Sea to Sky Gondola Reopens February 14th for Family Day Weekend

Sea to Sky Gondola Reopens February 14th for Family Day Weekend

The operators of Sea to Sky Gondola will be reopening the gondola lift several weeks ahead of schedule, for Valentine’s Day and Family Day. The event will be held from Friday, February 14 through Monday, February 17, 2020; 10am – 4pm. The last ride down will be at 5:00pm. Sea to Sky Gondola is just two kilometres south of Squamish and roughly an hour’s drive from downtown Vancouver. There is a daily Shuttle from Vancouver. Attractions include the Gondola ride, hiking trails, free optional guided tours, a suspension bridge and views from the observation deck.

Why are the re-opening? The gondola lift came crashing down to the ground on August 10th 2019, when the haul cable was intentionally cut by vandals. Thirty replacement cabins and a 4.4-kilometre long haul cable were shipped from Europe and installed, and final safety inspections by Technical Safety BC are to be carried out during the first week of February. Sea to Sky Gondola’s general manager Kirby Brown has said that additional state-of-the-art security measures installed since the August incident will “ensure the gondola is secure and protected from any other criminal activity. We want our guests to know they can travel to the summit on the Sea to Sky Gondola with complete confidence.”

The ten-minute ride carries passengers to an elevation of 885 metres, with spectacular views of Howe Sound, the surrounding mountains and Squamish Valley. There’s a full weekend of family fun planned again this year, with snowshoe rentals, tubing and an outdoor bonfire.

50% off day tickets all weekend long! To receive the 50% off rate, tickets must be purchased at the ticket window. This offer excludes family ticket, ride-down-only tickets and tickets purchased online.

Spirit of Christmas at the Sea to Sky Gondola

Spirit of Christmas at the Sea to Sky Gondola

Beginning November 29th, Sea to Sky Gondola will again be hosting the Spirit of Christmas, in their traditionally decorated tent at the basecamp location. Spirit of Christmas will take place every Friday, Saturday and Sunday between November 29 and December 15. Santa Claus is coming, with photos from 10:00am to 2:00pm. The price is $20 for one photo and $30 for two.) Photos will be provided on a first-come, first-served basis.

An outdoor festive menu will be offered between 10:00am and 4:30pm, opening with pancakes and artisan sausages, fresh off the grill. A festive BBQ will be open until around 4:30. For the big kids, there will be a Christmas Spirit Bar, coffee, hot chocolate and seasonal baked goods. From 2:00 till 4:30pm, sample craft beers and ciders will be served, along with delicious canapes, during Holiday Happy Hour

From 10:00am until 4:30pm, there will be a forest scavenger hunt. It’s a great opportunity to explore the surrounding trails and nearby Shannon Falls.

Spirit of Christmas 2016

There will be seasonal crafting from 10:00am till 2:00pm, on each Spirit of Christmas date except December 15. Featured activities will include cookie decorating, colouring and other seasonal crafts. On December 15th, instead of crafting, there will be Brunch with Santa. To enjoy this holiday brunch with Santa, pre-booking is required. Brunch is $24.99 for adults and $12.99 for children.

Find Budget Holiday Accommodations in Squamish

Mountain Music Series 2018

Mountain Music Series 2018

Every Friday night from June through September live music can be heard from the Sky Piolet Deck under the sea to sky gondola. Get together with friends and family to enjoy an unforgettable sunset with local music playing in the back ground. Dance on the deck as the sun sets, relax with a refreshing drink in hand or snack on the BBQ inspired menu at the Summit Lodge.

This summer’s lineup is unbelievable with all different styles of music filling the Friday night skies.

Friday, June 8th: Nearly Neil pays tribute to Neil Diamond as well as covers of songs everyone can sing along to.

Friday, June 15th: The Wells play acoustic, Country, Folk, Americana, Bluegrass, Gospel, and Pop.

Friday, June 22nd: The Hairfarmers, modern rock with incredible vocals percussion and guitar.

Friday, June 29: Big Dad Band plays popular covers of pop and rock songs that everyone will enjoy.

Friday, July 6th: Tim Hewitt, a solo acoustic performer with live-looping and popular covers.

Friday, July 13th: Bluesberry Jam, an 11-piece R & B and Jazz band that also plays rock and covers that you will love to sing along to.

Friday, July 20th: Jocelyn Pettit Band, a mix of folk and European music featuring the fiddle and step dancing which really excites and energizes the crowd.

Friday, July 27th: The Hairfarmers are back again to entertain you with their fun and entertaining music.

Friday, August 3rd: Ruckus Deluxe delivers the perfect combination of contemporary and
classic rock.

Friday, August 10th: Bluesberry Jam returns with their lovely jazz, and R & B.

Friday, August 17th: The Hairfarmers are back for another unforgettable night.

Friday, August 24th: Lovecoast Music, a 5-piece indie soul rock band with a little inspiration form the 70s.

Friday, August 31st: Mazacote, a world band with inspiration from Nicaragua, Colombia and Mozambique.

Friday, September 7th: The Hairfarmers are coming back for another lovely evening on the deck.

Friday, September 14th: Cam Salay will energize you with folk and soul.

Friday, September 21st: Sea to Sky Orchestra is filled with passionate players on string instruments.

The Mountain Music Series is the perfect way to spend a Friday evening. Music starts around 6 pm but get their early as seating is first come first serve and you are not able to make reservations ahead of time. Musicians will play until 9 pm. This is the fifth summer for the Mountain Music Series and it is quickly becoming a popular Friday night tradition.

For more information visit the Sea to Sky Gondola website.

Save 50% on Family Day 2018 at Sea To Sky Gondola

Save 50% on Family Day 2018 at Sea To Sky Gondola

From February 10 to February 12, 2018, Sea To Sky Gondola will help families celebrate with their annual Family Day weekend.

Over the holiday weekend, the Sea to Sky Gondola is one of the venues that will host activities all weekend long. Located in Squamish, British Columbia at 36800 Highway 99, Sea to Sky Gondola is just two kilometres south of Squamish and roughly an hour’s drive from downtown Vancouver. Attractions include the Gondola ride, hiking trails, free optional guided tours, a suspension bridge and breathtaking views of Howe Sound and the Squamish Valley.

The Gondola ride takes about 10 minutes and ascends about 850 metres with a spectacular view of the landscape below. A number of family-friendly trails await visitors. The 1.6 kilometre Panorama and Wonderland Lake Loop trail carries you along the most scenic paths and leads to the most breathtaking views over Squamish Valley. If you’re not up for a hike, enjoy the impressive views anyway, from the suspension bridge. Get to know more about the local history and natural environment on a free guided tour that carries visitors along the 400 metre long Spirit Trail.

On Family Day, the Sea to Sky Gondola will be offering additional activities to partake in. In celebration of the holiday, admissions will be half price for the entire weekend! Entry to the Sea to Sky is usually $40 (adults), $38 (seniors), $25 (13-18 years), $14 (6-12 years) and free for children under five. With a 50 percent discount, the whole family can enjoy the Gondola experience twice over, or engage in the #AdventureByNature experience, specially organized for the weekend. Important to note is that the Family Day discount is applicable to individual ticket purchases only, and excludes family tickets.

#AdventureByNature at Sea to Sky Gondola will be buzzing with activities over the weekend. Families can come explore the snowshoe trails on a guided tour. This tour takes visitors through a majestic sub-alpine forest, leading to a lookout platform above the legendary Stawamus Chief, Howe Sound, and the Squamish Valley. If solitude, breathtaking views, crisp mountain air and snow laden forests awaken your senses, try snowshoeing and escape into Sea to Sky’s winter wonderland. The trail is accessible to experienced snowshoers and first-timers.

Another exciting family experience is good old fashioned tubing. About five minutes away from the Summit Lodge, the tube park delivers sliding fun for all ages. They also offer hot beverages, or a winter stew, before returning to the base. After having a memorable time tubing, families can enjoy S’mores and family time around the outdoor bonfire, or refuel with a meal. For the children, Sea to Sky will have face painting and retail discounts on The North Face children’s clothing. Come see an old fashioned Canadian sugar shack and/or relax to live music, plus so much more!

This year’s Family Day, at the Sea to Sky Gondola, will be chock full of things to do and see, from February 10th through 12th. Join in on the celebrations and create memories as a family. Tickets purchased for the #AdventureByNature experienceare valid until day end, February 12, 2018. For more information, call 604-892-2551 or visit www.seatoskygondola.com/familydays.

Sea to Sky Gondola’s Headlamp Hike

Sea to Sky Gondola’s Headlamp Hike

Just because the sun sets early in winter, doesn’t mean there isn’t ample opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors, even after dark. That said, we do not recommend that you go off at dusk on your own, even if you are an experience outdoors enthusiast – the risks are significant.

That’s why guided activities with groups and qualified, experienced guides are so ideal for enjoying frozen nature at twilight and in the early evenings, like the popular Squamish Headlamp Hike, offered between January and March by the Sea to Sky Gondola.

Hiking is one of the most popular pastimes for visitors to Squamish, British Columbia. With hundreds of criss-crossing trails of various challenge levels running throughout the no less than five provincial parks in the region, hikers descend on Squamish throughout the year to enjoy nature’s beauty. The Headlamp Hike, however, is quite unique, in that it takes place from 4:30pm every Saturday from 1 January until the end of March. Depending on conditions, the hike can also be undertaken as a snowshoe adventure. Lasting an hour, the hike gives up to eight participants an opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the route at an unusual and serene time of day.

Of course, no frozen dusky walk would be complete without the chance to enjoy excellent hot meals and drinks while gazing out over Howe Sound. The Summit Lodge sits atop Stawamus Chief, 885m above sea level, and offers visitors a chance to relax and enjoy the scenery while enjoying dinner after their dusky hike. The lodge is just one of the eateries and snack stops visitors to the Chief, the world’s second-largest piece of freestanding granite and a popular and challenging hike or climb, can use to refuel after an exciting and fun day challenging yourself. And climbing or hiking The Chief is just one of the various activities visitors to Squamish can participate in year-round.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is a popular tourist attraction that allows visitors to enjoy a leisurely ride to the summit of Stawamus Chief year-round. Once at the top, you can look out from any of the three viewing platforms that each give a unique view of the surrounds, while learning more about the Stawamus First Nations people and their connection to the landscape.

Located just 45 minutes away from popular skiing destination, Whistler, Squamish is quickly becoming one of the preferred spots for visitors to Whistler, partly thanks to the plentiful and affordable accommodation and partly due to the wide variety of additional activities offered in and around the city, including its own excellent Nordic and backcountry skiing and snowboarding terrain. The region boasts between 26cm and 31cm of snowfall during December and January, giving snow-sports enthusiasts plenty of opportunity to engage in various activities. With similar amenities and no shortage of its own winter attractions, Squamish is an attractive alternative to accommodation within Whistler itself.

Squamish is a fantastic tourist destination for all seasons, offering attractions and activities all year round and welcoming guests with its vibrant entertainment, attractive and affordable accommodation and spectacular scenery from every angle. When visiting British Columbia, Squamish is a must-see on anyone’s itinerary.

 


Time: 4:30 on Saturdays, January 1 through March
Price: $10.00 per person, not including gondola day ticket or season pass
Snowshoe or crampon rentals: $5.00
Headlamps: provided
More information: Sea to Sky Gondola
Squamish accommodations: book here