The Sea-to-Sky corridor, which stretches from Squamish up to Pemberton, BC, is infamous for its world-class ski touring and split boarding terrain. If you’re arriving from out of town, it can be a little overwhelming to choose where to go and how to structure your trip. A great way to do it is by renting a reliable winter vehicle and travelling road trip style. This gives you flexibility and will allow you to have access to trailheads that are further off the beaten track.

Properly winterised vehicles for rent can be hard to find, but we have just discovered Far Out Wilderness, a rental company that specialises in adventure vehicles,  equipped with everything you would need for a winter trip through the mountains. Pick up your vehicle from Vancouver Airport then hit the road!

Squamish

The first stop on our list would be the Squamish area. To gain elevation quickly, take the Sea to Sky Gondola, which enables access to some awesome options for experienced ski tourers/ splitboarders. Sky-Pilot, Co-Pilot, Skyline Ridge and Goat Ridge are all great zones to explore.

For those that are more beginner/ intermediate tourers, Paul Ridge and the Red Heather areas are a great choice. Located in Garibaldi Provincial Park, you will need to drive 16km up a logging road (Mamquam Rd), for which snow tires and chains, or 4WD are required. There are two shelters in the area – Red Heather Hut (camping not permitted) and Elfin Lakes Hut (camping permitted).

Touring snacks and coffee: Cloudburst cafe

Après: A-Frame brewing

Whistler

While there is great ski touring off the ski resort, there is also a lot that you can access without buying a lift pass. One of our favourite areas is the Callaghan Valley. The snow here is often deeper than surrounding areas due to its location. Great day trip options are Gin Peak and Metal Dome. Both trailheads can be accessed via the Callaghan Valley Road, just south of Whistler. For Gin Peak, park at the Whistler Olympic Park and register at the Day Lodge to obtain a free parking pass. For Metal Dome, there is a small ploughed parking area, about 6km up the Callaghan Valley Rd from Hwy 99. No parking pass is necessary here.

Snacks and coffee: Forecast Coffee

Après: Coast Mountain Brewing 

Pemberton

The final stop along the Sea to Sky will bring you to the quaint farming town of Pemberton. But don’t let the town’s unassuming vibe deceive you. It’s the gateway to some of the best (and gnarliest) backcountry skiing in North America. There’s no wonder it’s populated with a smattering of professional skiers, snowboarders and snowmobilers. But don’t worry, it’s not all extreme skiing, there are also some really fun day touring trips accessed via Duffey Lake Rd.

Continue along Hwy 99, about 20 minutes past Pemberton, and ‘The Duffey’ will begin. Pass Lillooet Lake and you will notice the road begins to climb steep windy switchbacks – this is where the Duffey starts. Word of warning, download your maps/ GPS co-ordinates etc., before you start the drive, as you will loose cell phone reception at this point.

Heart Strings: Access to this aesthetic 700m run is from the Joffre Lakes car park. Finding the entrance can be a little tricky, but well worth the adventure. A great choice if you are not looking to do a mega day.

Rohr Ridge: Access is from the Marriot Basin parking area. The trail head is opposite the obvious white sand shed on the side of the hwy. Once you make it to the ridge, there are a number of fun runs you can take down, including; Rocky Horrow Powder Show, Stellar Bowl, and Southern Comfort. You’ll likely be able to fit a few laps in to a day!

Joffre Shoulder: Great for touring accessible pillows and tress. Turn off at the hwy at the Cayoosh Mountain parking lot, which is made obvious from the roadside weather station. Travel is mostly through forest, which gives way to more open glades and tree skiing.

Snacks and coffee: Mt. Currie Coffee Co. 

Après: The Pony 

• Note that these descriptions have been made purposefully vague to encourage greater research and trip planning into each area of interest. A great resource for this is the book ‘Exploring the Coast Mountains On Skis‘, by John Baldwin, which provides more detailed descriptions and maps for each of these zones.
• Use promo code: WHITECAP5 for a discount on Far Out Wilderness 4×4 Winter Vehicle Rentals.