Sea to Sky

Mountains, Waterfalls and Bears

Fri June 17th

Dandelion Diner alongside the parking lot in Whistler

Turnaround complete we headed up to Whistler late Tuesday morning and up the Sea to Sky Highway, aka Highway 99.  Those who have driven it will attest to the beauty of the drive.  The first half runs along the eastern side of the Howe Sound as far as Squamish and then the Cheakamus River follows much of the route into Whistler as far as Daisy Lake where it heads away from the highway.

Our first stop on route was the Shannon Falls, a short walk from the car park to BC's third highest falls at just over 1100ft.  It is also known for the cliff face off to one side that is a favourite of the more advanced climbers. The Sea to Sky Gondola alongside Shannon Falls takes you up to the top, near Squamish's The Chief where there are numerous trails that could fill a week. Dogs are not allowed on the Gondola on the way up, but if you hike the five hours to the top with your hound they're allowed in the Gondola on the way down.  Only in BC!  A quick stop in Squamish to pick up lunch and it was off to Brandywine Falls just above Daisy Lake.  

Dandelion Diner

Daisy Lake is fed by the Cheakamus River which runs out of the lake of the same name below Whistler mountain and Brandywine Creek, which rises near Brandywine Mountain.  The Falls are much smaller than Shannon at only 230ft, but still worth a visit.  A small hydroelectric plant feeds into the power network at the bottom of Daisy Lake.   There are hikes from and close to both of the falls of varying lengths and difficulty.  

Wednesday we headed up the mountain to do a hike around the top of Whistler and then over to
Blackcomb Mountain via the Peak to Peak cable car for lunch. As we were driving towards the car park Fred spotted a bear on the side of Fitzsimmons Creek so we drove around to the back parking lot, but the bear had vanished.  After parking up at the other end of the lots and walking towards the Whistler Gondola a small group of people were standing on the ramp taking pictures.

Another bear was getting stuck into the dandelion patch oblivious to the attention it was getting.  It was quite a surprise to see Black Bear quite so close to the middle of down, but not the first time we have seen one indifferent to the humans around him or her.

Lift tickets acquired for the Norfolk branch we took the Whistler Village Gondola up to the Roundhouse Lodge at 1850m.   As we reached the half way point, we were surprised how much snow still existed.  One of the piste bashers was clearing snow on parts of the mountain, something we would not have expected a few days short of the longest day.  Because of the volume of snow still around and the delay in getting it cleared, none of the trails at the top were open.  

We chatted to one of the Whistler piste patrol/medics at the top. He said he'd been in Whistler forty years and had not seen a Spring like it. A lot of the rain had fallen as snow and some of the snow walls were 40' high (usually 20').  The snow walls are where snow has drifted at the top of the mountain and been cut though by piste bashers and diggers to create amazing trail walks.  

Opening soon according to Whistler Blackcomb

Although the resort was closed to the public for skiing an U18 team/group had access to one of the drag lifts and a run (T-Bar and T-Bar Run), and were racing down a slalom course.  Whilst the area around the restaurant and main staging area on Whistler were cleared of snow, much was left untouched.  The trails that take you through the snow walls have not been finished but are expected to open in June.  Whistler Blackcomb trailed a picture on their Instagram page if you are soon heading up the mountain.  It's definitely worth a visit.

With no hikes available we took the Peak to Peak over to Blackcomb where it was much the same story.  Trails closed and just coffee and sandwiches in the Restaurant.  The scenery was stunning, surrounded by white capped peaks, green valleys and lakes below and the sun blazing with wispy cloud around the taller peaks.  As we headed back on the Peak-to-Peak, it started clouding over so we decided to download to town for lunch.  We'd had the best of the weather, the views were as stunning as ever, the snow quite incredible for the time of year.

On the way down we saw two more bears ambling around the lower Whistler slopes.  A day with the four bears!  Next to the parking lot, the dandelion diner was long gone.  There are an estimated fifty Black Bears in the municipality of Whistler and more in the surrounding areas.  For the first time a Grizzly has been seen in town on the Western side of the village.  There are known to be a few in the Callaghan Valley and Nick and Lizzie have seen one on the slopes above Brandywine Meadows.  There is a concern that as the population grows they are going to be a greater problem in the village.  They are much more of a significant physical threat to people.   The strategy for avoiding confrontation with Black Bears, of walking backwards, talking quietly avoiding eye contact is not guaranteed to work.  You may be better having someone with you who runs slower than you!  😏

Thursday we checked out local trails as the youngest member of the Norfolk branch was due to get an express coast to Vancouver airport to fly back to the UK.  The highlight of the day, was to get a table at the Red Door Bistro in Creekside for dinner.  We've tried to get a booking there before but it had always been fully booked days, if not weeks, in advance.  This time we were lucky and we had an exceptional meal with great service and food.  If you get to Whistler and want to try it, it's highly recommended but book well in advance.

Green River

Friday we drove up to Pemberton, stopping at Nairn Falls.   A relatively easy 1.5k walk from the parking
lot to the Falls, though the last section is a bit of a scramble up to the viewing platform.  Some of the trail is rather narrow with a steep wooded embankment down to the very fast flowing Green River!  The river was in full flood and you would not stand much chance if you went in.  The backdrop of Mt Currie was stunning and the sun lifted the scent of pines and firs which wafted around us on a soft breeze.  

Heading back a young couple overtook us on the way to the car park, looking for the key to their Lexus.  We had earlier seen him climb over the safety barrier at the top of the Falls and sit on the ledge over the sheer drop down to the Falls, fiddling around with his pockets as he posed for a picture.  We think we know where they may now be, roughly!  They were up in BC from Michigan and it was the only key they had with them.  Clearly being able to afford a smart car is not necessarily a sign of great intelligence.

Lunch was at the Mile One Eating House in Pemberton.  Good food, great mountain views from the deck and only a short drive from the Falls.  We like Pemberton, it has the feel of an old Canadian trading post and it has lovely, quaint traditional 'clapperboard' architecture alongside more modern buildings.

There is always something to do in and around Whistler, more out of the winter ski season once all the trails are open and lakes are free of ice than when everything is snowed up.

On the subject of cable cars and gondolas, have you ever wondered sitting in your chair lift or indeed armchair, how it is all put together and keeps you safely in the air.  I have often mused what the loads and weights are on a cable car, but my 'O level' physics would not get anywhere near it.  

There is a YouTube video of the peak to peak cable being installed.  See the chap sitting on top of the cable car 'runner' like something out of Eagles Dare, I know it's not something I could do.  Here is the Peak to Peak cable instal.  This is how they splice the cable.  Not a job I would want to be responsible for but this guy seems to know what he's about.

Some more images of the week here:

View from Blackcomb

Black Bear

Lost Lake Reflections

Lost Lake

Black Bear on Whistler Mountain

Clarke's Nutcracker on Whistler