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What is it about Squamish, British Columbia? We visited mid November 2020 during the COVID-19 pandemic so not likely the best time for a first impression. I don’t personally understand what it is about Squamish but apparently, many are addicted to that place.
Why People Love Squamish
We went to Squamish, British Columbia, Canada to visit our daughter who is one of those people who love Squamish. Her education is as an outdoor educator/guide for climbing and kayaking. I guess this reflects a pension for the outdoor life and that is definitely part of why people love Squamish. So what is there to do?
- Birding
- Hiking
- Kayaking/Canoeing
- Climbing
Birding
Keeping in mind it was November when we were there, birding in Squamish looks like it could be great. I definitely heard Chickadees in the forest and saw eagles and herons on the river. Eagles are obviously common in Squamish as evidenced by a section in Brackendale called Eagle Run.
Near one end of Eagle Run, there was a place called The Nest Restaurant. Definitely a come as you are kind of place. Our daughter had suggested the stop because they make those deep fried mini donuts. Apparently mini donuts and ice cream is a thing. Who knew?! I guess that’s one more thing people love about Squamish.
Hiking
Did you know British Columbia has rainforest? Until this trip I had no idea. My daughter says it’s a “temperate” rainforest. I asked because of all the mossy type growth hanging from trees and rocks.
The photo at right is a path that is about 10 minutes from my daughter’s house. You could spend hours in there for sure. It isn’t immediately obvious that you are in the Rocky Mountains but some of the paths can be a little steeper than others. There seems to be a good system of markers indicating the trail difficulty. We saw a number of bikers (No, not motorcycles!) on the trails. I’m betting they spend more on those bikes than I have spent on some of my cars over the years.
Canoeing, Kayaking and Climbing
I’ll have to take my daughter’s word on this one. I know she has done climbing in the area for sure. The rest is just observation of the terrain on my part. With a number of rivers with some rapids, I can imagine the spring and maybe summer would be great for that. I would think the spring melt would increase the number of rapids and I believe that would attract kayakers.
Some day, we will have to go back for a summer visit so we can see the other side of life in Squamish.
What Is It About Squamish?
Squamish is about the outdoors. There is quaint little downtown with limited shopping. If you’re looking for that kind of thing you need to drive to Vancouver or Whistler. Squamish is big enough for a Tim Horton’s though! There was a great coffee shop downtown with a small selection of baked goods that were really good. They had a specialty apple fritter that warmed up was delicious.
If you are a dedicated outdoors person, Squamish is worth the trip. For us, Squamish was about our daughter. The rest was a bonus.
Make it a great day,
Barry
P.S. What am I thankful for? I’m thankful for Westjet, masks and my daughter. What are you thankful for?
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