HWY 99 reopens in both directions at Brunswick Beach: DriveBC

The Sea to Sky Highway, which had been closed in both directions between Lions Bay Avenue and Brunswick Beach Road due to a mudslide, has fully reopened.

DriveBC says the highway had closed around 10:30 a.m. Saturday.

Photos and videos posted on the social media platform X, formally known as Twitter, and Facebook showed toppled trees and debris scattered across the road while ambulance sirens could be heard in the video.

The highway closure left many skiers and snowboarders, who planned to travel the two hours home to Vancouver after the lifts closed at Whistler-Blackcomb resort, stranded in the town.

Among them are Emily Bird and her partner Scott Gingrich. The pair said they rose early Saturday morning to head to Whistler with hopes of getting a full day on the slopes, before catching a Sunday morning flight to Toronto to visit family for Christmas.

They arrived safely and spent half the day skiing. But, after hearing about the highway closure during their lunch break, the couple decided to cut their trip short. Their priority was getting back to Vancouver, Gingrich said.

“We’re feeling a bit disheartened,” he said, noting that their initial plan was to take a six-hour detour home to avoid the closure.

But, about an hour into the drive, Bird said it was snowing heavily and, for safety, they decided to turn back. She said they are closely monitoring the road closure and are hopeful the highway reopens soon.

“We will have to see if we can make the flight,” she said. “We are not sure yet.”

With files from The Canadian Press.

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