When Doug Wylie dreamed up a final stretch of the Sea to Sky Trail between Whistler and Pemberton, he and a group of likeminded adventurers sought a path that was both scenic and easy to use for the average person.
Over countless trips, the group of seniors crisscrossed the landscape on the east side of Highway 99 between Gord’s Garden and Nairn Falls, finding stretches of forest service roads, marshy ground and mossy rock. Eventually, they found a path following abandoned logging roads at the base of Mount Currie, going up and down a hill that reached the side of Green River. From there, the trail meanders along the river and eventually approaches Nairn Falls.
Finding a route for the trail provided a proof of concept, and so Wylie and other members of a group called Citizens for Sea to Sky proposed the route to the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) in the fall of 2022.
However, there was one problem. The SLRD already had a trail in mind for the final stretch of the Sea to Sky Trail, on the west side of Highway 99. While Citizens for Sea to Sky argued their route was less industrial than the one proposed by the SLRD, which comes close to Highway 99, the CN Rail line, a gun range and Sea to Sky Soils, ultimately, the district was too far along in consultation to switch to a new route.
Staff for the SLRD noted at an Oct. 26, 2022 meeting Wylie’s proposal could be built as an addition to the Sea to Sky Trail in the future.
“Route B alignment, as suggested by the Citizens for Sea to Sky group, [can] be retained for consideration of a future addition to the Sea to Sky Trail as funding permits,” according to the meeting notes.
With that note in mind, Wylie and fellow Citizens decided to build the trail anyway, hoping funding would come. They presented their work to the Mature Action Community (MAC) at the Whistler Public Library Oct. 9.
“Eight or nine of us were working on this for two years. The average age was probably 75, and there was a couple of people who behave like they’re only 65,” Wylie said jokingly of the work crew.
Using hand tools, they left minimal impact on the land. The first 600 metres passes over muddy terrain, and to improve the walking experience, the crew used dead cedar, building a floating boardwalk. About 50 per cent of hiking terrain was already ready, thanks to old FSRs, forming linkages and reducing the overall work required by trail builders.
“We didn’t have to build anything except clear limbs out of the way,” Wylie said.
The route is 7.2 km long and follows close enough to the Green River that it’s either within sight or earshot the whole way, which Wylie said not only provides a natural beauty but also makes the trail easy to follow.
“You are either within sight of the river or you can hear it, and you don't really need a map to follow it at all. I've taken down a lot of flagging because it's pretty self-evident,” he said.
The trail is approachable for hikers who want an easier day outside exploring nature, and the builders took care to create ample seating for rest stops along the way.
They’ve even created a log love seat that fits two hikers side by side with views of Green River.
Don Armour, a member of MAC who helped build the trail, said a big appeal comes down to the easy walk for all ages.
“The trail is fairly level a long way out. So, an older person that can't walk a long way could go quite a way in and enjoy the river view.” Armour said. “It's not one of these alpine trails where you have to hike all the way up the mountain or anything.”
What the trail still lacks is a connection bridge from the senior-built east section to the SLRD-built west sections.
Wylie, Armour and others involved in the build hope the SLRD will take over the trail and build the bridge. To do this, they would need approval from BC Parks, and Wylie said a government body like the SLRD would need to apply.
In their last decision in 2022, the SLRD board motioned that “staff engage BC Parks on the potential for the Sea to Sky Trail to enter Nairn Falls Park as a future extension.”
When asked for an update on the trail’s status, the SLRD referred Pique to the previous decision and motions and thanked Citizens for Sea to Sky.
“The SLRD thanks the Citizens for Sea to Sky for their dedicated commitment to the Sea to Sky Trail, and we encourage their continued involvement with the SLRD on future trail development. The SLRD will look to the alternate route once the current gaps in the trail are connected, as a potential add-on to the route,” SLRD communications official Patricia Westerholm wrote in an email.
To get to the newly built trail, head 18 km north from the stoplight at Rainbow. The trail starts where the Gord’s Garden section of the Sea to Sky Trail ends.
