Friday, August 15, 2008

The Capilano Suspension Bridge – North Vancouver





There is more to this attraction than just a suspension bridge, and it is a good thing because it is ridiculously expensive.

We arrived about 3:30 on a somewhat rainy Saturday. Parking cost $5 for one hour and admission for two totaled over $50 after AAA and Senior discounts. Try for any discount you can get.

This is a beautiful deep gorge lined mostly by fir trees, crossed by a people suspension bridge. They described the bridge as wide as the wingspan of two 747s, and high enough to reach chest level of the Statue of Liberty. It or predecessor bridges have been here for probably a century.

Of course, there is an expensive fudge and gift shop – but the goods seemed to be of high quality, prices annoyingly not marked. A small musical group entertained.

Crossing the gorge you find yourself in a densely canopied forest of large trees, many several hundred years old. The feeling is not unlike walking in California’s redwoods on a drizzly day - the same sounds, the same darkness, and same duff. (In fact, the Asian tourists keep asking for someone to point out the Sequoias.)

The operators provide added value by crisscrossing the area with a network of paths that let you view the forest and the gorge from all angles. Sometimes you walk on well-maintained trails, at other times the pathway consists of solid wooden walkways. The Cliffhanger Walk is wooden, and maybe six feet above the forest floor, following the edge of the gorge, dipping down in places for viewpoints. The Treetops Adventure trail is anchored high up in the forest canopy, like the eco-tour photos you typically see from Belize or Costa Rica. The forest itself is beautiful; the trails architecturally well done and attractively integrated.

Our visit took an hour and twenty minutes, including maybe 20 minutes in the gift shop area.

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