If you build it, they will come
Engineer George Deridder, recreation technician Teressa McMillian and carpenter Peter Hogg stand proudly on the new platform in this winter wonderland. Right: the summertime version of breathtaking Alexander Falls.
For years it’s been a hidden gem in the Callaghan Valley — 8km up a rough dirt road more often used by black bears than humans – but thanks to the 2010 Winter Games spinoff, Alexander Falls has now become another natural attraction in the Whistler area.
This three-tiered waterfall is impressive for its size (43 metres tall and 12 metres wide) and its location — one of the most spectacular mountain peaks in the area!
Until recently, most would-be outdoor enthusiasts were more or less unaware of its existence. The falls were hard to find. Hard to get to. Difficult to view.
But with the paving of the Callaghan Valley Nordic Road to improve transportation to the Whistler Nordic Centre in the Olympic Park, the Province of British Columbia took the opportunity to bring the world to this recreation site managed by Recreation Sites and Trails BC.
A huge amount of work went into upgrading the site:
• the gravel road was widened;
• the parking areas were upgraded and expanded;
• new signs were put up along Highway 99 and the Callaghan Valley Nordic Road to direct visitors to the Falls.
And because the Falls are in the traditional territory of the Squamish and Lil’wat First Nations, special signs will be put up to educate visitors on the traditional use of the Falls by the First Nations.
Once at the Falls, a new wheel-chair accessible viewing platform, built entirely out of western red cedar and Douglas fir, provides a better view of the Falls and surrounding mountains.
All these improvements, combined with the increased public traffic up to the Olympic Park, have resulted in a huge increase in visitors to the Alexander Falls.
So now, it’s no longer only the black bears and determined travellers who can experience the beauty of the Alexander Falls, but all British Columbians – and tourists too!
Note: The Alexander Falls site will be closed until snow-free.
Visit Alexander Falls Yourself
• Follow Highway 99 (Sea to Sky Highway) for 70km north of Vancouver.
• Turn left onto the new Callaghan Valley Nordic Road, approximately 2km north of Brandywine Falls Provincial Park.
• Drive on Callaghan Valley Nordic Road for 8km to the Alexander Falls site road (first gravel road on the left before the turnoff to Callaghan Lake Provincial Park and the switchback leading to the new Whistler Olympic Park).
View Alexander Falls on Google Maps.
Find Your Own Playground
Recreation sites and trails are public campgrounds and trails located on Crown land outside of parks and settled areas. Sites like Alexander Falls allow you to enjoy your recreation experience within an integrated resource management setting.
To find more B.C. recreation sites and trails, visit http://www.sitesandtrailsbc.ca
