Portion of park closed as Volkswagen shell hangs on rock face in Squamish, B.C.

SQUAMISH – British Columbia’s Environment Ministry is urging visitors to stay away from the area where the shell of a red Volkswagen Beetle is suspended on a rock face above Highway 99 in Squamish, as a plan is formed to safely remove it.

A statement from the ministry says BC Parks is working to remove the Beetle and expects to complete the operation within the week, while both the RCMP and park rangers have been asked to investigate what it calls a “serious incident.” 

The shell of the older model Beetle appeared on the rock face last week with a large “E” on its roof, indicating University of British Columbia engineering students were carrying on a long-standing tradition of placing Beetle shells in difficult locations. 

In 2009, a Beetle fell from the Iron Workers Memorial Bridge and Vancouver police arrested five students in a failed attempt to suspend it from the span. 

Squamish Mayor Armand Hurford says the area around the Stawamus Chief is a “sacred place” with deep cultural meaning to the Squamish Nation. 

He says in a statement the area is also popular among hikers and climbers and what “may have felt like an innocent prank” has affected the community.

“This is an area that deserves respect, and that wasn’t the case here,” Hurford says.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 6, 2026.