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Squamish
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The sea views and coastal drama end 11km beyond Britannia Beach at
SQUAMISH
, not a pretty place, whose houses spread out over a flat plain amidst warehouses, logging waste and old machinery. However, if you want to climb, windsurf or mountain bike, there's nowhere better in Canada to do so. At a glance, all the town has by way of fame is the vast granite rock literally overshadowing it, "The Stawamus Chief", which looms into view to the east just beyond Shannon Falls and is claimed to be the world's "second-biggest freestanding granite outcropping" (after Gibraltar, apparently). Over the last few years, the rock has caused the town's stock to rise considerably, for it now rates as one of Canada's top - if not
the
top - spot for
rock climbing
, and the area recently earned provincial-park status. If all you want to do is watch this activity from below, the pull-off beyond the falls is a good spot. Around 200,000 climbers from around the world come here annually, swarming over more than 400 routes over the 625-metre monolith: the University Wall and its culmination, the Dance Platform, is rated Canada's toughest climb. Other simpler but highly rated climbs include Banana Peel, Sugarloaf and Cat Crack, as well as other more varied routes on the adjacent Smoke Bluffs and outcrops in Murrin Provincial Park.
The rock is sacred to the local Squamish, whose ancient tribal name - which means "place where the wind blows" - gives a clue as to the town's second big activity. Windsurfing here is now renowned across North America, thanks to some truly extraordinary winds, most drummed up by the vast rock walls around the town and its inlet - which are then funnelled along the inlet's narrow corridor to Squamish at its head. There are strong, consistent winds here to suit all standards, from beginner to world-class, but the water is cold, so a wet suit's a good idea (there are rental outlets around town). Most people head for the artificial Squamish Spit, a dyke separating the waters of the Howe Sound from the Squamish River, a park area run by the Squamish Windsurfing Society (tel 604/926-WIND or 892-2235). It's around 3km from town (ask at the infocentre for directions) and a small fee is payable to the Society to cover rescue boats, insurance and washroom facilities. Rounding out Squamish's outdoor activities is the tremendous mountain biking terrain - there are no less than 63 trails in the area ranging from gnarly single-track trails to readily accessible deactivated forestry roads - and the growing trend of bouldering , which involves clambering (very slowly and without ropes) over large boulders. The town has one more unexpected treat, for the Squamish River, and the tiny hamlet of Brackendale in particular (10km to the north on Hwy 99), is - literally - the world's bald-eagle capital. In winter around 2000 eagles regularly congregate here, attracted by the chance to pick off the migrating salmon. The best place to see them is the so-called Eagle Run just south of the centre of Brackendale, and on the river in the Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park with a small shelter and volunteer interpreters on weekends during the eagle season. The birds largely winter on the river's west bank, with the viewing area on the east - eagles will stop feeding if approached within about 150m, so the river provides an invaluable buffer zone. For accommodation and rafting trips contact the Sunwolf Outdoor Center (tel 604/898-1537, www.mountain-inter.net/sunwolf ). It is signposted off Hwy 1 - take a left onto the Squamish Valley Road at the Alice Lake junction 2km past Brackendale, continue for 4km and the centre is on the right. They have three-person cabins on the shore of Cheakamus River ($60-80), some have kitchens ($80-100). To see the eagles from a raft costs $70 per person, including light lunch; a raft trip plus cabin accommodation costs $139 per person, $198 per couple. The centre will also provide transportation to and from Vancouver or Whistler for $138 per person including a raft trip and light lunch. For more information and details on guided walks in the area, contact the Brackendale Art Gallery on Government Road (Jan daily noon-5pm; rest of year Sat & Sun noon-10pm or by appointment on weekdays; tel 604/898-3333), which also exhibits paintings and sculptures by local artists and has a pleasant restaurant.
If Squamish's outdoor activities leave you cold, you might want to look in on the new
West Coast Railway Heritage Park
, Centennial Way (daily 10am-5pm; $6; tel 1-800/722-1233
, www.wcra.org
), signed off Hwy 99 about 3km north of town. The twelve-acre park contains 58 fine old railway carriages and locomotives in a pretty, natural setting. Other useful information
for tourists (each section contains more specific sub-sections): |
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Canada,
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