Please be advised, the Grouse Grind is currently closed for annual maintenance until Tuesday, November 10th. The BCMC Trail remains open during this time.
Please be advised, Altitudes Bistro will close early at 4:00pm today, Friday, October 23rd. For other dining options, please check Today on Grouse. 

refuge for endangered wildlife

grizzly bears, owls, and more

about the refuge

Grouse Mountain mourns beloved grizzly bear Grinder, whose 25 years inspired conservation, education, and connection. Learn more here.

Imagine a wilderness sanctuary where endangered animals can explore and play, knowing they’re safe and secure. You’ll find all this and more at our research, education and conservation centre on the mountain. The Refuge also offers leading-edge interpretative programs that make learning about nature fun and fascinating.

ranger talks

Talks by our wildlife experts are included with your Mountain Admission Ticket during the summer months.

You can also check out our Ranger Blog to keep up-to-date on Grouse Mountain's favourite furry residents.

meet the wildlife

Grouse Mountain is home to an orphaned Grizzly bear, owls, and more. 

Grinder

Grinder was rescued in 2001 near Invermere, BC, after being found alone on a logging road. Dehydrated, weak, and weighing just 4.5 kg, he was in critical condition. His mother was never found, so we may never know why he was left alone.  Known for his outgoing and high spirited personality, Grinder quickly made his mark at Grouse Mountain. He established himself as the dominant bear, and if you ever saw Grinder and Coola play fighting, you could bet Grinder started it! 

Sadly, Grinder passed away on July 31, 2026. Learn more about his passing here.

Coola

In 2001, Coola was found orphaned on a highway near Bella Coola, BC. His mother had been killed by a truck and, of her three cubs, Coola was the only one to survive. Coola is an easygoing bear who was often content to let Grinder take the lead on new adventures. He can usually be found submerged up to his neck in the large pond, carefully feeling around for his underwater 'bath toys' - a log, large bone and favourite rock. 
When grizzly bear cubs are born they only weigh approximately 0.9 kg (2 lbs) and full-grown grizzly bears usually weigh between 270 and 360 kg (600 and 800 lbs).

The heaviest grizzly bear that people have ever come across weighed 680 kg (1,500 lbs)!

Before their first hibernation in 2001, Grinder weighed 62 kg (137 lbs) and Coola weighed 78 kg (173 lbs). They lost about 1/3 of their body weight during hibernation, which is typical for grizzly bears. When full grown, Grinder is expected to weigh up to 318 kg (700 lbs) and Coola up to 364 kg (800 lbs).

But, despite their massive size, grizzly bears are no slow pokes! They can run at speeds up to 55 km per hour over most terrain!
Grizzly bears are often various shades of blond, brown, black or a combination of all three. Colour is usually affected by spring shedding, growth of new fur, nutrition and climate.

Grinder was quite blond, while Coola has much darker fur. This is because they came from quite different areas of British Columbia.

Grinder was from the interior of BC where the climate is dry and there is a lot of grassland.

Coola is from Bella Coola, on the coast of BC, where the vegetation and landscape is much like here, very dark, and green.
How can you tell the difference between a grizzly bear and a black bear?

It's not as easy as you may think, as colour is not a good characteristic to distinguish between the two types of bears. You are better off relying on other physical features.

Grizzly bears have large rounded heads with concave facial profiles, small rounded ears that are set well apart, very long claws and toes that are close together in a relatively straight line.

Black bears, on the other hand, do not have shoulder humps. They have long, straight facial profiles, large ears, much smaller claws and toes that are spaced apart with a more rounded arc.

owls

At Grouse Mountain we appreciate and respect wild places and wildlife. Our Refuge includes some outstanding owl ambassadors who help bring presence and reverence to their species. In the summer season, Owl Talks are hosted by one our wildlife specialists across from the Grizzly Bear Habitat every day.

Hummingbirds

Grouse Mountain is an active participant in the North American Hummingbird Monitoring Network. Our team maintains a feeding station on top of the Mountain and carries out hummingbird monitoring sessions every two weeks in the spring and summer. By carrying out this important research every year, a larger picture of hummingbird ecology, migration and behavior is being put together across North America.