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Dennis Begin
Sea to Sky Gondola
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DiscoveryBC
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DiscoveryBC
By Dennis Begin
When living in Vancouver or the Lower Mainland, there are times when it feels necessary to escape the city. There are numerous places to escape to, from hiking the North Shore Mountains to camping at Cultus Lake in the Fraser Valley. The drive to Whistler on the Sea to Sky Highway #99, provides an excellent opportunity to marvel at the ocean and the beautiful snowcapped peaks of the Coastal Mountains. Visiting the Sea to Sky Gondola provides a wonderful opportunity to experience ‘Adventure By Nature’ from near the top of Mount Habrich.
The Sea to Sky Gondola is 45 minutes north of Vancouver or 2 km. south of Squamish, located between Shannon Falls and the Stawamus Chief, or just called The Chief. This tourist attraction was the idea of five entrepreneurs lead by Trevor Dunn and David Greenfield. They opened for business in May 2014, with Trevor the first Manager. The gondola/lifts were constructed by Doppelmayr of Austria. The ride up the mountain from base camp takes only 10 minutes, climbing 2,900 feet [885 meters]. The length of the cables are 6,100 feet [1,920 m]. Each gondola carries eight people with glass windows, giving passengers a spectacular view of the Howe Sound-Squamish Corridor.
After reaching the top, there are numerous choices to explore including walking and hiking trails, First Nations Interpretive Tours, Kids Play Area, Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge and the Summit Lodge. Take your time as operating hours are from 9:30 am to 7:00 pm [last ride down].
Dennis Begin
Summit Lodge
The Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge attracts most first-time visitors, along with the squeals of fear or delight. For me, it was fear! The suspension bridge is nearly 330 feet [100 m.] long and, if afraid of heights, do not look down into the ravine. On the far side of the suspension bridge is the Spirit Trail Viewing Platform, which provides a panoramic view of Howe Sound. All major viewpoints have cantilevered struts which allow unobstructed viewing areas jutting over the cliffs. Walking to the edge felt like stepping into space!
Dennis Begin
Spirit Trail Viewing Platform with view of Howe Sound
My next safe step was the Summit Lodge with a good selection of food, from burgers to entrees. There is also a well-stocked gift shop. The gondola, lodge and viewing areas are all wheelchair/stroller accessible. At nearly 3,000 feet above sea level, a jacket may be necessary.
Lunch gave me time to study the trail guide, just as if skiing Whistler. After lunch, it was a 1.6 km hike along the Panorama Trail to the Chief Viewing Platform. From here, you look down at The Chief. This famous mountain is a granite dome rock, at 2, 297 feet [700 m.] and from certain angles, looks like the head of a person. A Squamish legend, however, states that The Chief is a longhouse turned into stone. Regardless, The Chief is well known for rock climbing, slack lining and BASE jumping.
If into hiking there are nine major trails, including the Sea to Summit from Base Camp to the Summit Lodge. The trails are designed for both novice and expert hikers. The Sky Pilot and Co Pilot are the highest peaks and accessible for experts using the Skyline Ridge Trail and Sky Valley Pilot Trail. If interested in rock climbing, try the Via Ferrata [iron path] with a fully guided vertical climb using metal rungs and cables. All ages are welcome.
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Dennis Begin
Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge
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Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge with Patricia Begin
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Suspension Bridge and Summit Viewpoint
Not wanting to drive through Vancouver and the Sea to Sky Hwy, you can sign up for the Squamish Connector, which is a 24-seat shuttle bus that makes a daily trip to the gondola. For prices and reservations, refer to seatoskygondola.com/shuttle
Should the opportunity arise, get out of the city and plug into Mother Nature at its Best.
Dennis Begin