Stawamus Chief,
Squamish, British Columbia | Located
adjacent to Shannon Falls Provincial Park, alongside the Sea To Sky Highway 99
in Squamish, Stawamus Chief Provincial Park is extremely popular amongst rock
climbers, and those who cheer them on. The Stawamus Chief is the second largest
granite monolith in the world, providing a fabulous site as you travel the scenic
highway from Vancouver to Whistler. Established in 1997, the 517-hectare park
provides rock climbing opportunities of international significance.Hiking
trails to The Chief’s three summits offer rewarding views of Howe Sound, Squamish
town site and surrounding mountains. This park has opportunities for camping,
hiking, rock climbing and scenic viewing atop the Chief. At
last count there were 180 routes to climb on Stawamus Chief Mountain in Squamish,
all of which begin from the base of one the largest free-standing granite monoliths
in the world. Estimated to be 93 million years old, the Chief is one of the senior
members of the local landscape, parts of which were laid down as lava a scant
12,000 years ago. Advanced and novice climbers alike look for appropriate routes
on 'The Chief,' 'The Squaw,' and 'The Apron,' which together form the main climbing
area.
The best barometer of the Chief's international reputation is to check the wide
range of licence plates on the cars parked in the climbers' lot at the base of
the mountain, and to eavesdrop on the languages being spoken here in the staging
area, where as many as 25,000 climbers gather annually. The climber's parking
lot in Stawamus Chief Provincial Park is located on the east side of Hwy 99 at
its junction with the Stawamus River Forest Road, just north of the Stawamus Chief
roadside viewpoint.
Stawamus Chief,
Squamish, BC | Stawamus
Chief Mountain is a strenuous, 4- to 7-mile (7- to 11-km) return hike, depending
on which of three summit routes you choose. There are several approaches to the
base of this mass of granite. For the first, leave your car in the lot beside
Shannon Falls Provincial Park's Logger's Sports Area. Look for the orange and
red markers affixed to a large cedar tree by the Federation of BC Mountain Clubs
at the north end of the sports area, which point the way.Travel
time to the base of the Chief is 15 minutes on this 0.6-mile (1-km), well-maintained
trail, which features several good viewpoints and close encounters with the cool,
smooth rock face where the trail runs beside it.
An alternative approach allows you to drive to the base of the Chief itself at
the interpretive viewing area on Hwy 99 just north of Shannon Falls. Take the
dirt road that leads up the embankment in the middle of the viewpoint (it's not
as badly eroded as the others). It links up with a section of the old highway
that runs north and south as it hugs the base of the Chief. When you stand next
to the Chief here, you look up and up at a wall of smooth granite. It's awe-inspiring.
You can see why this monolith has become internationally famous among climbers
and has graced more than its share of magazine covers.
Stawamus Chief,
Highway 99 | To
reach the trailhead, turn south onto the old road above the viewpoint, continuing
on to its end. Hiking from here to the Chief's south summit is a 2-mile (3.5-km)
ascent and takes about 90 minutes; add another hour if you choose the longer Centre
and North summit route (3.5 miles/5.5 km one way). Both routes share a common
beginning, then divide above Oleson Creek. (Note: The trail from Shannon Falls
joins this approach at Oleson Creek, a short distance uphill.) Altogether there
is a 1,980-foot (600-m) elevation gain on this hike; you will be climbing almost
constantly until the top. This trail is the most popular with hikers (upwards
of 50,000 a year), but it is only one of several possible routes on the Chief.
Even if you don't plan to hike, be sure to stop at the Stawamus Chief Mountain
viewpoint on Hwy 99 in Squamish, a short distance north of Shannon Falls Provincial
Park. An interpretive display will acquaint you with the mountain and some of
the history of the region. Get out your binoculars and scan for climbers high
up on the sides of the Chief.This
park offers several vehicle accessible campsites on a first-come, first-served
basis - campsite reservations are not accepted. Vehicle sites are not suitable
for large RVs. The remaining sites are walk-in sites. There are 63 sites in total.
Sites are very shaded with mature second-growth coniferous trees. There is parking
for extra vehicles in the day-use parking lot, available for a fee. The gate is
locked between the hours of 11pm and 7 am, and during the winter season. Walk-in
camping is available when the gate is locked. If there are no staff members available
to direct you to a site, find a site that is not occupied by equipment or a valid
camping permit. Campground fees are to be paid in cash at the entrance of the
campground through a self registration envelope system. The park has winter camping
opportunities; however, the gates are locked in the winter, so camping is walk-in
only, and no services are provided. Stawamus
Chief Provincial Park is located just south of Squamish off the Sea to Sky Highway
99, adjacent to Shannon Falls Provincial Park off Highway 99. The forested campground
is located at the south end of a rough road that hugs the base of the mountain.
|
Web
Design by Sage
Internet Solutions.
