If you’re more of a coaster than a grinder, Grouse Mountain will soon have you covered.
Grouse Mountain Resort announced Thursday its plans to launch a mountain bike park and mountain coaster next year.
The company says the attractions will follow the opening of a new “state-of-the-art” gondola during the preceding winter season.
Construction of a “gravity-fed” mountain coaster like the one on the nearby Cypress Mountain is underway, the resort says. Carts on the coaster will tour through old-growth alpine forests near the mountain’s ski slopes.
“Guests will enjoy speeds of up to 45 kilometres an hour on the track which includes a vertical descent of 919-metres, a 91-metre vertical drop, and an ascent of 515-metres which returns them to the mountaintop without having to exit the cart,” the resort said.
The company says the same team that built Whistler’s Bike Park is working on what will be the North Shore’s only lift-accessed mountain bike park for Grouse.
“The Bike Park will host a series of trails including beginner green and blue flow trails, and advanced intermediate and expert trails, which will allow riders to challenge themselves on more technical features. All trails will lead back to the Screaming Eagle chairlift to return riders to the mountaintop,” it said.
The resort’s president, Michael Cameron, says it’s an exciting time for mountain adventurers, with one major installation to thank for the others.
“The addition of the gondola has allowed us to explore a whole mountain of opportunities not previously available with our current Skyride,” said Cameron.
The company says both the coaster and the park are set to open next spring.