we're having an event and you want to talk about it, chances are others are talking about it too, so we'll take the conversation there where discussion boards and walls are built in features.

Twitter:
Yes, Grouse Mountain is on twitter. Follow @grousemountain for updates about changes in hours of operations, big snowfall, event updates, or just general banter as I see fit.

Friendfeed:
You can also follow Grouse Mountain's friendfeed updates on friendfeed if this is more your style. This includes updates from multiple sources on the web.

We also have a Grouse Mountain YouTube channel, but that's mostly just for hosting videos, but we'll get your comments if you leave them.

So I hope you'll check these out and figure out which ones are important to you. Alternatively, if there's somewhere you want us to be, let us know and we'll check it out.

Smoke-Free on Grouse Mountain

May 31 was officially World ‘No Tobacco’ Day. Here at grouse Mountain, we took things literally and instituted a smoke-free resort. As such, staff and guests were asked to remove themselves from the property (yes, that means go all the way back down the mountain) if they wanted to light up. Our goal is to become the first ‘smoke-free’ resort in BC. We discovered this will likely be more easily attainable than first thought. Our guests were very supportive, and our staff who do smoke have been interested in the initiatives we have planned to help them quit. These include money towards smoking cessation products, prizes and days off with pay for milestones met, and more. In collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, we are working hard for the health and safety of our employees and guests.

With annual visitors reaching about 1.2 million, we have the ability to make a large impact. Likewise, we are the largest youth employer on the North Shore. With the youth population being one of the largest groups to take up smoking, we have a responsibility to take action. Check out this clip courtesy of Global TV who came to cover this event.

Grouse Mountain on Global Television all summer long

We're excited to bring the people of Vancouver a taste of Grouse Mountain all summer long via Global TV. Starting June 16th, this awesome 3o-second commercial will play not only on Global, but on the Tourism Vancouver TV network at tourism info centres and in hotel rooms throughout the city.



Whenever you ask someone if they know about Grouse Mountain the standard reply is, "Yeah, sure! I was at grouse, um... maybe 15 years ago." Well things have changed... a LOT. While we have kept some of the old favourites of years gone by - the Grouse Mountain Fly-In, for instance - we have way more to offer than you will remember from many years ago.

In summer, experience lumberjack shows, Birds in Motion demonstrations, scenic chair lift rides, guided or self-guided Eco-Walks, Ranger Interpretive Sessions at the grizzly bear habitat of the Grouse Mountain Refuge for Endangered Wildlife, spectacular dining and now the brand new Air Grouse mountain zipline adventure - Vancouver's only zipline circuit.

The Grouse Grind opens June 4th!

THIS JUST IN:

The Grouse Grind will be opening tomorrow morning, Wednesday June 4th. Metro Vancouver has finally deemed the trail safe and as of tomorrow morning at 6:15am, the masses will, once again, be allowed to sweat their way to The Peak of Vancouver. The Grind will be open daily from 6:15am to 7:30pm.

With the opening of the Grouse Grind, the first Skyride down the mountain will be at 7:30am - Monday to Friday and 8:00am - Saturday, Sunday, and holidays.

Happy Grinding all! - Photo: North Shore News

Grouse Mountain Goes Smoke Free

May 31 is World ‘No Tobacco Day’. As such, Grouse Mountain will be entirely smoke-free this Saturday. This day marks the start of a campaign to become the first smoke-free mountain resort in BC. In collaboration with the Canadian Cancer Society, B.C. and Yukon Division, staff and guests will trade in cigarettes for twizzlers and wear 'kiss me I don't smoke' buttons to celebrate our tobacco-free environment.

As the largest youth employer on Vancouver's North Shore, and in seeing over 1.1 million visitors annually, we have the opportunity to make a significant impact. We are commited to the health and wellness of our employees. Smoking cessation products are provided for staff looking to quit. We also offer the opportunity to buddy up with a non-smoking colleague for support and encouragement. In addition, meeting set goals can include incentives such as paid days off and prizes.

While we are in full support of all staff wishing to quit, we want to extend this same support to our guests. It can be tricky to step out and take a strong stance such as this one, but the overall goal is to create a healthy environment for guests and staff. We want to celebrate the enjoyment of unspoiled nature that makes our province so special. With the right tools and a supportive approach, we are certain that we can inspire this commitment in everyone who steps foot onto the mountain.

Tobacco use remains the largest single preventable cause of death and disease, killing more than 6,000 British Columbians each year. Cigarette smoking causes about 30 per cent of cancers in Canada and more than 85 per cent of lung cancers. Second-hand smoke is also linked to the death of 140 British Columbians each year.

It is our hope that other companies will follow suit and join us in our commitment.

Think Sustainability Think Blue Grouse

At Grouse Mountain we practice green living and sustainability through our Blue Grouse philosopy. Grouse Mountain is a proud member of the Green Table Network, devoted to sustainable and responsible restaurant practices. We feel that eating out doesn’t have to cost the earth.

Grouse Mountain is also a part of the Ocean Wise program. Ocean Wise is a conservation program created to help restaurants and their customers make environmentally friendly seafood choices. To be sure you’re making the most responsible seafood choices; look for the Ocean Wise symbol on our menus at The Observatory and Altitudes Bistro. It’s your assurance that a seafood dish has been guaranteed ocean-friendly by the Vancouver Aquarium. So now you can enjoy a great meal – while doing your part to protect our oceans.

Visit BlueIsTheNewGreen.ca for more about Grouse Mountain's sustainability initiatives and the Blue Grouse philosophy.

Air Grouse mountain ziplines come to Vancouver in June 2008

Phase ONE is here! Gravity has been officially defied.

We are super excited to announce Phase ONE of Vancouver’s newest and most adrenaline-pumping adventure: Mountain Ziplining!

The Air Grouse experience puts you high above the alpine rainforest, careening through the air at speeds of more than 50 km/hour. Your 3-line adventure circuit will give you a unique perspective on the Blue Grouse Lake region of the mountain, combining heart pounding thrills with an exploration of BC’s breathtaking old-growth forests. Along the way you will learn about indigenous flora and fauna and its significance to First Nations people. Your aerial journey will culminate in a visit with our two orphaned grizzly bears.

And that is just phase ONE! ... there's more:

Phase TWO of the Air Grouse Mountain Zipline experience is coming in the Fall of 2008. This will be the most jaw-dropping, teeth-chattering zipline experience on the continent! There will be a special offer for Phase ONE participants, so be sure to get in on the action.

Phase ONE Mountain Zipline Details:
Times: Daily, 10am to 7pm
Cost: $70 (includes Skyride & Zip circuit) or $40 for Grouse Mountain Members
Approximate duration of tour: 1 hour.

Book today by calling 604.980.9311.

Summer kicks off this weekend at The Peak of Vancouver!

In summertime, the days are longer atop Grouse Mountain. Good thing, considering all the activities we have to offer. From roaming grizzly bears to heart-pounding paragliding, to world-famous lumberjack shows to dining on Vancouver's best patio, the adventures in Vancouver’s favourite backyard playground are non-stop. The season officially kicks off this Saturday, May 17th.

Click here, for the roster of daily activities, and bring up your friends and family!

Next weekend, on Saturday, May 24th, North Vancouver's "Lynn Valley Black Bear Band" will be playing on the mountaintop from 1:00-2:00pm. Come for the entertainment! The Black Bear Band features contemporary show tunes like Dreamgirls and Pirates of the Caribbean, family favourites from the Tijuana Brass, and even an original song by local composer and Black Bear Band member, John Michael Park.

This special one-time event is a great addition to our already amazing lineup of daily entertainment, so be sure to pick up a Grouse Mountain Membership so you can keep visiting again and again.

Extended Hours and Retail Specials for Final Weekend of the Winter Season

Thank you all for your patience this final week of skiing and riding as we service our Red Skyride.

In anticipation of steady traffic this weekend and in celebration of our final days of snow sports for the season, we are kicking off our operation an hour earlier on both Saturday and Sunday. Our first uphill tram will be at 7:15 am on both days, with ski lifts opening at 7:30 am. We encourage you to come up earlier to take advantage of first tracks and avoid congestion.
Our sincere thanks once again for your support over this epic season and we look forward to seeing you soon.

As an added bonus, in honour of the end of our snow season, you'll find the following featured specials in Outfitters from April 11th to Monday April 14th:

• Smith Sunglasses, 30% off
• All 2007/2008 Fall/Winter Apparel, up to 50% off.
• Sorel winter boots, 50% off
• Ski and snowboard accessories and tools from Burton and RC, 30% off
• All ski gloves from Swany and Kombi, 30% off
• All helmets by Smith, Protec and RED, 40% off
• MSR Snowshoes, 40% off

Come on out and play this weekend!

Fastest Y2Play Campaign

As this year's Y2Play campaign wraps up its 10th year, we are extremely proud to share it sold out faster than all previous years, and has contributed to over 1,000,000 visitors in the past decade. The purpose of Y2Play has always been to afford the opportunity to participate in winter sports to a greater number of people. Another indicator of the enthusiasm and growing participation is the record breaking number of visitors in the past 4 months. December, January, February and March were our highest attendance ever.

The past weekend's Quiksilver Showdown Over the City contributed to our increased attendance as we hosted an event showcasing some of the best local and international snowboarding talent. Under snow-covered skies, riders shot off massive jumps on the course created by our Terrain Parks Supervisor Dave Cashen.

The exceptional winter weather has left us with an astounding 538cm base that in a few short weeks will need to be cleared to make room for the awakening of our resident grizzlies, Grinder and Coola, as well as the opening of our Spring/Summer hiking season.

While the winter season is coming to a close, don't miss the opportunity to carve a few more turns as you watch the sun set to the west and the city lights flicker beneath you. But get ready for Spring when the Grouse Grind opens up as well as Alpine Hiking.

What a great season!

With record snowfalls and a full season of winter events and activities, we’ve seen a fantastic volume of outdoor enthusiasts. 24 hours of Winter on February 9th was the Grouse Mountain celebration of the Countdown to 2010. This unique event brought up enthusiastic crowds all night long and everything from dining to ice skating was fully utilized. The Yeti Snowshoe race the following weekend brought this series to a new level. The inclusion of Grouse Mountain finally made it a triple crown event, occurring on all 3 local mountains.

On February 25th, the VASS (Vancouver Adaptive Snow Sports) Corporate Cup, hosted by Grouse Mountain brought together inspiring, elite athletes with Corporate Teams for a day of fun racing, team building and awareness. Our very own Stuart McLaughlin jumped on the slalom course and also played a game of sledge hockey.

A big congratulations to our Observatory Restaurant for winning a Silver award for its wine list at the Playhouse International Wine Festival. Brent Fraser, the food and beverage manager AND sommelier has grown the wine offerings to over 500 selections. Combined with Chef Dino L. Gazzola's culinary expertise, the Observatory has once again risen above the clouds.

March 22nd brings the 10th Annual Snowshow Classic. A Grouse Mountain staff favourite, this event brings together all skill levels to compete in a 6km race along our snowcapped alpine snowshoe trails. This year's event starts at 7pm, and brings a new atmosphere to this popular event. With head lamps affixed, racers will whiz through the course in time for some celebratory Après at Altitudes Bistro.

This season has certainly been jam-packed with fun events and great conditions, but what's amazing is that there is still over a month of skiing and riding left! Almost 80% sold out, the Y2Play pass means you can ski/ride until the end of this season, and all of next season. With the Showdown Over the City (Vancouver's largest Pro-Am contest) on March 28-29, there's plenty more fun to be enjoyed this season, both as an athlete or a spectator.

We're off to enjoy more winter sports, but check in again soon for some upcoming Spring events and activities.

Members Stay Motivated

As the decadence of the holiday season recedes in our memories and retailers replace Christmas Gift Ideas with Valentine's Romance Packages, the stark reality of our augmented consumption lingers on. In many cases, our bathroom mirrors unforgivingly reflect this reality every morning, prompting us to undertake radical fitness regimens that are doomed from the outset. Some statisticians estimate the New Year's resolution failure rate to be as high as 95%. Why so high?

One answer is lack of concrete objectives. Why are we in the gym at 6:30 am, hardwired to our iPods and counting down the seconds of our requisite 20-minute treadmill labour? For many, the reasons are nebulous, pointing to little more than the widely accepted hysteria surrounding "better living" in the New year. If the outcome of the regimen is unclear, and the anticipated reward undefined, the motivation quickly wanes.

It is for this reason that Grouse Mountain invented the Membership. Fitness is not a time-of-year initiative, but an on-going way of life. We know, we know, this whole "way of life" thing seems like such a major shift and commitment. Take our word for it, it doesn't have to be. Start small. Try a 15 minute hike through the forest on a pair of snowshoes. Maybe you'll spot an owl. Take a crisp, deep breath of mountain air. You'll feel better already.

From there, attempt a longer trail, maybe one with a bit of a climb. Again, your motivation is nothing more than a pleasant respite from the grind of city living. And what's 30 minutes, anyway? Another re-run during the writer's strike? Before you know it, you'll anticipate these hikes and will wonder what's up over that next bend on the way to Dam Mountain. We can describe the view to you, waxing poetic about panoramic vistas as far as the eye can see, but we'd rather you experienced it for yourself.

A Grouse Mountain Membership is your access tool to all this terrain and other cool winter stuff like ice skating, special rates for your friends and family, and deals on the gear you'll want as your fitness level increases. For $89.95, you can travel the Skyride as many times as you want for a whole year. And who knows, by the time spring rolls around, your winter workouts might have put you in a position to tackle that other trail you've been meaning to try: The Grouse Grind.

Hopefully with some concrete goals and a stunning outdoor setting you will be inclined to shift your fitness ambition from an ill-fated New Year's resolution to the timeless exploration of a backyard playground.