  You don't have to go far to leave Greater Vancouver's bustle
and hustle behind. Travel up the Sea to Sky Highway (Highway
99) and into the steep and rugged Coast Mountains. Starting
in picturesque Horseshoe Bay, site of a BC Ferries terminal,
the road winds through mountain communities that started as
logging, mining, ranching and farming outposts.
 The route features towering rock faces that plunge to the
sea and rivers cascading in bubbly plumes off a sheer cliff.
The
intense blue colours of Howe Sound clash with Brilliant white
glacier ice and jagged black peaks against an azure sky.
This site can mesmerize even the most seasoned traveler.
During
the summer the alpine meadows are freckled with red, yellow
and purple wildflowers and surround tranquil turquoise lakes.
No matter what time of year you go the forests, whether deep
emerald or covered in fresh snow, will dazzle you.
The Sea to Sky Highway crosses paths with two historic routes,
the Pemberton Trail and the Gold Rush Heritage Trail, which
linked the coast with the interior in the days before the
automobile. Today the communities of Britannia Beach, Whistler,
Squamish
and Pemberton have become welcoming havens for lovers of
every manner of outdoor recreation whether on land, in
water or air.
This  country is also rich in archaeological and historical
lore. Salish First Nations have lived here for thousands
of years, and prospectors streamed north from Lillooet
for the
Fraser River gold rush back in the 1850s.
As you drive the winding, scenic highway stop off and see
The Royal Hudson, the only steam engine in mainline service
in
North America until 2002, at The West Coast Heritage
Railway Park in Squamish. The surrounding mountains boast
some
of British Columbia's most scenic parks, hikes, rock
climbing and mountain
biking. Offering lush old growth  forests and glimpses
of bears and eagles, the area is a popular outdoors adventure
destination.
Further up the highway is Whistler, the world-renowned
ski and snowboard resort. Some runs are still open
during the
early summer months, but the alpine village itself
stays vibrant
and active all year round.
Links
Need a place to stay or camp while exploring Sea
to Sky Country?
Explore the Communities of Sea to Sky Country?
Browse other Vancouver Coast and Mountains Sub Regions
Tourism Region Contact
Vancouver, Coast and Mountains Tourism Region
250 - 1508 West 2nd Avenue,
Vancouver, BC V6J 1H2
Telephone: (604) 739-9011
Fax: (604) 739-0153
E-Mail: info@vcmbc.com |
