Five rescues in 24 hours Photo courtesy LBSAR. The Lions Bay Search and Rescue team (LBSAR) has had a busy start to the autumn season. Normally at this time of year, they respond to around 30 calls. This year, they've hit 42, only mid-way through the season. In one 24-hour period at the end of September, they responded to four separate calls involving hikers on the Howe Sound Crest Trail, as well as a night rescue on Tunnel Bluffs. LBSAR Training Officer & Search Manager Mari

Giving thanks for the natural beauty of this place Barred owl, photographed in Lions Bay by Andrea Bradshaw, October 9, 2026. Happy thanksgiving! The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or email us at editor@lionsbaywatershed.ca Like what you're reading? For as little as $5/month, you can support local independent journalism by subscribing to The Watershed HERE.

Watershed reaches publishing milestone A thousand articles. This one, of course, bumps us up to 1001. The Watershed's first article was published January 2, 2023, and in the nearly five years since then, we've been sharing all the news that matters to residents of Lions Bay and the Sea to Sky corridor. We'd just like to take a moment to thank you, our readers, and especially those of you who subscribe to this publication. Your support, both moral and financial, helps keep thi

Local consignment business off to a good start Rebecca Loyo Mayo believes in sustainability — and that extends to the clothes on your back. So after having a frustrating experience trying to find second-hand clothes for her children, she decided she would start her own company. Re.Be Kids is an online consignment store with a local angle. Loyo Mayo says her business is rooted in the belief that "every garment passed on is one less new item produced, one more story shared, and

Gran Fondo cycles through first thing, Firefighters' Day begins at 2 More than 5,000 riders cycled past Lions Bay during the 2024 Gran Fondo. File photo. The Annual Gran Fondo takes place tomorrow, with cyclists riding from downtown Vancouver to Whistler along the Sea to Sky. While most of the riders are expected to cruise past the Village by 10 a.m., the finish line in Whistler does not close until 3 p.m., which means that travellers heading north should expect traffic disru

Hiker missing since Sunday found near Indian Arm Stanislav Volo, who disappeared on August 30 after exiting the Sea to Sky gondola, has been found, Squamish RCMP reported this afternoon. Squamish Search and Rescue (SSAR), worked with partner agencies (including Lions Bay SAR), RCMP Integrated Police Dog services and the Lower Mainland Emergency Response Team to undertake the extensive search. Story to follow. The Watershed welcomes your thoughts. Leave your comments below, or

LBSAR assist in hunt for Stanislav Volo LBSAR team members hunt for the missing man along the precipitous Habrich Ridge. Photo courtesy LBSAR. Stanislav Volo has been missing since he stepped off the Sea to Sky gondola on Sunday morning. Members of Lions Bay Search and Rescue (LBSAR) are taking part in the multi-agency search for the missing man, who headed off the gondola wearing hiking boots and a backpack just before noon on Sunday morning. It is believed his intended rout

Young bear spotted by hikers in Deeks Lake area Shot of light brown grizzly bear taken from video shot by hiker Aleksander Savin near Deeks Lake in mid-August. (Editor's Note: Since this story was posted, it has come to light that the bear may have been misidentified, and may instead be a cinnamon-coloured black bear.) A number of hikers have reported spotting a light brown grizzly bear near Deeks Lake, about three kilometres north east of Tunnel Bluffs, in the past week. Ac

Air quality shows some improvement, fire situation remains critical Smoky skies over Átl'ḵa7tsem / Howe Sound. Photo: kc dyer. Smoky skies continue in the Lower Mainland and the Sea to Sky, with vivid sunsets balanced with poor air quality. British Columbia remains in a state of emergency because of the fires still raging across the province. However, according to FireSmoke.ca, given forecasted wind patterns, there is a possibility that some of the smoke could blow out of the

Porteau Cove fire adds to Howe Sound's smoky skies BC Wildfire Services map of the Coastal Fire Centre, August 15, 2026. There are currently 123 fires burning across BC, with 27 of them within the Coastal Fire Region, and more than half of those are rated as out of control. Environment Canada has issued a Yellow Advisory for smoke across much of southern BC, including Howe Sound and the Sea to Sky. The fire that broke out yesterday near Porteau Cove is likely contributing to

Investigations continue into Village homicide and arson cases Homicide victim Stewart McLean. Photo: Squamish RCMP. After being registered by friends and colleagues as a missing person, Brunswick Beach resident Stewart McLean was found brutally murdered this past May in the woods near his home. Integrated Homicide Investigation Team (IHIT) spokesperson Corporal Esther Tupper released a statement at the time stating that evidence uncovered during the search for McLean led inve

Squamish — 100 Mile House stretch up for grabs Squamish to 100 Mile House rail corridor. Image courtesy Google Maps. CN Rail has made good on its promise to divest itself of the Sea to Sky rail line that runs north of Squamish to 100 Mile House. And as of July 11, the stretch of track that is pivotal to many small BC communities is up for grabs. Earlier this year, CN Rail made public its 'discontinuance plan' for the section of rail line north of Squamish. Last week, provinci

Measuring sound first step to a safer highway One of the goals set out in the parking and traffic noise task forces established back in December, 2023 has come to fruition with this week's installation of traffic noise monitors on the highway. SLX Noise microsensors were installed by Public Works staff on Tuesday at several locations along the Sea to Sky within Village limits. The equipment is installed using existing light sockets of street lamps, drawing power without imped

Have risky driving habits become "daily standard"? Motorcycle towed after speeding on Sea to Sky. Photo courtesy BC RCMP. One week after a deadly crash that killed a motorcyclist and blocked the Sea to Sky highway for eight hours, another young driver has had her motorcycle impounded after being caught driving 97 kilometres over the speed limit near Furry Creek. Police identified the driver as a 22-year old Vancouver woman in possession only of a Class 7 (passenger vehicle le

A chance to help improve forest practices and support Indigenous Rights in British Columbia Photo credit: Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship The provincial Ministry of Water, Land and Resource Stewardship is asking the public to share thoughts on ways to improve forest biodiversity and Indigenous rights in select areas of the Sea to Sky region. The proposed land use objectives are a part of the 2025 Squamish Nation Land Use Planning Agreement, and are aimed

How to protect yourself and your family from mosquito bites Last year, a study identified invasive mosquito species in the Sea to Sky region, and experts have now expanded the study to include the North Shore. British Columbia Centre for Disease Control (BCCDC) is again partnering with the Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Úxwumixw (Squamish Nation), səlilwətaɬ (Tsleil-Waututh Nation), Vancouver Coastal Health (VCH) and the University of British Columbia (UBC) Department of Zoology, and this time

Study shows disease present in small sample of airborne insects Mosquito surveillance team (l to r): Dr. Anya F. Smith, BCCDC senior scientist, graduate students Jessica Kuzyk and Crystal Han, and vector specialist Stefan Iwasawa. Photo courtesy BCCDC.​​​​ The BC Centre for Disease Control (BC CDC) announced this week that the pilot project launched in response to several pediatric encephalitis cases in the Whistler area has indeed found invasive species and evidence of Cali

Unique new piercing parlor enters the scene Squamish Piercing & Jewelry co-owner Jon Gawiuk stands in the newly opened location. If you're looking for a little atmosphere when getting your ears (or anything else) pierced, look no further. Squamish Piercing & Jewelry Co. has recently opened in downtown Squamish, and it brings a whole new look to the piercing experience. Since the company opened in May, they've received over 100 five-star reviews, and co-owner Jon Gawiuk says t

Vehicle impound record smashed over long weekend photo courtesy BC Highway Patrol. May's month-long High Risk Driving Campaign netted a record number of tickets issued and vehicles impounded last weekend along the Sea to Sky. The Squamish BC Highway Patrol (BCHP) unit spread out between Lions Bay and Mt. Currie over the Victoria Day long weekend, and as a result issued 212 violation tickets as well as a record 66 excessive speed tickets that included vehicle impounds. “We wan

Lions Bay resident subject of RCMP, LBSAR search Stewart McLean. Photo courtesy Sea To Sky RCMP, Squamish detachment. The Squamish RCMP detachment is seeking public assistance in locating Lions Bay resident Stewart McLean, who was reported missing on May 18. McLean is described as 45 years old, 5 foot 10 inches tall and approximately 150 pounds. He has recently-shaved grey hair and blue eyes. A member of the Vancouver Film and Television community, McLean was reportedly recen