Interior of Grouse Mountain Chalet
Grouse Mountain (North Vancouver) was named by the first recorded hikers to reach its summit in 1894, after the blue grouse they had hunted. At that time, climbing the mountain was a three – or four-day journey. By the mid-1920s, the Second Narrows Bridge and Grouse Mountain Scenic Highway greatly eased access to the mountain and its big attraction, the Grouse Mountain Chalet. Here you can see the chalet’s sitting-room interior: rough-hewn timbers complemented by a naturally curving stairwell and arches, and the great stone fireplace. A brochure advertises rooms for $3.50 to $4.50 per night, and people could eat in the dining room or at a lunch counter–even afternoon tea was available. The dishes, stationery and bedroom lampshades proudly displayed the chalet’s grouse emblem. The establishment, which also had a ballroom, went bankrupt in the Great Depression, closed for a period during World War II and, sadly, burned down in 1962.
Unlock history! Scroll down and click on thumbnails.
WHAT
This handsome log chalet made of yellow cypress was the focus of early outdoor activity on Grouse Mountain.
WHERE
Located on the Grouse Mountain plateau, it featured a hand-split cedar-shake roof to blend in with the surrounding forest.
WHEN
The chalet was built in 1926, fell on hard times during the Depression and closed during World War II.
WHO
A work crew composed mostly of Swedes, Norwegians and Finns built the chalet for the Grouse Mountain Highway and Scenic Resort Ltd.
Unlock history! Scroll down and click on thumbnails.
