Staring down from the upper terminal at Hell’s Gate Air Tram, it’s easy to see why in 1808 Simon Fraser wrote in his journal “no man should ever pass through here it was truly like passing through the Gates of Hell”.
Located on Highway 1, in the scenic Fraser Canyon between Boston Bar and Spuzzum, BC, Hell’s Gate Air Tram is a one-of-a-kind attraction. Nature, History, Geology, Fishery, Railway buffs will all find something of interest at the Hell’s Gate Air Tram site. Here the Fraser Canyon narrows to a narrow 115ft, forcing up to 200 millions gallons of the mighty Fraser River to rush through the channel. Scottish explorer Simon Fraser was one of the first Europeans to happen upon the narrows on his early mapping explorations. The Gold Rush and Railways traversed the Fraser Canyon in the mid-19th century. Rockslides in the early 1900’s led to the building of the International Fishways and in the 1970’s the Air Tram was built to bring workers and tourists across the Canyon.
From upper terminal on the edge of the Cascade Mountains the Hell’s Gate Air Tram descends nearly 1000 ft to the base of the Coast Pacific Mountain Range. The 22 person tram takes 5 minutes to make its journey to the riverside base, where guests will find a gift shop, cafe, fudge factory and more amenities and activities. “Simon’s Wall” is a life-size depiction of Simon Fraser’s journey along the narrows by rope bridge. Gold panning, historic artifacts, exhibits and paranormal spirits await. Fisheries exhibits show the importance of the Fraser fishery, the suspension bridge allows a closer look at the rapids and fishways. Across the bridge, hiking along the river welcomes visitors. Even with all the activities and entertainment, the awe-inspiring natural wonder of the raging river is still the star of Hell’s Gate Air Tram.
Hell’s Gate Air Tram is now open for the 2016 season:
April 29th – June 30th – 10:00am – 4pm
July 1st – September 5th – 10:00am – 6:00pm
September 6th – October 9th 11:00 – 4:00pm
Tickets are available online or at the gate and include roundtrip Air Tram ride, access to museum / education centre, suspension bridge and observation decks.
2016 rates are:
Adults (19yrs+) : $22.00
Seniors (65+) / Students (19+) : $20.00
Youth (6 – 18) : $6.00
Child (0 – 5) : Free
Devil of a Deal (2 adults plus max. 4 youth) : $58.00
Hell’s Gate Air Tram is fully accessible and pet friendly.