> WHAT ’S IN A NAME?
Although there have been attempts to translate “Squamish” as a First Nations expression meaning “mother of the wind,” there is no linguistic root for the name. The original European explorers rarely recorded the names of the native people they encountered; according to noted Northwest Coast anthropologist and linguist Dr. Wayne Suttles, none can be identified with names used later. The name appeared in a 1907 study as “Squawmish,” referring to the aboriginals who still inhabit two dozen settlements along the Squamish River.
> SQUAMISH SPIT
Access: Windsurfer signs indicate the Squamish Spit turnoff, west from Highway 99 at the traffic lights onto Industrial Way, then guide travelers past the West Coast Railway Heritage Park to the unpaved dike access road.
The Squamish Spit is a 4-km (2.5-mi) finger of dike at the mouth of the Squamish River where it flows into Howe Sound. This narrow piece of land helps keep the harbor free of silt so that large freighters can tie up nearby. But as windsurfers have long known, there’s also no finer place to catch an ocean breeze. As predictable as the sunrise, each day around noon a strong wind carries across Howe Sound. And woe betide those caught out on the turquoise-toned waters unprepared to ride this zephyr. It blows with such force that the unwary can’t right themselves once dunked. Fortunately, there is an emergency rescue service available courtesy of the Squamish Windsports Society (www.squamishwindsurfing.org). Launch fees at the spit are currently $20 per day or $75 for a season’s pass.
At the very tip of the spit is the launch area. You can drive to a drop-off point beside it, unload your board, then park if you’re here for sport. If you just want to watch, come out by bicycle to avoid the inevitable congestion, though be warned: the surface of the dike is loose gravel, not the best material on which to ride.
Kiteboarders are the new kids on the spit, and these high flyers are turning heads and rapidly attracting converts from the ranks of windsurfers, wakeboarders, snowboarders, and even motocross riders. They’ve also created controversy. That’s because laying out the lines of one kiteboard prior to launch takes up the same amount of room that six windsurfers need, and space is already at a premium on the spit, which boasts more high-performance sailing days than almost anywhere else in North America.
Out on the spit, due west of the Stawamus Chief, kiteboarders take wind sports to new heights—literally. These latter-day Icaruses enjoy what are arguably the biggest and best views in the entire Sea to Sky corridor: Shannon Falls, the Stawamus Chief, Sky Pilot Mountain, Goat Ridge, Mamquam Mountain, Atwell Peak, and Mount Garibaldi—all revealed in one 360 -degree panorama. Far below, the dike in summer is lined with pink Douglas spirea, or hardhack, which at a glance can be mistaken for fireweed.
There are often a hundred or more vehicles parked on the shoulders of the spit on summer afternoons. But don’t let that stop you from checking out the action. Find a spot on the bank to watch where you’re not in the way, then marvel at these aerialists as they ride the wind high above the waves.
> SQUAMISH ADVENTURE CENTRE
Access: Turn east off Highway 99 just north of the Cleveland Avenue intersection (38551 Loggers Lane; 604-815-5084; www.adventurecentre.com)
Squamish styles itself as the outdoor-recreation capital of Canada, and that’s what its boldly designed, almost 3,000 square-meter (9,500 square-foot) Adventure Centre silently proclaims to passersby on Highway 99 at the entrance to the city’s downtown core. Designed to emulate a bald eagle spreading its wings, the soaring glass structure is composed of 210 panels of half-inch tempered glass, one of the few building materials not sourced locally. The building’s main columns were milled from Douglas fir, which, along with the crushed basalt granite pad, came from the Squamish Valley.
The center promotes the joys of kayaking, river rafting, mountain biking, eagle viewing, windsurfing, kiteboarding, skateboarding, camping, and above all else, rock climbing, a sport that first put Squamish on the adventure map in the 1960s. Guided outdoor-adventure trips can be booked here while you enjoy a snack at the center’s Pause-Cafe or shop for guidebooks, maps, and souvenirs. As well, a series of carved wooden panels details the history of Squamish, particularly the events of the twentieth century.
> THE INSIDE TRACK
> Camping: Valhalla Pure Outfitters for equipment rentals (1-877-892-9092; www.squamishgear.com)
> Cycling: Corsa Cycles (604-892-3331; www.corsacycles.com) for parts and service; Tantalus Bike Shop (604-898-2588; www.tantalusbikeshop.com)
> Fishing: River’s Edge Sportfishing Outfitters for licenses, gear, guided tours, and tips on where the fish are biting (604-898-5656)
> Rock Climbing: Climb On Equipment (604-892-2243; www.onsightequipment.com), Squamish Rock Guides (604-892-7816; www.squamishrockguides.com); Vertical Reality (604-892-8248)
> Skateboarding and Snowboarding: Sequence Board Supply (604-892-6314)
> Tourist Information: 604-815-4991 or 1-866 -333-2010; www.tourismsquamish.com
> Whitewater Rafting: Sunwolf Outdoor Centre (1-877-806 -8046; www.sunwolf.net); Canadian Outback Adventures (1-800 -565-8735; www.canadianoutback.com)
Garibaldi Provincial Park
> LOCATION : 76 km (47 mi) north of Vancouver, 16 km (10 mi) east of Squamish, 41 km (25 mi) south of Whistler, 78 km (48 mi) south of Pemberton
> ACTIVITIES : Camping, cross-country skiing, hiking, mountain biking, nature observation, picnicking, snowshoeing
> HIGHLIGHTS : Fall colors, lava fields, panoramic views
> ACCESS : Take the exit marked “Diamond Head (Garibaldi Park)” east from Highway 99 on Mamquam Road, which runs 16 km (10 mi) east to the parking lot at the trailhead. This access road is one of the pleasures of visiting Diamond Head; it lets you do much of the initial climbing by car. The first 4 km (2.5 mi) is paved, passing through the southern outskirts of Garibaldi Estates. The remainder is along the good gravel-surfaced Mamquam Road, which climbs gradually above the Mamquam River valley. The mountainside rises steeply, with dense stands of second-growth forest concealing the view on both sides. Once you’ve left Highway 99, you won’t catch sight of the peaks again until you’re walking the Diamond Head Trail.
At the 12-km (7.5-mi) mark, the road divides. A large sign points left towards the park boundary. A notice next to it reminds visitors that pets are not permitted in Garibaldi Provincial Park, of which this part is the Black Tusk Nature Conservancy Area. The final 4 km (2.5 mi) of road covers a series of switchbacks. Only at the last one does the view of the Squamish Valley open up. This is a good place to stop and look south to Howe Sound and the Stawamus Chief. Across the valley to the west is Cloudburst Mountain, and south of that is the broad body of glaciers around Mount Tantalus.