Sea to Sky Gondola selling summer passes ahead of May opening

If you'd like to ride the Sea to Sky Gondola all summer long, it'll cost you $99. Well, that's the adult price for a 2014 summer season pass for the Squamish sightseeing gondola, which is set to open on May 16.

Passes, now on sale, will be good for unlimited rides between opening day and October 13. The price is $249 for families (two adults and two kids), $69.95 for youths, and $39.95 for children. (Kids under six will get on for free.)

In late 2013, Sea to Sky Gondola sold a limited number of annual passes for the same prices.

Summer passes will also be available for dogs, at $25 each. For those planning to hike up the Sea to Summit Trail and ride the gondola down multiple times, download-only passes are going for $39.95.

All passes are non-transferable and non-refundable and may be bought on the Sea to Sky Gondola website. They'll be available for pick-up starting later this month.

For comparison, Grouse Mountain Resorts in North Vancouver sells adult annual passes for $109 and the family version for $239.

In 2012, the Sea to Sky Gondola sparked controversy after the Georgia Straight revealed that the project required the removal of a 2.36-hectare strip of land from Stawamus Chief Provincial Park.

The gondola will take eight to 10 minutes to carry passengers from a base station next to the Sea to Sky Highway, lying between the Chief and Shannon Falls, to a ridge northwest of Mount Habrich.