Lack of snow can鈥檛 dampen the enthusiasm of the team at the Sea to Sky Gondola as its winter season begins.
That鈥檚 because the summer visitor numbers were well ahead of expectations, and the parking lot and trails have continued to be filled with visitors since the reopening Thursday, Nov. 27.
鈥淧eople see 麻豆社国产as a destination. Before, 麻豆社国产was a drive-through market,鈥� co-founder Trevor Dunn, the general manager and one of the three principals, told The 麻豆社国产 on Friday.
鈥淭he summer was fantastic. It blew our expectations away.鈥�
Dunn said 200,000 to 300,000 visitors had been anticipated for the first year. 鈥淲e鈥檙e ahead of that,鈥� he said during a media event Friday afternoon. A busload of journalists from Vancouver and as far away as Montreal was whisked up to the summit and walked the Spirit Trail with Dunn and staff, but the event was cut short due to high winds. A public tree-lighting ceremony scheduled for that evening was postponed to Friday (Dec. 6) between 5 and 6 p.m.
Dunn said the winter season is expected to be quieter than summer; only 20 per cent of total visitors are expected during the winter season, which runs from Nov. 27 to April 30. 鈥淚t鈥檒l be a lot quieter,鈥� Dunn acknowledged.
But with the gondola鈥檚 elevation of 885 metres (3,000 feet), he expects snow to cover the ground soon so that new winter activities can begin.
A new tubing park with four to five runs 400 metres long is being built, as well as a viewing platform over the tubing park. Tubing will cost $5 for two hours. On Friday, the park was still dirt, awaiting the first snowfalls.
The gondola will also provide access to out-of-bounds areas for 鈥渧ery experienced backcountry skiers,鈥� said Dunn. 鈥淲e definitely recommend a guide.鈥�
Gondola staff will be consulting with the Canadian Avalanche Service and Search and Rescue regarding the backcountry skiing, he noted.
鈥淪ome days, the Canadian Avalanche Service will tell us it鈥檚 not safe.鈥�
Also new will be children鈥檚 storytime on Fridays in December, Santa visiting Dec. 6 and 7 and Songs of Christmas Dec. 13 and 14.
All winter, there will be snowshoeing, snowshoe rentals and guided tours on Panorama trail off the new $22-million gondola, which opened May 16. The gondola features a 9,000-square-foot lodge with a restaurant for visitors and a private area to host weddings and other special events.
鈥淚 think a lot of people realize that we鈥檙e a good four-season destination,鈥� said public relations specialist Elyse Mailhot.
The gondola is already 鈥渙ne of the most visited sites in B.C.,鈥� said Dunn, who was freshly back from the Canadian Tourism Industry Association awards held in Ottawa last week. Although it has been in operation less than a year, the gondola was one of only five attractions in all of Canada nominated for Innovator of the Year.
鈥淚t鈥檚 one of the top five new things to do in Canada,鈥� he said. 鈥淲e opened in May, so getting national attention so soon is great for Squamish.鈥�
The gondola serves a diverse group of visitors aged 2 to 90, with about 20 per cent from the 麻豆社国产area, 45 per cent from Metro Vancouver, and the rest from across Canada and around the world, Dunn said. Visitors include people with limited mobility to 鈥渟ome of the most fit athletes on the planet.鈥�
Most people, however, are looking for an easy walk and time with their family. The tube park will provide a place for family fun, said Dunn. 鈥淚t鈥檚 hard to find places to go and play in the snow in the corridor.鈥�
Gondola staff also plan to keep the Spirit Trail plowed and put gravel down when possible to give visitors an easy place to walk. Nature can be intimidating to some visitors, Dunn acknowledged. 鈥淭he more we do something accessible and safe, the more people will come up.鈥�
