Sea to Sky Trail closed between Nairn Falls and Rutherford until October 23; cyclists detour onto the 99
The SLRD is replacing bridges and culverts south of Pemberton, BC, and riders are sent onto Highway 99. Separately, Whistler says its bridge work on the trail near Cheakamus wraps up October 11.
A section of the Sea to Sky Trail south of Pemberton is closed from September 24 to October 23 while bridges and culverts are replaced, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) announced on September 23.
The closure runs between Nairn Falls Provincial Park and the Rutherford Forest Service Road, in SLRD Electoral Area C. The SLRD’s notice includes a closure map (PDF).
The detour is the highway
The SLRD’s detour sends cyclists onto Highway 99, and it says riders must follow all motor vehicle rules for cycling on the highway. This stretch of the 99 is the two-lane run between Whistler and Pemberton. The province’s Sea-to-Sky exit list puts the Rutherford Creek bridge at km 126.2 and Nairn Falls Provincial Park at km 131.0 north of Horseshoe Bay. Drivers should expect more bikes on the shoulder there until late October, and riders who would rather not share the highway may want to wait.
Whistler’s trail bridges are almost done
Farther south, the Resort Municipality of Whistler has been replacing six bridges on the Sea to Sky South Trail between the Train Wreck trailhead and the Cheakamus Suspension Bridge. Its September 29 update said the trail stayed open during the work, with weekday delays and detours from 7 a.m. to 5 p.m. The October 7 update says the work will finish ahead of schedule, by October 11.
The same update says the Rainbow Lake hiking trail has reopened after summer work replacing the Gin and Tonic and A-Frame bridges.
What’s next
The SLRD’s notice gives October 23 as the reopening date for the Nairn Falls–Rutherford section. Check the SLRD’s notices page before riding, and DriveBC for conditions on the 99.
Sources
- Squamish-Lillooet Regional District: Closure dates, location, reason, highway detour
- B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Transit: Highway 99 km markers (Rutherford Creek Bridge, Nairn Falls)
- Resort Municipality of Whistler: Whistler bridge work hours and scope
- Resort Municipality of Whistler: Bridge work done by Oct. 11; Rainbow Lake trail reopened
