Grinder, one of two ‘beloved’ grizzly bears at Grouse Mountain Resort, dies

NORTH VANCOUVER – Grinder, a massive grizzly bear who fascinated locals and tourists alike on Grouse Mountain, has died. 

He was adopted as a cub after being orphaned and became a longtime companion for Coola, another orphan who arrived around the same time in 2001.

The bears have lived in an enclosure at the ski resort in North Vancouver, B.C., since then, hibernating in the winter together and emerging in the spring.

Veterinarian Ken Macquisten, director of the Grouse Mountain Wildlife Refuge, said Friday that it was heartbreaking to say goodbye to Grinder, who had always been a “goofball” and the leader of the two bears. 

“He’s got a sense of humour. He’s a bit quirky. He always was the first bear to emerge from hibernation. You could bet on it, and I think he got a kick out of the people who came to visit him as much as the people that visited him did with him.”

Macquisten said it had been a privilege for his team to take care of Grinder for the past 25 years and they would miss the bear deeply.

A statement from Grouse Mountain Resort said Grinder had experienced a rapid decline in mobility, with a veterinary examination revealing a spinal condition that paralyzed his hind legs, leaving no realistic path to recovery or quality of life.

Macquisten said Grinder seemed a bit stiffer than usual and his left hind leg had a limp when he emerged out of his den earlier this year.

He said the problem worsened and eventually Grinder couldn’t get up or use his hind legs.

The bear was recently tranquilized to allow for a full veterinary assessment, with the results coming back Thursday.

“It turned out that he had some spinal cord compression that was numbing out the nerves to his back legs, and there was no hope for recovery,” Macquisten said.

“We made the difficult decision to say goodbye to him, and we did that this morning,” he said in an interview on Friday.

A statement from the resort said the decision was made to provide a humane passing for Grinder, who reached an age beyond the average life expectancy of a male grizzly in the wild.

It said Grinder, along with Coola, had served as an “extraordinary ambassador for wildlife conservation” for the resort’s guests over the years.

The bear provided the closest glimpse many would see of the size of a male grizzly. Grinder’s “summer weight” was about 326 kilograms, but he gained more than 100 kilograms before going into hibernation for the winter, Macquisten said.

The veterinarian described Grinder and Coola as “best friends,” sharing an unusual bond as they spent 25 years eating, hibernating and spending time together.

He said Coola said goodbye to Grinder and spent some time alone with his companion after Grinder’s death, then departed to rest on a nearby hillside.

“Maybe he’s thinking about Grinder right now, but maybe he’s thinking about when’s lunch,” Macquisten said.

The Grizzly Bear Foundation said Grinder inspired generations to see the bears with greater curiosity, compassion and respect, fostering a lasting commitment to conservation.

“Thank you, Grinder. Your legacy will live on,” it said in a statement.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published July. 31, 2026.

— By Nono Shen in Vancouver