Once-a-week or so, I go up Grouse Mt to stay in shape for the hiking season. My usual trail is the un-Grind, more commonly known as the BCMC trail. But they are working on regrading the parking lot etc and all the usual access trailheads are closed. And this time of year is perfect for going up along Mackay creek. It’s more than just a gurgle with the snowmelt and it’s one of my favourite ways to go up when I’m not in a hurry as it takes another 20-30 minutes more than the BCMC or Grind. To get to this not so well known TH, just walk East along the powerline for about 15 minutes and when you cross over Mackay creek on the bridge, you will see the rough path leading up to the left and following the creek.
Here’s the route from my Garmin forerunner 405. Just follow the red line. Took a little under 2h to reach the chalet but we weren’t pushing it!
Okay, this is not a full on trip report, just a quickie to put up a couple of photos and tell you about this not so well known trail. It was interesting to actually see orange markers on the trees. I’ve been going up this trail for years now and it was never marked so someone has taken it on. Eventually, the trail hits the Baden Powell trail and there are a couple of different ways to proceed from that point. I just keep going up.
Also had to take the blue skyride down as they are doing the yearly routine service on the larger red cars now that ski season is coming to an end.
Then it was back home to shower up and enjoy my just desserts, which also included a couple of pieces of chocolate :0)
Hope your day is going as nice as this one started out!
Ramblin on…..
Rich
Bioblogging with Rich 
Nice one, Rich. We headed for the Grind last Saturday but there were Metro Vancouver folks guarding the trailheads. Apparently, they were choppering in materials for the Grind so they didn’t want anyone potentially hiking below those loads. Fair enough. So we did the Skyline Trail instead. But heading over to it, we saw that trailhead at McKay Creek. We thought it just went up to the Baden Powell. Next time, we might take that one.
LikeLike
Hey, Rhys! Nice to hear from you. Been a while. Yeah, once you hit the BP, just look for the rough route continuing up. You’ll see black blazes on the trees (and now there’s even some orange diamonds). Then you have 2 choices; take the Old BCMC – you’ll see the signs where it joins in, and is what we did, or keep going up. You’ll emerge at the base of the chairlift. Then again you have choices; you can take the Simic trail up, you can just walk up the West side of the ski cut, or you can head West below the big “lodge” there and find a little used trail that connects into the Larsen trail and eventually merges with the BCMC. I’ve done all and they are all good for different reasons in different seasons. Have fun 🙂
LikeLike