Sea to Sky - Squamish to Whistler

Our trip started by camping at Paradise Valley Campground on Friday evening. We wanted to spend more time together, get to know each other a bit before the adventure, and also have a slow start the next morning.

After a big breakfast, we headed over to the valley and after just a few kilometres reached the trail. Luckily, the hardest part of the route is right at the beginning, when you still have a lot of energy. The majority of the trail is smooth and well-maintained, except for this chunky section. Be prepared for some steep and punchy climbs, big rocky fields, and some hike-a-bike. Low climbing gears and tires with good traction will be helpful in this section. You will also need to carry your bike over the boulder barriers to the other side of the train track, so packing light and having a Buddy to help you with the bike weight, will be much appreciated. :)

We stopped at Starvation Lake for lunch. On a hot day, this is a perfect spot for a dip and you can also filter some water here if needed. The first rewarding section comes right after you walk through the fence bridge. You can see the trestle below from multiple viewpoints and on a clear day, also Cheakamus Mountain. We used this opportunity for a snack break. You will need to tackle one more chunkier section just before getting off to the highway.

Riding on a busy road isn’t ideal, but fortunately, you will get back on the trail after 4 kilometers. You will notice right away how different the trail here is - it suddenly turns into the rainforest and compared to the previous section it’s very flowy. This is the Sea to Sky that we love and can’t get enough of! It will quickly make you forget the challenging times you’ve experienced earlier. One more short highway ride and you finally reach Brandywine Waterfalls Park.

Brandywine is truly something else. You can spot many unique rock formations like basalt columns and lava flows, admire the views of Black Tusk, and watch people jumping off the Bungee Bridge. Park is also typical by its pine forest, which is rare in the coastal environment, compared to the mossy rainforest. If you have time, I recommend stopping at the waterfall viewpoint, just a short walk from the park entrance.

Once you cross the Bungee Bridge, the Cal Cheak rec site where we stayed for the night, is just a short ride over. This site is first come first served, but I stayed there multiple times and never had a problem with getting a free spot. When you arrive, you will notice that the right section of the campground is more open and layered with gravel, the left one is more picturesque, with campsites tucked inside the forest. We stayed in the forest section, where you can also find the bear cache to store your food.

Even with the late start and multiple stops along the way, we arrived fairly early, which allowed us to enjoy the campground. After setting up the camp and changing into fresh clothes, we walked down to the river to refill our water bottles and then went for a walk to explore the surrounding trails. The sun came out and the forest was gorgeous. It was a perfect afternoon filled with laughter, camping food tips, and good vibes before we went to bed.

The next day, before returning to Squamish, we continued on the trail toward Whistler for 7 more kilometers. This section might be my favourite. Even though it’s all uphill in this direction, it’s very beautiful, mostly in the forest, and all rideable with some fun flowy bits. If you have time, take a short detour to the Train Wreck, accessible by the suspension bridge over Cheakamus River. If you follow the hiking trail, you can get to the waterfall viewpoint too.

After arriving at Function Junction, we stopped at Purebread to get snacks for the road and had a second breakfast and coffee at Forecast. The ride back to Squamish was on the same route, only a bit easier, given it was mostly downhill. We stopped for another snack break shortly after finishing the highway portions of the trail. Filtered more water at Starvation Lake and enjoyed one last ride through the magnificent rainforest in Paradise Valley before arriving at Brackendale where we left our cars.

Notes:

• Wider tires of at least 2.1in are recommended for this route, if you have access to a rigid mountain bike with even wider tires, you will have more fun and roll through the gnarly sections more easily
• Even though there are no resupply points for food on this route, there are plenty of opportunities to filter water from rivers or freshwater lakes (bring filter or purification tablets)
• You can get food from restaurants or cafes at Function Junction
• If you prefer wild camping, there are a few spots along the way where you can set up your camp
• Because of the elevation, the best time to ride this trail is June-October, due to snow.
• Cell service on most of the route

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