Grouse Grind officially reopens but only for 3-week window

Metro Vancouver's most devoted hikers were ready to go bright and early Wednesday morning for the official re-opening of the Grouse Grind Trail.

However, the trail will close again for a few weeksstarting May 22for seasonal work, including step repair, tree removaland safety netting maintenance.

The 2.9-kilometre trek up Grouse Mountain is a popular and strenuous trail. The route's2,830 steps have earned it the moniker of "Mother Nature's Stairmaster."

The trail has been closed since Jan.19 due to winter conditions. The park says the warmer conditions have cleared most of the snow and ice from the trail, making it safe for hikers.

Tom McComb, who works with Metro Vancouver's park operations, warns that it's still cool at the top of the mountain.

"It's a challenging hike, so you want to be reasonably prepared in terms of proper footwear and clothing," McComb said. "You probably want to have some layers on... you want to be sure you're being warm."

According to the park, more than 150,000 people hike the Grouse Grind every year.

With files from The Early Edition