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Discover ‘Play All Day’ in Squamish
BY EDITOR JENNIFER THUNCHER
The “adventure lifestyle” is an overused phrase to describe why people move to Squamish. Said another way, recreating outdoors is the baseline state for many of us here.
We are mostly outside pushing our limits, other than if we have to be inside for work.
Early on when I moved here for this job, I was at my desk bright and early when a coworker arrived. She was talking about how she had just seen something or other on her mountain bike ride. “What? Like, this morning?” I thought to myself.
I came from a bigger city where outdoor things were done on weekends, like normal people. Yes, it turns out it is a totally normal thing for locals to go for a hike, a run, a climb, a highline, a kiteboard rip, throughout the workweek—before work, at lunch, after work.
It is also normal for a city planner to have written a backcountry ski atlas (his name is Matt Gunn) or for the mayor (Armand Hurford) to have been a mountain bike store owner and rider for years. Everyone has their outdoor thing.
About 12 years from when I got here, I am now one of the people I saw as weird when I moved here. I now hike, ride my bike, and walk my two labs all during my regular workday.
Our lives are outside and we fit our work in around the breaks in the action.
The spectacular Sea to Sky landscape draws us and keeps us here. If you have picked up this magazine, we guess you’re the same, or want to be.
This edition of Discover Squamish has a theme of—you likely guessed it—play all day. We have stories about why Squamish is one of the best trail-running towns in B.C., how the ocean and the water shape summer life here, how our world-class mountain biking culture and trails were built for play, and so much more.
After you read through these pages—or in between stories— we hope you find some time in your day to get outside and play. Welcome. We are glad you are here.
Photo
Single Tracks
Local secrets to explore
A boardwalk through the forest
Want to spend the day playing under the coolness of a canopy of trees? Like to get out in nature, but not if it means getting dirty and tripping on tree roots?
Then this attraction is for you. The Squamish Canyon is a reprieve for the whole family—from toddlers to grandparents and everyone in between.
The 1.5-kilometre-long elevated boardwalk, made of B.C. yellow cedar, opened in the summer of 2025, so it is one of our newest attractions.
The Canyon’s founder, Robin Sherry, got the idea for the accessible walk through the forest more than a decade ago and worked to ensure it was built as sustainably as possible.
For example, Sherry says it was all built without removing a single mature tree.
We don’t want to give too much away, but the boardwalk takes visitors stunningly close to the powerful Mamquam Falls, and there are interpretive signs along the way to make the visit both fun and educational. There is a stop for a drink or something to eat, and an amazing and large playground for kids.
It is located off the dirt Mamquam Forest Service Road and Powerhouse Springs Road.
It is a bit of a drive to get there, but that is an adventure in itself.
If you are looking for something to do with the whole family, for a date or by yourself to get away from it all, consider checking out the Canyon. Tickets are about $120 for a family of four, about $40 for individuals, with a discount for seniors and about $20 for kids five-years-old and up.
by
Find out more or buy tickets at www.squamishcanyon.com.
Photo
Andrew Hughes
Squamish Canyon.
Photo by EvangelosG, iStock / Getty Images Plus
Take a trip from the sea into the sky
A trip to Squamish just isn’t complete without a ride up the Sea to Sky Gondola. (Even locals don’t like to go too long between visits to the top!)
The stunning views on the way up are just the beginning of the experience. In addition to walking, hiking, and the picture-perfect suspension bridge, the gondola has become a “place to be” for live music. The Summit Lodge offers tasty meals at the Sky Pilot Smokehouse, and the gift shops are better than your usual tourist fare.
While it isn’t the cheapest activity in town— day tickets for a family of four are roughly $170 and around $75 for adults—it will surely be one of your most memorable. From June 15 to Sept. 13, the Sea to Sky Gondola is open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., with the last ride down at 9 p.m. Find out what is happening today at seatoskygondola.com.
Sea to Sky Gondola.
Photo by CHAO-FENG LIN, iStock / Getty Images
We all play lumberjacks for a weekend
Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival is undoubtedly the highlight of the summer for many in town. The event runs July 30 to Aug. 2. For locals, it is a chance to see and be seen by your neighbours, and pay homage to the forest industry that built us. It is also likely the longest-running event in town, as it began in 1957 as a single-day logging competition.
The now four-day event begins Thursday night with the Kettle Boil Challenge and the Lumberjack Chili Cook-off. These events are what they sound like: contests to see who can get their fire going and boil water the fastest, and cook the best chili. Then on Friday, it is the Bed Races—a timehonoured, uniquely Squamish tradition where teams of five race hospital beds on wheels down an obstacle course on Cleveland Avenue. It is wild and not to be missed.
Saturday starts with a Kids’ Festival, which includes face painting, mini golf, a kid-safe version of axe throwing, music, and bubbles, among other fun activities. Next up is the Novice & Intermediate Loggers Sports Show. This event pits athletes against each other as they compete in activities related to the forest industry, like axe throwing, the spectacular pole climb that sees participants climb a 18-metre (60-foot) spar pole, and birling, where competitors run on a floating log, and much, much more.
At the show, there’s also the locally famous Rotary beef
bun. A 50-plus year tradition, this sandwich filled with slices of smoked outside round roasts is available both weekend days, but always sells out on Sunday, so Saturday is your best chance to taste it. Saturday ends with the Axe Throw Invitational, which sees 32 of the top axe throwers compete with prize money on the line.
Getting tired yet? Well, buckle up; Sunday is about to get hectic. The day starts with the pancake breakfast downtown. This is where long-time locals head to see each other and catch up on the town gossip. Tourists are always welcome too, of course. Bring the whole family!
After filling up on flapjacks, it is the Squamish Days Parade, which rolls through downtown at 11 a.m. Next up is the biggest event of the weekend, the World Class Open Loggers Sports Show. This sees athletes from around the world compete in high-action loggers sports. One of the many highlights of the day is the World Championship Open Climb, where participants speed up an 80-foot pole, tap the bell, and descend faster than you can blink.
What is more, there is also Timber Training in the lead-up to the festival. This is an introductory course for adults. You can learn the skills needed for the axe throw, the single and double buck (which requires the crosscut saw technique), and how to compete in the choker race, which requires athletes to carry a cable across an obstacle course.
What is most amazing is the festival is entirely volunteerrun—with some 450 volunteers taking part. Service clubs, such as the Elks, Rotary, Legion, Howe Sound Curling Club, Marine Search & Rescue, and the Squamish Valley Equestrian Association always step up to do some of the heavy volunteer lifting. Whether a long-time local or first-time visitor, the 2026 festival is worth checking out.
Find out more and get tickets at squamishdays.ca.
Participants in the beloved Bed Races.
Photo by Indigo Lemay-Conway
Dig the fun
The Britannia Mine Museum in Britannia Beach along Highway 99 is always fun for the whole family. Definitely give yourself a whole day to play at this attraction, especially if you have never been before. This summer, the museum is launching a brand-new attraction called the Caterpillar Model 793C Haul Truck, which was donated to the museum by Finning Canada.
The ginormous CAT truck stands approximately six metres tall and 13 metres wide (21 feet tall and 42 feet wide). That is about as tall as a two-storey building. It weighs roughly 159 tonnes (350,000 lbs). It towers over the existing “baby” haul truck at the museum.
Museum representatives say what’s cool with this new
attraction is that visitors will be able to climb up to the top of the truck and sit inside the cab to get a bird’s-eye view of the sprawling museum site and breathtaking views of Howe Sound.
Also as part of their summer offerings, the museum is featuring a new summer exhibit called Giants at Work: Big Jobs, Bigger Machines.
“The temporary exhibit highlights how the mining industry has and continues to innovate and evolve to meet the needs of modern society, not only through advances in technology, but also through the people behind the work,” a spokesperson for the museum told Discover. “From early hand tools to today’s automated giant machines and data-driven systems, it showcases the innovations that have transformed how resources are discovered, extracted, and managed.”
Go to www.BritanniaMineMuseum.ca.
Britannia Mine Musuem.
Photo by Narcissus Studio, iStock/ Getty Images Plus
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Trail running the Sea to Sky
Squamish has a labyrinth of well-maintained trails for all levels of users, which zigzag through our forests and mountains.
Photo courtesy of Capra Running / Arletta Fussell
WILL JOHNSON
Trail running in Squamish is all about the experience. If you compare it with running on city streets, the contrast is stark. Instead of the monotony of pavement and blinking traffic lights, you’re manoeuvring around exposed roots and slimy boulders, letting your body match the energy of the Pacific Northwest rainforest.
“It’s not about pace. It’s not about how fast you’re going. It’s not about anything other than being alone in the woods and being able to tap into both nature, but also it’s kind of meditative in how you have to pay attention to where your feet are going,” Solana Green told Discover Squamish.
As co-owner of Capra Running, Green isn’t just responsible for outfitting the trail runners of Squamish—she also oversees various running groups and special events that bring the community together. These include iconic routes such as Alice Lake, Ray Peters Trail, Smoke Bluffs, the Squamish 50 race and Loop the Lakes.
Together they explore the labyrinthine and well-maintained system that zigzags all over the Sea to Sky’s epic wilderness. Her store hosts four running groups that meet weekly.
It’s important that you pay attention.
“You can compare it to being like a football player and being up on your toes in warm-up, and that makes it really fun. You can dance down the trail. You can jump from one obstacle to the other and you’re not in that repetitive motion like road running,” Green said.
One of her favourite things about Squamish trails is they have unique names, usually from the builders. The most popular trails for runners include the Four Lakes area, the new adaptive trail, Pamplemousse, Credit Line and Man Boobs. The more challenging ones include In-N-Out Burger, Larvicide, and Entrails—which have more roots and rocks to contend with.
“Your body is being asked to do so much more in a more enjoyable way so you’re working all these other little muscles as well as working your brain and it’s like you’re a little kid playing in the woods.”
MAMQUAM SPAWNING TRAIL PARKRUN
You don’t have to do it solo.
Though trail running can be a personal pursuit, many in the Sea to Sky use it as an opportunity to come together— including the organizers behind the Squamish Mamquam Spawning Trail parkrun. According to co-founder Ben Sales, the weekly event has been a huge hit with the local populace.
“It was actually quite a long time in the making to bring it to Squamish. It’s a pretty huge thing in countries like the U.K. and Australia and South Africa, so we approached bringing it here about a year and a half ago and the main challenge really was finding a venue,” he told Discover
“We needed something that meets the kind of risk assessment that the program needs so it couldn’t cross over active roads or car parks.”
They ultimately settled on a five-kilometre course, the Mamquam Spawning Trail.
“It’s always the same and you can walk, bring your dog or your buggy or your kids. Sometimes the fastest people will be
having a chat and it becomes a very social thing to do as a community.”
The course varies from gravel paths to raw trails, often with marshals at key sections of the course and with signage in place. The scenery is reliably picturesque as the trail follows along a golf course and then opens up to the forest. They average about 40 participants a week.
“We’re also trying to push for more walkers and for senior members of the community to join as well. We have quite a few, Squamish being an active town, fast people but we’re trying to build on the slower contingent.”
doing a race and then we have people walking along the bank
Running can be a family affair in Squamish.
Photo courtesy of Capra Running / Arletta Fussell
Putting the sea in Sea to Sky
Squamish has it all when it comes to water sports — the ocean, rivers and lakes
WILL JOHNSON
Land dwellers don’t know what they’re missing.
If you’re not willing to get wet in Squamish, then you’re missing out on the unique experiences that come with engaging with its dynamic aquatic landscape—whether that means going for an early morning ocean dip in Howe Sound, admiring your surroundings from a paddle board on Brohm Lake, or furiously pounding the waves with your kayak.
“We’re in such a unique place in Squamish. We’re located at the south end of a fjord that was formed so long ago by the different forces of fire and ice and geology so obviously the stunning landscape is the most obvious attraction that would bring somebody here to try the water sports,” said Nikki Johnston of Tourism Squamish.
“I always say about being on the water when you’re in any destination, it’s a completely different experience to be on the water than it is on the land and how you connect with the ocean and the waterways can completely transform your
Wing practice at Feather Park.
Photo courtesy of InFlow Adventure Co
PhotobyPaula Owen
LEARN MORE
experience versus staying on land.”
Squamish is well known for its wind, which allows kite surfers and windsurfers to enjoy coasting above the waves. A relatively new hobby is wing foiling, a rapidly growing easyto-learn sport combining a handheld inflatable wing with a hydrofoil board for lifting above the water.
“We have a small roster of original businesses that have been in Squamish for a long time and a few new upand-coming businesses that are bringing more people out on the water really safely so I see that as a real asset to Squamish as a water sports destination,” Johnston said.
One of the new attractions is a floating sauna, InFlow Adventure Co.
“You can either be self-propelled to get out there or you can hire one of their boats and usually you have to be
a group to go out there and so they fire up the sauna and you can dip in the ocean, rinse and repeat,” she said.
She added that they’ve also partnered with other businesses for a partnership experience where clients go out for a sauna and then have lunch, for example, at the House of Lager.
It’s an exciting time for the Squamish oceanfront.
“We now have the addition of Sp’akw’us Feather Park and now our ocean access and local experiences of the waterfront has completely transformed because we have space for wing foils to launch from the beach, and it’s so easy to enjoy the water throughout the year whether it’s summer or winter, and you can even do some storm watching when the wind picks up.”
Floating sauna.
Photo courtesy of InFlow Adventure Co
There is so much water to explore in Squamish. Photo by EmilyNorton / iStock / Getty Images Plus
HERE BE DRAGONS
There’s one water sport that’s older than the others.
Dragonboating is a 2,000-year-old Chinese tradition with a crew of paddlers being driven forward by the steady beat of a drum. And as it happens, the waterways surrounding Squamish are the perfect environment for this challenging and social sport.
“I’ve been dragonboating for 17 years and I’m a director on the board. What drew me to it in the beginning was I didn’t think I would be able to do it. Then Expo 86 came and I thought ‘wow, that’s amazing’,” said Cathie Greenlees, who is also sales manager for Discover.
“Our first coach brought a dragonboat up to Squamish and you could just come out and paddle with some friends. It’s a sport you either love or you don’t. I love the exercise and I love the intensity.”
And there’s a big appeal in being part of a team.
“You’re around like-minded people, and it’s a sport for everyone. You could be a high level athlete going for world competitions or you could just go out and do your best without trying to attain the high level. There’s a place for everybody and for me it’s a challenge to do better, the stroking and the power you put into the stroke, and the synchronicity you have to have with 20 people paddling at once.”
The views are epic.
“Though the views have changed over the last few years, with all the construction going on, it is absolutely amazing
Wing foil has become an increasingly popular local sport.
Photo courtesy of InFow Adventure Co
Dragon boaters out on the water. Photo courtesy of Squamish Dragon Boat Association
and awe-inspiring out there, paddling out to Howe Sound and sometimes over to Shannon Falls. You look down the Sound in all types of weather and you turn around and see Mount Garibaldi, and it’s just wonderful.”
You can sail away on Howe Sound.
Photo courtesy of Squamish Watersports
Building a trail network to ride on
These days, locals take it for granted.
The extensive mountain bike trail network that surrounds Squamish has required decades of volunteer work to establish, as part of a wider campaign to build social infrastructure and win new converts to the sport—now it’s attracted the attention of a global audience, who either vacation or move to the Sea to Sky in order to access what locals experience every day.
Discover Squamish
What they discovered was way beyond their expectations.
“When we built the network, we never anticipated it becoming a major tourism driver. We’ve built the network on volunteer shoulders for the resident population and it just happens that it’s happening alongside the growth of mountain biking around the world.”
WILL JOHNSON
According to a survey completed by the Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association (SORCA), 79% of respondents said the mountain bike trails were important to their decision to move to Squamish. They also found mountain biking leads to $26 million a year in direct visitor spending.
“What we saw in Squamish, especially during the pandemic, was this startling increase in mountain bike traffic in the network, so we wanted to identify if that was just anecdotal or whether it was actually happening,” executive director Ian Lowe told
They’re hugely proud of what they’ve accomplished.
“We now have this really special mix of trails that are hard to find anywhere else in the world and so it’s almost like we’ve designed a village for visitors.”
According to Dialed In Cycling, a local shop for bike enthusiasts, the culture has been progressing exponentially since they opened.
“Dialed In Cycling was created in 2014 with the sole goal of getting more people involved in the sport of cycling, specifically off-road cycling, and to decrease the barriers to entry into that sport. Now fast forward to 2026 and
Biking is a huge draw to Squamish, and an economic driver.
Photo courtesy of Dialed In Cycling
we are a full bike shop with coaching, guiding and rental components,” said Dan Libman.
“We’re also giving guided rides and showing people what Squamish has to offer.”
One of the courses they offer is called the Women’s Blue Fundamentals 4-pack course.
“It helps riders get to that next level in a safe environment week after week
for four weeks, and gives the ability for folks to practice some of the stuff they’ve learned in their session throughout the week and then ask questions to get feedback.”
It has proven to be super popular.
“The environment is key for people to be successful and definitely to have that sense of belonging within groups. We see people riding together after the course is finished so that’s really amazing to see.”
They also deal with kids, and families.
“We’ve been giving space for parents who are heading out for a ride so we have been doing dad’s rides and mom’s rides. It’s about creating space and they happen on different days to make sure the kids are being looked after.”
The culture is multi-faceted and hard to describe.
“It’s not one thing. It’s hard to put into a few sentences because it can be so different for so many people. I know the mentality that we have here at Dialed In Cycling is to create a safe space for all kinds of different groups.”
Lowe believes the variety of trails is key to the area’s appeal.
“You can go to places in the world that have incredible machine-built flow trails but they may not also have the variety of these long top to bottom janky black and old school style trails. Then you have the slab trails that are unique to Squamish,” he said.
“Then you layer in the fact that we have ocean and mountains all in one little package so from a visitor perspective you have a little bit of everything.”
The stoke is high on sunny days for local mountain bikers.
Squamish is home to three Tasting Trails, each one a delicious way to explore our local food and beverage scene. Start your day with the Coffee Crawl, satisfy your sweet tooth on the Treat Trail, or raise a glass along the Craft Tasting Trail. There’s something for every mood and moment.
Each trail invites you to discover the fl avours that define our community, from small-batch roasters and handcrafted sweets to local breweries, distilleries, and more.
Pick up your free passport at the Visitor Centre in the Squamish Adventure Centre and start collecting stamps as you go. Once completed, return your passport to claim a coveted prize.
Explore the passports online and start planning your route. Your next favourite spot is just a stamp away.
The Squamish Adventure Centre is your one-stop destination to make the most of your time in our incredible mountain town.
Whether you’re looking for trail recommendations, places to eat, or local insight, our Visitor Centre team is here to help. You can also connect with us through the live chat at exploresquamish.com.
While you’re here, don’t forget to browse The Squamish Store, stocked with locally inspired goods and souvenirs to take a little piece of Squamish home with you.
Start your Squamish adventure at the Adventure Centre. Your first stop for expert travel tips and handpicked treasures.
The slacklining community is growing fast in the Sea to Sky
Highliners during a Stawamus Chief summer highline gathering.
Photo by Liz McDonald
WILL JOHNSON
One foot after another.
For those unfamiliar with slacklining, it seems deceptively simple—just keep your balance on an unsteady strap, usually fastened between two trees, and don’t let anyone break your concentration. But as you’ll learn as you become more familiar with the sport, there are endless variations to the pursuit that can take you to radically different locales, some of them at staggering heights.
For local enthusiast Liz McDonald, it started as a search for an outlet during the pandemic.
“So I was on Instagram one day scrolling and I came across a picture of somebody slacklining and I knew the person and thought to myself ‘Oh, that looks like a fun way to practise balance-based activities,’” she told Discover
“I mentioned offhand that I’d be interested in a slackline to my boyfriend at the time and he ended up actually ordering me one and I went out every single day.”
She started looking up tutorials on YouTube, where successful slackliners give you advice on how to practice, and then eventually she connected with a group that would meet up and practice in parks. She ultimately chose her post-secondary program based on the fact that there was a slacklining club.
She moved to Squamish because there was a thriving community of slackliners, highliners and waterliners.
“It’s really beautiful. I have never known a community to be as
welcoming and open as the highlining and slacklining community,” she said.
“I think it comes with the fact we’re doing a niche sport that really requires other people to practice. So if you’re setting up a highline you can do it by yourself, but it’s a challenge and you require people to mentor you in your development.”
It can be scary at times.
“When you first start out standing on a wobbly piece of webbing in the middle of the air and nothing beneath you, it requires a lot of trust.”
THE MAYOR OF SLACKTOWN
It’s not about who can go the farthest—it’s how many people you can encourage to step up and try. That’s the philosophy of Evan Willson, who has been affectionately dubbed The Mayor of Slacktown.
“I caught the bug five years ago in April. I was moving to Squamish, and I went on a slackline a few days before that, and then on my third day in Squamish. I met Spencer Seabrooke who is a local legend and has a company called SlacklifeBC and he really inspired me,” he told Discove r.
He started trying out the different variations.
“There’s just the simple slackline in the park that’s set up less than a metre above the ground. Then there’s waterlining which could be set up over a lake or a river or a pool and that can be more challenging because the water is moving and that’s confusing,” he said.
“Then there’s highlining which is
where you’re tethered to a climbing harness. Then there’s tricklining which is like a two-inch piece of webbing that’s really tight and you can be launched like a metre off it.”
He said the best way to get started in Squamish is to either buy a slackline from SlacklifeBC or go around to some of the permanent installations at places such as the Stawamus Chief and Junction Park.
“If you go in the summer to Junction Park you can usually find 10 to 20 slackliners and they’re all setting up different lines and helping kids and newcomers.”
Converting other people is a huge pleasure for him.
“What brings me the most joy is bringing new people onto the lines and seeing them have joy and push their boundaries and getting comfortable getting to know how to set things up safely and how to be safe in the environment,” he said.
Recently they started a new organization called the BC Slackline and Highline Association (BCSHA), which advocates for the community and helps steward the lands they need to cross.
“We have a really awesome place in Squamish and Vancouver but then there’s also a community on Vancouver Island and a community in the Okanagan. We’re all friends which is really nice that we have a small enough community that we still get to know each other and we’re working on building a line of communication with parks and other landowners while we try to become something bigger for people to get involved in.”
Refuel: Where Squamish eats after play
Recreation feeds locals and our local food and drink establishments in town have evolved to expertly fuel and quench athletes and want-to-be athletes for their adventures. Seven different Squamish eateries told Discover Squamish how much they reckon they’re influenced by the outdoor recreation community.
COFFEE STOPS
RideHub
“So many people say this is the ‘best coffee in Squamish.’ Sometimes you just gotta own that,” RideHub’s owner Ollie
INA PACE
A treat and a coffee at Fox & Oak is a popular way to fuel up or refuel.
Photo by Ina Pace
Ride Hub mixes two things Squamish loves—bikes and coffee.
Photo by Ina Pace
Hooper admitted, regarding the corresponding sign outside, and the fact Squamish’s own mountain biker Rémy Métailler “comes in quite a lot.”
At the “unique” eatery, a combined bike shop and cafe (40330 Tantalus Rd), folks can buy or rent bikes, and receive biking guides.
“The biking brings so many people here … to meet their friends, not at the trailhead. They want [to] grab something healthy,” Hooper said regarding RideHub’s organic cookies and smoothies.
With this in mind, non-coffee options and non-alcoholic beer are some things RideHub is looking into.
Fox & Oak
The coffee and bakehouse (1396 Main St.) celebrated five years in February, co-owner Luke Roderick said, who now feels “fully part of the community,” given his community initiatives, and commonality with climbers.
Fox & Oak is probably best known for naturally leavened, made-from-scratch doughnuts, their mango passionfruit brioche being their most popular order.
“I feel like doughnuts are always great fuel,” Roderick said.
“We put a lot of work into the quality. There’s nothing bad [in there] for your body.”
Roderick added these treats are best enjoyed in moderation, as a health-aware climber himself.
His wife was a backpacker guide before starting the business.
Together they support local sports initiatives, including Arc’teryx’s mountain festivals.
The draw of the outdoor recreation community in creating Fox & Oak, Roderick said, is a bonus.
BEER STOP
Serving specifics for health-aware recreationists is one thing, but how about classic food and drink? Especially when ordering isn’t often an ‘either, or’ situation?
Backcountry Brewing
Since opening in 2017, Backcountry Brewing’s co-founder Ben Reeder (former hop farmer and current snowboarder) said he’s spent around $80,000 on a bike rack.
That’s telling.
Backcountry is an award-winning pub with food athletes also love.
Photo by Ina Pace
As is the fact that despite serving Canada’s best IPA last year, and having 30 beers on tap, Backcountry (405-1201 Commercial Way) sells twice as much food as they do beer, according to Reeder.
“People are sick of being confused in the [experimental] market … we’ve honed in on simplifying the menu. Before, we [rotated] things [that] wouldn’t sell. People came for the pizza.”
Backcountry have upgraded pizza ovens and now use organic flour, but it’s implied that dependability, consistency, and familiarity are valued by Squamish recreationists over specific healthy foods.
Backcountry’s appreciation for recreationists extends to raising $12,000 to $15,000 every year for the environment initiative Protect Our Winters, according to Reeder.
Métailler seems a fan anyway, as Backcountry’s athlete sponsor.
BIG GROUP PATIO DINNERS
Locavore Bar & Grill
Locavore (1861 Mamquam Rd) is “the best patio space,” focused on the broader community.
Bar manager Danielle McNee, who also managed Locavore’s cafe for two years, described the demographic as a “good split” of tourists and locals who come for the shops, as well as the locally produced food, all at the base of the trails.
Despite an extensive cocktail menu, she said food and beer combined sells the most.
The barbecue beef brisket sandwich is most popular, along with a burger and beer deal every Thursday.
McNee described seeing sports teams and customers come before and after games.
“There’s something about [the patio] that feels community-driven, people don’t just come here to eat,” she said.
The Copper Coil Still & Grill
Speaking of community-driven, The Copper Coil’s hospitality manager of around eight years, Christopher Cook, said the cajun-inspired restaurant (37996 Cleveland Ave.) has a wide spectrum of customers; big families and individuals, from tourists shopping downtown, to those into extreme sports. As well as locals there for the poutine, he’s seen Americans–who know cajun food well–return after five years away.
Cook credits The Copper Coil’s popularity to the food all being smoked in-house and presented in different ways, as well as the general atmosphere.
“It’s all the fun things on the walls [and] the customer service we provide that [makes us] stand out,” he said.
Consistency and familiarity seems key here to community appeal.
The Backyard
With consistency and familiarity comes another theme: commonality.
The Backyard (1907 Maple Dr., Valleycliffe) reveres commonality as an “archetype” for what they want to see in a pub, according to co-owner Blake Mahovic.
Community support, Mahovic said, is The Backyard’s “litmus test,” noting they send out an annual survey to inspire each menu item.
Mahovic bought The Backyard with Peter Moonen to find a place to host The Axemen Rugby Club, their initial inception.
“I feel like having always been into sports, the best beer is an after-[sport] beer. We’re the after-a-sport hangout,” Moonen said.
Moonen and Mahovic said their varied demographic mostly orders “pub classics” (cheeseburgers and chicken wings), although popularity for healthier dishes, like rice bowls, has definitely increased.
“People really just want consistency,” Moonen said.
The Copper Coil has a welcoming patio, rain or shine.
Photo by Ina Pace
The Backyard is a family-friend place to be, inside and out.
Photo by Ina Pace
Like Backcountry and RideHub, The Backyard acknowledges alcohol consumption is modest within their current demographic.
“Nowadays, people don’t drink [five days a week] … but people still want to congregate,” Moonen said.
With The Backyard hosting themed nights, like darts, trivia, and international events, Mahovic said they see “mulitfaceted” individuals, and that recreation is simply one aspect of the community.
House of Lager Brewing
“[People] stop for a well-earned beer after being in the ocean,” House of Lager’s general manager and co-founder (also skier and golfer) Stuart Ballard said, noting the range of beers on tap are due to expand, and reflect the business name, of course.
Like other eateries, “restaurant forward” House of Lager is community driven, and again, the demographic prioritizes food.
The business’ most popular dishes are the ones which are “most approachable,” or familiar, like the bruschetta.
Ballard said he repeatedly received firsthand community feedback about “consistency” even before opening.
“Our food to drink ratio is heavier than in any restaurant I’ve worked at, never mind any brewery. Almost two thirds of our revenue comes from our food program,” Ballard said.
“Culture has changed. As an oceanfront, people need to drive. Squamish is becoming more of a stopping point, rather than just a rest spot on the way to Whistler.”
Ballard described his “gastropub” as “that nice balancing point between fine dining, and well executed comfort food.”
Indeed, balance may be what folks (outdoor recreationists and non-recreationists alike) are looking for in the Sea to Sky.
In being active and finding places to refuel, folks residing or stopping in Squamish–it seems–have commonality; for health awareness, familiarity, dependency, consistency, and inclusivity.
And that’s all in the name of a community, composed of multi-faceted eateries playing their part.
House of Lager is one of town’s newest hot spots, right on the ocean.
Photo by Ina Pace
Selling the Sea to Sky
WILL JOHNSON
People move to town to spend their free time playing, say local real estate experts.
Photo courtesy of Capra Running / Arletta Fussell
It kind of sells itself.
When prospective homebuyers tour around the Sea to Sky Corridor, it becomes immediately apparent what the selling points are—whether they’re interested in hiking the Stawamus Chief, paddleboarding on Howe Sound or exploring the labyrinthine bike trails that criss-cross through the Pacific Northwest rainforest.
For realtors helping people find their next pad, it’s important to keep in mind house features like gear rooms and bike washes. Because they come here to live, sure, but really they’ve come to play.
MIKE JONES
Mike Jones is many things, but he was a professional mountain bike racer first.
When he first moved to Squamish 25 years ago, he wanted to be close to Whistler and the world-class trails in that area, and the airport.
“I used to need to fly around and go places, so it’s right in the heart of the activities I love yet I could jump around
to other places really easily as needed,” he told Discover Squamish .
“I’ve noticed over the years the top mountain bike racers and many top athletes based here are here for the same reason: it’s because they’ve got proximity to the world-class sporting facilities with the outdoors, plus they could bounce around to the airport. So
it’s centrally located but perfect for the actual activities,” he said.
And customers like that are easy to come by these days.
“I’m booming. I’ve never been busier, but maybe I’m an outlier. I shifted my energy so I mostly work with buyers and I definitely am working with sellers but they’re having a little bit of a hard time right now. I think a lot of buyers are scared right now so if they’re trying to get really top dollar or pushing the boundary on the listing price, people aren’t having a lot of success.”
It’s definitely a buyer’s market.
“I think we’re a global mountain town is what has happened and Squamish is on the radar like Aspen or any of the major European mountain towns. People are choosing this place for lifestyle.”
JENNIFER SALE
Everyone wants to get outside, according to Jennifer Sale.
Mike Jones loves to mountain bike, when not helping folks find a home. Photo courtesy of Mike Jones
“I think for most people moving to Squamish it’s not a random choice. It’s a very determined decision to be closer to where they play instead of where they work. I think that, since the pandemic with a lot of people being able to work from home, that has freed up choices for people who spend a lot of their non-working hours recreating,” she told Discover Squamish .
“That affords them the opportunity to live here and possibly travel for work one or two days a week or even choosing that it’s worth it to drive full-time to the city to be able to live where they bike and climb and kite and kayak.”
Their lifestyle is reflected in the housing features they choose.
“I think people are primarily looking for a gear room, some sort of storage and depending on what they can afford I mean people would love to have a garage but not everybody can afford that so there’s common spaces that allow for bike rooms and bike wash and they’re getting creative with ways to find room for a kayak or a paddleboard.”
Sale is a paddleboarder, and also loves hiking—so she knows the appeal of Squamish’s surroundings.
“I think every neighbourhood offers something for everybody. Most have easy access to the trails, whether it be like going along the dike for a family ride or hitting the world-class mountain bike trails.”
EVELYN SCHELLENBERG
Evelyn Schellenberg grew up in Squamish, so she’s watched it transform over the decades to become the outdoor destination it is today.
“Because Squamish sits in between Vancouver and Whistler, it’s built an identity. It’s not a suburb, it’s not a resort, it’s a lifestyle community and that’s what people are looking for,” she told Discover.
“So, in one day, you can mountain bike in the morning, you can paddleboard in the afternoon and then golf or hike at sunset. Having that access is so rare, which is what makes Squamish so enticing for people. People’s priorities have changed over the years.
“Five years ago it was the commute time that was the first question, now it’s the trail access and needing two home offices.”
And they’re thinking outside the box.
“People are even into the cold plunge, infrared saunas or yoga rooms, all these things we have never seen before. We have world-class mountain bikes trails and water sports are right outside our door as well. I think the balance between nature and proximity to Vancouver is what people are really seeing now and it used to be a little secret. Not anymore.”
JULIE PHOENIX
For Julie Phoenix, this is the first question prospective clients ask—”How close are we to mountain bike trails?”
“There’s probably close to a thousand trails now, … so to be able to find a neighbourhood that has access is one of the easiest things to do. You can point to this trail this way and another trail this other way,” Phoenix said.
“So when I have that first initial
meeting one of the first things is asking ‘What’s drawing you to be here?’ and ‘How do we make your housing choice best for your outdoor needs?”
She said her buyers often come with dogs in tow, as well as kids, along with a multitude of bikes, paddle boards and kiting equipment. Trail runners are another group to whom the outdoor network is “absolutely key.”
Many work and play further up the Sea to Sky, making their neighbourhood choice important.
“A lot of people work in Whistler as opposed to the city, so Brackendale is actually becoming more popular because of that proximity. Shaving seven to 10 minutes off the drive time can be key.”
She chose her own home of 16 years because of the easy access on and off the highway.
“Our commute to Creekside is 30 minutes. My dad lives in Whistler so I can shoot him a text before I go and he’s like ‘Yup, I’ll see you on the hill.’ I’m sure I’m not the only one who sees a weather window and you see a chunk of your day and you capitalize on it.”
Jennifer Sale is comfortable on the water and in the mountains, so understands why her clients want to live here.
Photo by Paula Owen Photography
Evelyn Schellenberg enjoys getting outside, when she isn’t working hard for her customers.
Photo courtesy of Evelyn Schellenberg
Julie Phoenix gets out for a paddle in between serving her clients.
Photo courtesy of Julie Phoenix.
Everyone is welcome to play here
Not everyone moves through life’s adventure the same way, but in Squamish, we believe that everyone can play here—their way.
Tourism Squamish has launched a double initiative for visitors exploring the town, who are part of the often misunderstood neurodivergent community—those with hidden or non-apparent disabilities—to make attractions and businesses more inclusive and accessible.
According to Tourism Squamish, the initiative has been informed by local occupational therapist, Tara-Leigh Cain from Play in Motion.
BECOMING SUNFLOWER-FRIENDLY
One part of Tourism Squamish’s initiative is in officially becoming a “sun-flower friendly” location. Squamish has adopted the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower as a recognized symbol of support.
Green lanyards depicting sunflower symbols are subtle indicators worn by
neurodivergent people who choose to spread awareness about their condition or disability in public, with the aim to garner additional support during social interaction.
It is never the expectation for the wearer to be obligated to explain their disability or disabilities.
The Hidden Disabilities website defines a hidden disability as “temporary, situational or permanent … neurological, cognitive and neurodevelopmental, as well as physical, visual, or auditory, including sensory and processing difficulties, along with respiratory, rare diseases and chronic conditions.”
To wear a white lanyard with the sunflowers indicates allyship to the neurodivergent community, and in some cases may be worn in the presence of someone neurodivergent who is choosing not to wear one at all.
The sunflower initiative was launched in Gatwick Airport in the U.K. back in 2016, and is now internationally recognized across travel, tourism, transportation, retail, education, health
care, and government sectors.
“I’ve been talking about the sunflower initiative for [around] four years. It was a game changer,” said Dalia Shehata, co-owner of Happimess, an art studio that focuses on accessibility and inclusion.
“It’s hard for people with invisible disabilities to navigate everything, the barriers are invisible to everyone else. When you’re in a wheelchair, people can see when you need help, and they come and help.
“The fact we’re starting this conversation is so exciting because I can see it spreading … It’s just a matter of time. I would love to see a sunflower sticker on every public space in Squamish.”
PACKS OF RESOURCES, FOR KIDS
The other part of Tourism Squamish’s initiative is the introduction of Neurodiverse Explorer Packs: backpacks for kids which can be rented for up to two weeks from the Squamish
Sensory issues? We have a hack for that in Squamish
Photo by Sasiistock/ iStock / Getty Images Plus
INA PACE
Adventure Centre and Visitor Centre, free of charge.
The packs contain various practical resources for kids’ sensory input and self-regulation, such as photos and other visual prompts of various tourist sites, toys such as plushies and fidget spinners, as well as noise-reducing headphones. Such resources can aid with sensory sensitivities, typically present in those who have–for example–autism or ADHD.
“Having more information to help parents and their children when they travel is a great benefit; we want to be as welcoming as possible and very accommodating,” Happimess co-owner Marcus Monopoli said.
Furthermore, the resource packs may help to create a feeling of safety and familiarity for neurodivergent children who may feel overwhelmed in an unfamiliar environment.
Neurodivergent children often need more time to process information, or may interpret information differently to someone neurotypical.
Such needs are “often overlooked in traditional accessibility planning,”
the press release reads. Traditional accessibility planning often relies on physical infrastructure tailored to those with physical disabilities, such as access to ramps.
WORK IN PROGRESS
According to Tourism Squamish’s communications manager Nikki Johnston, the initiative was partially inspired by peers at the North Shore Tourism Association who have launched initiatives for the neurodivergent community with successful uptake.
The neurodivergent double initiative in Squamish has been in the works since the fall, Johnston explained.
“It’s a small gesture that can actually make a big difference,” she said, clarifying that Tourism Squamish’s double initiative is only the “first step” in creating more programs to make Squamish a more accessible and inclusive place.
“I hope this encourages families who have neurodivergent individuals to feel
supported,” Johnston continued.
“My hope is [also] that other visitorfacing businesses, whether it’s a coffee shop, or a major attraction, will consider becoming a sunflower-friendly location … or [that they] tailor their packs to their businesses.”
Johnston also confirmed that Tourism Squamish will be expanding information on their website about what is accessible to different needs.
Clarification is essential in avoiding misunderstandings afterall.
Squamish Adventure Centre staff have received relevant training to ensure consistent, respectful, and empathetic interactions.
Shehata said that among those offering help and training for this initiative, some have “lived experience” of hidden disabilities, which she regards as “crucial.”
More information about the Neurodiverse Explorer Packs and the Hidden Disabilities Sunflower symbol can be found online on the Tourism Squamish website or by visiting the Squamish Adventure Centre.
OP FRESH
the
DOWNTOWN SQUAMISH
SQUAMISH
Please visit the businesses below for friendly Sea to Sky customer service, and a bit of what makes Squamish one of the best places to be in BC! Whether you live or play here, you will experience what makes Squamish so special!
ACCOMMODATION
1 Sandman Hotel & Suites 604-848-6000 sandmanhotels.com
ATTRACTIONS
2 Britannia Mine Museum 1-800-896-4044 britanniaminemuseum.ca
3 Britannia Village 604-331-6018 britanniavillage.ca
AUTOMOTIVE
4 Squamish Motorsports Squamish Business Park 778-894-0849 Downtown RV Lot squamishmotorsports.com
5 Triton Automotive and Industrial/Napa 1-800-790-6434 tritonautoindustrial.com
