Grouse

Grouse is a coastal-mountain thermal site on a working ski resort above Vancouver, and it is one of the most tightly controlled launches in the region. The south-southwest launch sits on a groomed ski slope at around 1,200 m with a moderately sized setup area on rocky, bushy ground, and you reach it by gondola rather than on foot. Both paragliders and hang gliders fly it. Everything about the site's restrictions follows from where it is: the mountain is privately owned, it sits beside one of the city's main water reservoirs, and the landing field is a sports field in an affluent Vancouver neighbourhood. That combination is why access runs through the resort's own flying team, and why cross-country is not an option here — the controlled airspace begins immediately outside the small reserved block the site flies inside.

Launch & conditions

A south-southwest facing launch on an excellent groomed ski slope at roughly 1,200 m, with a moderate setup area on rocky and bushy ground. Sink can be present just in front of launch, so make sure you get a clean run.

Getting there & local rules

From Highway 1, head north along Capilano Road and Nancy Greene Way to the end, then take the gondola to the top.

Local rules & hazards

You can only fly Grouse as an approved guest of a member of the mountain's flying team, and a demonstration flight at another mountain site may be asked of you first. Cross-country is not permitted: the site flies inside a small reserved airspace block with a ceiling of 6,000 ft, and controlled airspace starts just outside it. The mountain is private land next to a main city water reservoir and the landing is a sports field in a residential area, so the site's access depends entirely on pilots respecting those limits.

Check conditions before you fly

A forecast for the valley is not a forecast for the launch. Before heading to Grouse, read the wind and thermals for the site itself, confirm the day's rules with the local club, and remember the standing rule — when in doubt, don't launch. In the free OutDare app you can open Grouse with a 7-day forecast built from high-resolution weather models, see who else has been flying, and get there with offline maps.