Highest suspension bridge in Canada to open near Golden, B.C.
The newly constructed pedestrian crossing hangs 130 metres above the canyon floor
The highest suspension bridge in Canada is now hanging over a canyon in the Rockies in southeastern B.C.
The Golden Skybridge, located just outside of the town of Golden, B.C., will open to the public in June and be home to not one but two massive suspension bridges.
The newly constructed bridges, sitting at 130 and 80 metres high, respectively, have 360-degree views of of the surrounding mountains and showcase a 61-metre waterfall and a river in the canyon below.
Pursuit, which operates several tourist attractions in the region, says it teamed up with many local hotels and developers to bring this attraction to life.
"They've been a little frustrated, to be quite honest. When their guests would ask them for different things they could do, there were limited options within Golden. So they kept having to send them to Lake Louise and Banff," said Mark Hendrick, vice-president of marketing for Pursuit.
"They saw this piece of land in this wonderful canyon and they knew that this could be something that could be built. That was the inspiration and they did it."
For those looking for more excitement, Hendricks says there will also be a three-kilometre-long nature walk, a 1,200-metre zip line and a tandem bungee swing.
"So you and a loved one or a close friend can go swinging far out above the canyon," he said.
Admission for the bridges will be $35 for adults and $17 for children.
For those thinking of checking out what Golden has to offer, it's important to remember that there are major construction-related detours east of the town.
The Kicking Horse Canyon Phase 4 project will upgrade about five kilometres of road through a rugged and difficult section of Highway 1 between the Golden, B.C., and the Yoho Bridge.
The work in the canyon will include widening the highway to four lanes, realigning multiple curves and installing infrastructure for wildlife protection, such as corridors and fences.
Highway construction will severely hamper traffic flow, and will close the road completely for long stretches of time.
The first total shutdown of that highway started April 12 and is slated to end May 14. Motorists passing through the area from Alberta have to detour via Highway 93 and Highway 95.
Following that, 24-hour closures will take place on weekdays May 17-31.
With files from the Calgary Eyeopener.