Wanderlust: Holy Capilano!

This post is really about both Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain. Despite the title seeming it’s only about Capilano, I’ve learned that in Vancouver, these two attraction sites go hand in hand.

There’s been so much to do and I’ve slowly been updating the blog’s layout, but I’ve finally found some time completing a post. Our Canada trip was about 2 months ago, and there’s so much to share, but evidently, I’ll have to do it slowly.

The day we spent at the Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain was particularly amusing to me because it was really the first time there was a nature-slash-outdoorsy element to any of our trips (except when we actually go snowboarding). When we go on vacation, yes I would bring a pair of sneakers because we walk a lot as we tour the city. For Chef, his normal walking shoes are all he brings. But a friend told me to take advantage of Capilano and Grouse Mountain as almost like a hiking trip, so bring shoes for that, and that advice came in handy because Chef’s walking shoes simply won’t do when your walking on dirt.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge and Grouse Mountain are located in North Vancouver, a bit of a drive from our Downtown hotel. Luckily for us, we had two ways of getting there. Both the Capilano and Grouse Mountain have pick-up and drop-offs at various locations all over the city center, and the Hyatt hotel was a stop for both. Here’s a travel tip, you guys. At the stop, a representative from a tour company was selling tickets for the two attractions and we bought some from her. I highly recommend doing so because normally, one would go from Capilano to Grouse, or vice versa. The lines at the ticket counter won’t be long at your first stop, but, when at your second attraction, when it’s after noon, the lines can stretch for about a mile! And this we got to skip at Grouse.

The air is so fresh in Vancouver and it’s so fitting with the sights as you cross the bridge to North Vancouver because you see some luscious greens, the water, and the blue sky. It’s amazing to see some detachment from the hustle and bustle of the city, even if you’re really still in it.

The Capilano Suspension Bridge was named after the river that runs below it, which was named after Joe Capilano, a leader of the Squamish Nation who fought for the rights of the indigenous people of British Columbia. The bridge was originally built by George Grant Mackay using hemp ropes and cedar planks. After a bunch of odd marital relationships and changes to the bridge from hemp to cable wires, the suspension bridge has become one of Vancouver’s top attractions.

The park is easy to navigate on your own, but as you enter, you’ll see a waiting area for scheduled guided tours. If you want to go with the tour, just stand there and wait for the guide with full on costumes from the early 1900s. We followed him along for a while, learning about what I mentioned above when we stopped at a little history walk section. Oh, by the way, make sure you grab a map not only to help yourself find your way, but also to collect all the stamps from various locations of the park. The largest collection of First Nation totem poles is also found at the Capilano, and all of them are marvelous. I wish I read up more on the significance of the symbols because the touch of the First Nation is found all over Vancouver.

When it was time to cross the bridge, we broke away from the pack because Chef and I wanted to take the photo op at our own pace. I am not particularly scared of heights, and I was excited to cross the bridge hanging 200 meters above the river. Though it is a suspension bridge and swinging is to be expected, I took comfort in the thought that this is also 2011, and a simple suspension bridge is already a mastered feat of engineering. But guess what, there was more swinging than it seemed it would have. This was no longer made of hemp rope, but man, a suspension bridge is still a suspension bridge. I thought I would be comfortable letting go of the rail to take pictures. Nope! With people walking behind, in front, and around you, you have to keep your legs apart for your balance, that’s for sure. Photo op wise, the morning was definitely better since there’s less people. So I was so proud of myself doing another mini-photo op on the cross back with no gaps in the line of marching ants. What can I say, all it took was a genuine “excuse me” lol!

Across the bridge was when we “natured” it up. They had the Treetop Adventures wherein there were a couple more smaller suspension bridges that allowed you to traverse the rainforest like squirrels would. This activity is great for kids, I would assume, because it was the kid in me that ran across the bridges, from one tree to another, with such gusto and absolute lightness. Too much fun I had that Chef started calling me Bianca the Exploradora. What I love about this attraction is that all these bridges and decks are actually not nailed on to the trees. It’s pressure that’s keeping the erect. So, no trees were harmed in the making of this attraction.

The thrills didn’t end there. Back on the east bank, they have constructed a Cliffwalk that extends you a couple of feet from the wall of rocks, right above the canyon, and through the rainforest vegetation. Hang on to your cameras on this one because these walkways are narrow!

By noon, we started making our way to Grouse Mountain. It was a simple bus ride going up, but be mindful that there may be a lot of people taking the bus. Not to mention the bus could already be packed before it even gets to the stop in front of Capilano. So it’s important to get in front, right at the stop, and hold your ground. As I mentioned earlier, there can be long lines to the Skyride, the aerial tramway that brings you to the peak of Vancouver while marveling at the views of the city, the Pacific Ocean, and the mountainside. With us purchasing our tickets at the hotel, we were able to cut through a mile-long of weary patrons. If you don’t want to wait, you can do what others do and hike up the mountain.

The peak of Vancouver was as marvelous as one would imagine it to be. The thought of having a ski resort just 30 minutes from Downtown is amazing (compared to the 3 hours I have to drive to Tahoe). There was still some snow actually in July, but not enough for any winter sports. The ski resort has a lot to offer like zip-lining, the Eye of the Wind, which is a wind turbine that has an elevator access up to a view pod, a lumberjack show (yup, it’s not for me, lol), and even some resident grizzly bears.

By the time we got there, we were ready to eat but I really wanted at the patio of Altitudes Bistro. So we went around the resort until our table was ready, which I was told was the best location throughout the resort, and indeed it was. Though the food didn’t quite match the view, it wasn’t bad at all, especially the mussels that I ordered. The day was so clear and though there was so much going on around, everything was so serene.
The shrieks of paragliders taking off, the buzzing of people from different tables, the exhaustion of hikers reaching the top, all these against a backdrop of different elements of nature brings a sense of peace, even provoking some inspiration. Chef and I started talking about our house projects, our dream holidays to Costa Adeje, the restaurants we’ve been planning to check out. I guess that is what you get when you mix energy and harmony.

After a 3 hour lunch at the bistro, we didn’t do much anymore at Grouse Mountain as we were pretty tired already and we were set to meet one of Chef’s friends. We attempted to see the grizzly bears, but only saw the back of one laying down sleeping. The lumberjack show drew some crowds, but didn’t really draw me in. As I mentioned earlier, some people hiked up instead of taking the Skyride. However, on the way back down, everyone was taking the Skyride, and by this time when the resort was about to close, the line to the Skyride stretched for about two miles since it could only fit 40 people at a time. Thankfully, they decide open the service tramway for the public so that reduced the wait for a bit.

Same as going to Capilano and Grouse, there are courtesy buses that would bring you back to Downtown. However, we missed those since the latest ride is at 5:30pm. It was okay though because this allowed us to go around the city on our own, well, with lots of help from locals for directions.

All in all, this day was a memorable day for me because there was something new. Not just the sights and location, but the new experience on doing something outdoorsy, different from our usual city walks.