About Squamish
Welcome to Squamish! Located half way between Vancouver and Whistler in Sea to Sky country, Squamish is known worldwide as the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada. An abundance of geographical riches—snow-capped mountains, a granite monolith, temperate rainforests, an ocean sound, freshwater lakes, and white-water rivers make the valley a mecca for recreational activities. With its mild climate, outdoor enthusiasts are able to enjoy nature all year round.
Before you take off on one of the many possible adventures—including rockclimbing, skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, eagle watching, golfing, sailing, windsurfing, white-water rafting, fishing, and horseback riding— it’s worth learning how the area was formed, so you can stop and appreciate your surroundings and the massive geological forces that created them. Squamish’s unusual geologic character is the result of the interplay between violent volcanic activity and an ice age.
As the oceanic crust of the Pacific Ocean slid underneath the tectonic plate of North America, hot magma welled up from the subduction zone, creating volcanoes. One of these volcanoes is Mount Garibaldi, which grew in an unusual manner when it exploded onto a huge glacier system that developed during the last ice age. When the ice receded approximately 10,000 years ago, the flanks of the mountain collapsed, leaving a debris feature called the Cheekeye Fan. Squamish’s most famous geological feature, the Stawamus Chief—the second largest granite monolith in the world—is a magma chamber from an ancient volcano that was exposed as ice eroded the softer rock. A climb up “The Chief” is a must-do activity for those who seek a strenuous hike and the reward of spectacular views of the sea, sky and mountains.
One of the unusual climatological features of Squamish is the steady wind that blows on sunny days from May through September, creating ideal conditions for windsurfing and kite boarding where the Squamish River meets Howe Sound. Indeed, the name Squamish translates from the Coast Salish language Sḵwx̱wú7mesh sníchim as “Birthplace of the Winds” or “Mother of Wind”. The First Nations in Squamish have lived in the valley for thousands of years, and are descendants from the indigenous people who travelled across the ice-covered Bering Strait, south along the Alaskan Panhandle to Howe Sound, possibly five millennia ago.
In 1792 Captain George Vancouver and crew sailed into Howe Sound in the ship “Discovery”, and made a warm connection with the indigenous people. In the next century the gold rush brought in traders and prospectors, and in 1888, Alec Robertson and his wife became the first non-native settlers. Farming became Squamish’s first industry, but was replaced by forestry. When a railway was built from Vancouver to Squamish in 1956, and the Sea to Sky highway a few years later, newcomers seeking outdoor adventures travelled to Squamish to delight in its natural beauty, and the valley began its journey towards adventure tourism, for which it’s best known for today. While you’re in Squamish we hope you’ll take the time to learn more about this incredible place, as well as get your body moving, and your adrenaline pumping!
-
604.815.5080
-
38551 Loggers Ln #104, Squamish
-