Sea to Sky Gondola
49°41′ N 123°09′ WGondola$73.95
The Sea to Sky Gondola climbs from a base on Highway 99 2 km south of Squamish to a summit lodge 885 m above Howe Sound, and it suits anyone who wants a mountaintop walk and a suspension bridge without hiking up. The view needs a clear day, and the gondola shuts for maintenance from 16 to 26 November 2026.
Closed
The Sea to Sky Gondola shuts for its annual maintenance in November
The Sea to Sky Gondola's hours page closes it for annual maintenance from 16 to 26 November 2026, and its FAQ starts the closure on 9 November. Both put the reopening on 27 November, with the gondola running daily from 9 am to 5 pm, and the gondola's shop sells dated tickets only up to 15 November, which matches the hours page. The FAQ says Guest Services and the Basecamp shop stay open every day through the closure. Hikers finishing the Sea to Summit Trail and ski tourers heading for Sky Pilot depend on the gondola, so plan those trips outside 9 to 26 November.
Checked 2026-10-16 · seatoskygondola.com
Photo by Syawish Rehman on Unsplash and others, credited in the gallery
Field card · Sight · No. 025 · checked 16 Oct 2026
Bring a card, since the summit shops and restaurants take no cash.
Access
The cabins take wheelchairs and strollers and slow down for boarding. The Summit Lodge is wheelchair accessible, and its patio and viewing deck are too when snow allows. Strollers with bigger wheels manage the Panorama Trail and the Spirit Trail. Accessible parking sits beside Basecamp, and the gondola offers special pricing for guests with accessibility needs and for a support person.
The gondola rises into the mountains of the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation) from Basecamp beside Highway 99. Its 39 cabins hold eight people each and take 10 to 15 minutes to reach the Summit Lodge, and on the way up you look across at Shannon Falls and the climbing walls of the Stawamus Chief. Your ticket covers the Sky Pilot Suspension Bridge at the top along with two interpretive loop trails that end on cantilevered viewing platforms. Printed maps are gone, so load the gondola's free trail map app at the base.
In winter the summit runs a small snow program when the snow allows it. The gondola lists tubing and snowshoeing on the summit trails. It also grooms its 2.2 km Backcountry Access Road daily for Nordic skiing, and Wonderland Lake opens for skating. Ski tourers with backcountry gear can take skis and boards up in the winter months, and they need the avalanche forecast before they go beyond the summit.
Without a car, take the Squamish Connector shuttle from Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver. Its winter timetable runs from 1 November 2026 to 31 March 2027, and the first bus leaves 660 West Cordova Street at 9:50 am on weekdays and 8:50 am at weekends. Dropping off at the gondola needs an advance reservation. The ride home sets the length of your day, because the shuttle picks up walk-ons in the gondola parking lot only at 3 pm on weekdays. At weekends and on statutory holidays it adds a 4:40 pm pickup.
Dogs can't ride up. If your dog hikes the Sea to Summit trail with you, it waits in the Dog Parking area by the summit plaza and then rides down on a $19.05 ticket, since dogs stay off the suspension bridge, the viewing deck and platforms, the Backyard eating area and the front-country loops. The gondola bans drones on its property and its summit tenure, and its restaurants and shops take cards only.
Worth knowing
- Buy online before you go. On every October date we checked, the gondola's shop sold the adult ticket for 5 to 10% under the window price, and a standard day ticket works on any day up to its printed expiry with no reservation.
- From 1 November 2026 the gondola's own shuttle-and-ticket package is off sale while it's redesigned, so book the Squamish Connector on the Connector's site and buy the lift ticket separately.
- Pay for parking with the PayByPhone app when you arrive. Ask at Guest Services before leaving a car overnight for a backcountry trip.
- Bring a card, since the summit restaurants and shops won't take cash.
Quick answers about Sea to Sky Gondola
How much is the Sea to Sky Gondola in 2026?
An adult round trip on the Sea to Sky Gondola costs $81.95 at the ticket window in 2026, and online prices start at $73.95. The family ticket for two adults and two children or youth costs $191.95 at the window or $165.95 online, and children 5 and under ride free.
Is the Sea to Sky Gondola open in winter?
Yes. The Sea to Sky Gondola runs daily from 9 am to 5 pm from 27 November to 31 December 2026, and the last ride down leaves at 6 pm. It closes for annual maintenance from 16 to 26 November 2026.
Can you get to the Sea to Sky Gondola without a car?
Yes. The Squamish Connector shuttle runs from Waterfront Station in downtown Vancouver to the Sea to Sky Gondola, and the drop-off at the gondola needs an advance reservation. On its winter timetable the shuttle back to Vancouver picks up at the gondola at 3 pm on weekdays, with a second pickup at 4:40 pm at weekends and on holidays.
Can dogs go up the Sea to Sky Gondola?
No. Only certified service dogs ride up the Sea to Sky Gondola. A dog that hikes up the Sea to Summit trail waits in the Dog Parking area at the summit and can ride down on a $19.05 ticket.
What are the opening hours of Sea to Sky Gondola?
Sea to Sky Gondola keeps these hours: Daily 09:00–17:00.
When is the best time to visit Sea to Sky Gondola?
Sea to Sky Gondola: Pick a clear day and look at the gondola's weather cam before you drive up, since the view from the summit lodge at 885 m is the reason to go. The winter programs at the top wait on snow, and on 16 October 2026 the gondola listed both the Nordic track and the Wonderland Lake skating as closed until winter arrives.
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In the journal and guides
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Where should you sleep for a Sea to Sky day so you don't have to drive back to Vancouver?
A night up the highway turns a ten-hour coach day into an evening by the mountains and a lie-in. The coaches still decide how you get home, so book the bed and the seat together.
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Where should you take kids in North Vancouver and Vancouver?
A family of four paid $213.80 plus GST at Capilano Suspension Bridge Park in 2026, so start with Lynn Canyon's free bridge if your kids walk on their own.