Cougar activity prompts closure of Whistler bike park trails – BC

Mountain biking in Whistler is a popular activity for the first official day of summer but that’s not the case this weekend.

A large portion of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park was closed due to cougar activity in the area.

The BC Conservation Officer Service says it received “information about two separate incidents at approximately 7 p.m. Friday night, involving one or more cougars,” a statement reads.

The COS says, in one incident, a mountain biker was chased by a cougar for 350 metres before falling down and throwing rocks to scare it off.

In another incident, a mountain biker was approached by a cougar but ran off when other bikers arrived — though the big cat stayed in the area.

No one was injured during these incidents.

The COS says, as a precaution, the creekside and garbonzo zones of the bike park will be closed Saturday and Sunday.

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“In consultation with Whistler Blackcomb, partial closures of the park are in effect to ensure public safety. For information on closures, visit the park website,” a statement reads.

This closure comes just a week after BC Parks had to close a popular trail near Garibaldi Lake after hikers had a close encounter with a cougar just off Rubble Creek trail.

That trail is roughly 20 kilometres away from the Whistler Mountain Bike Park.

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