Parts of Whistler Blackcomb will remain closed on Monday after multiple cougar sightings over the weekend. Officials say public safety is the top priority as they continue monitoring the area.
The latest encounters were reported Sunday morning near the Blackcomb side of the Whistler Mountain Bike Park. The Ascent Trail, Blackcomb bike trails, and the Creekside and Garbanzo Zones will stay closed while conservation officers investigate.
A young family recalled a close encounter on a trail just before noon. They said a woman on the trail was trapped between two cougars—one above and one below her—before she managed to scare them away by banging her hiking poles together.
Eleven-year-old Carter explained that his father carried pepper spray. “My dad had pepper spray on him,” Carter said. “And he’s like, ‘yeah it’s a cougar’ and he just kept screaming, ‘it’s a cougar, it’s a cougar.’”
The family safely took the Gondola down the mountain after the incident. No one was injured, but the encounters highlighted the risk of cougars in areas frequented by hikers and bikers.
Sgt. Chris Boyle of the BC Conservation Officer Service said officers have not yet located the cougars. “We’re still up on the mountain investigating those incidents, and we have a number of conservation officers in the area,” he said.
Boyle added that in one case, a cougar chased a biker for about 300 meters. “In both instances no one was injured; however, the cougars did get quite close to the bikers,” he said.
Officials said the animals will not be relocated because they are in a wild habitat. They hope the cougars will move on naturally. These incidents appear to be connected to previous sightings in the region.
“We had some encounters at Rubble Creek a couple of weeks ago in Garibaldi Park, then again on Whistler Mountain a few days ago, and now on Blackcomb Mountain,” Boyle explained. “It’s a series of events similar in nature, which is quite unusual.”
Authorities warn that if the cougars continue to threaten people, they may be euthanized to protect public safety. In the meantime, large areas of Whistler Blackcomb remain off-limits while officials monitor wildlife activity closely.
Visitors are advised to stay on marked trails, remain alert, and follow safety guidelines to avoid potential encounters with wildlife. Conservation officers continue to patrol the region and encourage anyone who spots a cougar to report it immediately.
