Momma Told Me: Sea To Sky Gondola- Squamish, B.C.

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Sea To Sky Gondola- Squamish, B.C.

Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
Momma Told Me: Reach for new heights.

Did you hear that? I just took a long, deep breath. Something I haven't had much time to do around here lately! With the holidays in full swing, it's hard to remember just a month ago I was on a ship sailing to Alaska, not a care in the world! I took over 2k photos on that trip, and I'm just now having a moment to sit down and look through some of them!
In a way, it's nice to decompress and get back into everyday life, then have the photos to fall back on as a mini reminder and escape. Just looking at my images take me back to the emotions, sights, and smells of still very fresh and vivid vacation memories. It's almost as though I'm getting to enjoy a piece of my vacation again!
And that's part of the fun in having a blog and being able to share my vacation photos and experiences with all of you! While I wasn't compensated in any way for any portion of my trip, I still find it completely valuable, and valid, to share the places we went, and the things we did, should any of you ever consider a cruise to Alaska or West Coast Canada!
If you've never cruised before then you likely don't know that there are all sorts of 'add-ons' you can tack on to your trip for the days in port- these are called 'excursions,' and can range from $29 per person to over $1000, depending on what's involved. For example, for $459 a person we could take a 30 minute helicopter ride over the Alaskan coast glaciers, touch down, and actually walk on them! While we didn't do anything quite that extravagant this go, but we did do an excursion in every port- and boy were they worth the money. Definitely a great way to see the port towns, and experience a slice of life, when you're cruising through for the first time!
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
The great thing about excursions is that they include transportation to and from your port- and, if booked through the cruise line, you can actually get assurance that the boat will wait for you should something happen to hold up you or your party. For most of our excursions, however, we booked outside the cruise liner, as the rates were much more competitive. For our first Canada trip we booked through LandSea Tours, an itinerary that included a lift admission to the newly opened Sea To Sky Gondola in Squamish, Canada.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
Open year round, the Sea To Sky Gondola is a breath-taking 10 minute ride to 885m above sea level, at it's topmost summit. While some may consider it similar to a ski lift, it truly is unlike anything I've ever experienced, suspended in this 8 passenger car from a single wire, as astoundingly sharp angles. And the panoramic view truly makes the experience more and more captivating each ride.
Not only could we see Howe Sound and several Fjords, but the process of rising up through the clouds revealed more and more layers of the gorgeous natural landscape each minute! Because we were traveling at the end of the season, the weather at the summit was a bit ominous. The photos I snapped of our car 2 minute from the summit dock are a bit unnerving. Visibility was lacking, and I felt as though I was about to step out of 'The Mist' into a strange new world!
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
In a sense, I was right- we actually passed through a thick layer of dismal crowd cover to reveal yet another perspective of this gorgeous landscape. One would think we had visited on multiple days, or ridden several times to get the variety of shots we did- but they were all taken on one single ascension!
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
At the top of the summit you are given an equally panoramic viewpoint from a lodge and lookout deck that truly jets out into nothing. We were told on clear viability days visitors could see miles out in all directions to locate 4 glaciers, and several prominent landmarks. It's here where I should note that, at the top of the summer, there are many trails visitors can follow winding through the mountain, across a few passes on suspension bridges, and even in a 360 degree path around the summit.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
The weather really did change quite quick on us, once we got to the top, but that was fine with me- that meant the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge was fairly barren and unoccupied. Spanning 368 feet, thousands of feet above ground at it's highest point, the suspension bridge is new and beautifully engineered. If you're looking for something fun to do, walk at a steady pace just 5 feet directly behind someone- they'll feel the sway! The bridge is illuminated at night, for a sight I can only imagine to be breath-taking.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
Our trip back down was a bit more cloudy, but still one to remember, none-the-less. The lodge had offered a small cafeteria style menu, where we shared some native poutine (fries slathered in gravy and cheese curds,) and our visit left us with plenty of time to check out the gift shop below. For those traveling with children there is even an adorable cottage style playhouse out back.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
Land Sea Tours- Cruise Excursion, Sea To Sky Gondola and Pilot Suspension Bridge in Squamish, B.C.
While someone who skiis might find this to be a little bla-zay, I think the distance of travel, in the Gondola, and the scenic setting itself is truly worth the $30 day pass, especially if you are traveling early in the season and plan on hiking. I'd definitely pack a picnic style lunch from the cafeteria and wander off to find my own piece of heaven! In all, the Sea To Sky Gondola and summit is something I hope to return to again someday- and definitely worth the memories! Have you ever been on a similar gondola ride or suspension bridge?

What Daughter Says: Explore the world from all possible angles when on vacation!

12 comments:

  1. Never seen anything like it, that's really neat!!!andrea

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  2. Wow, I'd have to shelf my fear of heights to check out that view! Your photos are gorgeous, I bet it's breath-taking in person.

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  3. What gorgeous pictures but I don't know if I could handle being up so high. It looks like you had a fabulous time!

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  4. We took a gondola ride somewhere. But I'm at a loss to remember where and the hubby isn't home right now to remind me. I remember the ride but not the where. It probably happened in that period of time I've lost due to my surgery. I make for interesting conversations sometimes.

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  5. Wow that's just beautiful. What gorgeous photos. The only gondolas here are the ones at the ski slopes.

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  6. Sea is a normal noun. If you mean one, you say sea; when you mean more than one, you use the plural seas. Then the sea is beautiful today, but I've sailed the seven seas. The sky is about always used in the singular because there's only one that you can speak of. Skies are sometimes done poetically. Its origin is Biblical. www.makemyessay.com

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