The New Blue Grouse Gondola Now Open!
Grouse Mountain’s Transformational Lift Replacement Project Officially Complete
December 13, 2024
Thousands of guests descended on the North Shore as Grouse Mountain’s state-of-the-art Blue Grouse Gondola opened with plenty of fanfare on Thursday, December 12th following an official ribbon cutting ceremony attended by Government officials, industry leaders, local celebrities and the wider community.
Mayor Mike Little – District of North Vancouver, Mayor Linda Buchanan – City of North Vancouver, Honourable Lynn Block – MLA for West Vancouver-Capilano, and Royce Chwin – President and CEO Destination Vancouver, were all in attendance to help Northland Properties CEO Tom Gaglardi officially open the Blue Grouse Gondola, two years after construction began and almost five years after the local family-owned company acquired the Resort.
“This is a historic day for Grouse Mountain and it was amazing to see so many people celebrate the opening of the Blue Grouse Gondola, enjoy the fireworks at the mountaintop, and experience what is only the beginning for what we have planned for enhancing our guests’ experience at the Resort,” said Gaglardi.
“The opening of the Blue Grouse Gondola marks a significant milestone for Grouse Mountain and the region, enhancing our appeal as a premier year-round destination. This investment not only improves access to one of Vancouver's most iconic attractions but also drives economic benefits by attracting more visitors, creating jobs, and supporting local businesses. It’s a win for tourism, the community, and our regional economy,” said Royce Chwin, CEO, Destination Vancouver.
Also in attendance were the four winners of the Grouse Gallery Art Contest who were able to see and ride in their cabins for the first time. Cas Nahui, Alex Graff, Kylie Mangles, and Ophelia G, submitted their artworks inspired by their memories of a lifetime created at Grouse Mountain, and as winners, got a cabin wrapped in their winning artwork, received an invitation to the Grand Opening Ceremony, and $2,000 CAD.
Attendees of the VIP event had the opportunity to vote in the People’s Choice Award to select one more artwork for the Grouse Gallery. Out of the 10 artworks featured, the winner of the People's Choice Award was Emma L Parker, who will also have her artwork wrapped on one of the Blue Grouse Gondola cabins, and receive the final $2,000 CAD prize.
The moving art gallery activation served as another way to involve the local and global community in the journey of the transformational project.
“Grouse Mountain has been an integral pillar of North Vancouver since 1926, and with our strong family and company roots in Vancouver, we are excited to be part of this new chapter for Grouse Mountain,” continued Gaglardi. “We will continue to invest in the world-class experience Grouse Mountain offers and ensure Vancouver’s number one attraction is accessible for generations to come.”
Following an investment of $35 million, the transformational project was completed across five phases: clearing of the gondola easement area, building of the foundations for both the base and plateau stations, assembly of the towers and line work, system testing and now, opening.
Paying homage to the to the Mountain’s original inhabitants that the Resort was named after, the Blue Grouse Gondola features 15 towers, 27 eight-person gondola cabins, a trip time of 5.5 minutes and a capacity of 1000 people/hour offering locals and visitors the quickest way to get from the city to the slopes this winter season.
Phase two of the gondola project includes future updates to current base buildings, improvements to parking areas at the Resort, a new Guest Services area, retail, food and beverage offerings and offices.
The project opening just over two years since construction began is a true testament to the hard work from multiple companies involved including the entire Grouse Mountain team, Leitner Poma, Northland Properties, North Construction and all of the local contractors who were engaged for various stages of the project.
With the gondola now open, Grouse Mountain is in the unique position in that it will offer a journey to the top of the Mountain via the Blue Grouse Gondola, or via the Red Skyride, and with the same ticket covering both options.
Since the world’s first double chairlift was built at the Resort in 1949, Grouse Mountain has had a rich history of investing in modern technology. The opening of the Blue Grouse Gondola, followed by the Mountain Bike Park and Mountain Coaster in mid-2025, herald a new chapter for the Resort as it approaches its centennial in 2026.
