Every summer, when it gets too hot in the 'States, I make the trip to southwestern B.C. and the big granite of Squamish. Not only is this place one of the cheapest stops on my annual roam, but it's also one of the best. Squamish has always been known for the Chief, it's fine long crack routes, and also for the sport climbing around Murrin lake and Checkamus Canyon, but now the bouldering here is causing quite a stir. Huge chunks of granite, scattered all around in the forest at the base of the Chief now contain hundereds of quality problems.
This year I didn't do as much crack climbing as I would have liked, mostly due to the injury to my left hand. Even though it no longer hurt, I was still afraid to push myself. I was also out of practice, so I ended up only doing a few long routes and mostly moderate cracks. another reason for staying close to the ground was the weather. It rained every few days, sometimes without much warning. Even thunderstorms were a problem, soaking the rock and keeping the cracks wet. Sport climbing was a good choice, since the steeper rock doesn't get as wet and there are no cracks to catch the water. The Pet wall at Murrin Lake is a huge, slightly overhanging cliff rising straight out of a thick forest. Slick glacier polish, crisscrossed by thin edges and rounded slopers, makes it unique and challenging.
My friend Karina, whom I had met the previous year and was planning to do most of my climbing with, hurt herself mountain biking just before I arrived. Even though she was unable to join me on climbs, she was a ton of fun. It was still one of the highlights of my trip, just to be around her. She had an apartment in town with Chris and Tracey, some friends from school, where I was able to camp in my bus and hang out while it rained. This was especially nice since the camping around the area had been severely restricted.
The month I spent here went by way too fast, so next year I'm hoping to make it six weeks. There are so many amazing lines here that I haven't had a chance to try. My Squamish wish list is pretty long...