Discover Squamish November 2017 by Pacific Coastal Publications LP

www.discoversquamish.ca

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Contents EDITORIAL

12 Container house life

24 Winter weddings: Squamish style

quamish: More S than just looks and recreation

16 Valleycliffe: A destination

28 The path to the podium

38 Life-saving volunteers navigate Howe Sound 40 Dangerous Sea to Sky winter hikes 44 Best-in-class beverages in Squamish? 46 Entrepreneurial Nation

20 Brackendale: The heart of

34 Sledding in the Sea to Sky

community

36 Squamish breeds mountain bike champion

48 Going out after dark in Squamish 50 Tourism for all 52 Squamish women keep hitting the Refresh button 54 Squamish locomotion

publisher

VOLUME 4 / ISSUE 2 WINTER 2017

Darren Roberts darren@squamishchief.com

published by

DISCOVER SQUAMISH

COVER

editor

Jennifer Thuncher jthuncher@squamishchief.com sales & marketing manager Jennifer Gibson jgibson@squamishchief.com account manager Tina Pisch ads@squamishchief.com creative director / production John Magill www.viscodesign.com advertising design Julie Gamache jgamache@squamishchief.com 6 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

Navigating the ridge from the summit of Mount Harvey. Photo: Leigh McClurg

The Squamish Chief www.squamishchief.com

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Squamish: More than just looks and recreation

By JENNIFER THUNCHER The Squamish waterfront. Photo: David Buzzard

Discover Squamish Editor

AVING picked up this edition of Discover Squamish, it is likely you already know how breathtaking the mountainous landscape is here and how stunning our ocean views are.

8 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

Perhaps you have climbed our rocks, ridden our world-class biking trails or have been up the Sea to Sky Gondola for a breathtaking snowshoe followed by a locally-crafted beer at one of our several breweries. But Squamish is much more than its looks, recreation, and hotspots. The true awesomeness of Squamish is most evident in its unique culture. It is different here than in “the city” as Squamish residents call Vancouver. And we are different from the resort town of Whistler to the north. Squamish residents pride themselves on being more “unscripted” than our neighbours.

What that means is we are a little bit more rugged and down to earth. Pop into any of our grocery stores or cafes and you are likely to see happy, smiling people covered in mud from an exhilarating hike, or bike ride, or still wearing their snow gear from a trip up the mountain for a day of snowmobiling, snowshoeing or guiding others through our backcountry. And don’t mistake us for a homogeneous little town. We have neighbourhoods with their own personalities such as Valleycliffe and Brackendale (pages 16 &20). People here take their sports to the next level and that means we

are a town of elite athletes, some of whom are featured in these pages (pages 28 & 36). In this winter edition of Discover, readers will also see we are a little quirky and cutting edge, as is evident in our willingness to try container-house living and make our weddings uniquely Squamish. We welcome the world to come play here with many of our favourite activities accessible to people of all abilities (page 50). In putting together this edition, we tried to ensure that with every article there was something within it that even locals might not know. We hope you enjoy reading it as much as we enjoyed making it. •

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Shipping container apartment built in Squamish

By HALEY RITCHIE

NE of Squamish’s newest one-bedroom rentals may have started life as an old shipping container, but reborn with airy open windows and modern style, it’s ready to “steel” the show.

above : The exterior of the container house. Photo: Haley Ritchie

12 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

The structure is the first of its kind built in Squamish, billed as “modern, beautiful, modular” by company Honomobo, which specializes in prefabricated homes, made of shipping containers. “They are made to weather abuse and they’re meant to be moved, which is an advantage in itself,” said Devon Siebenga, cofounder of the Edmonton-based company. “The container is built from corten steel, which we build bridges out of. Its nature is to

protect itself from corrosion, it’s a long-lasting product, it’s a modular product. Combine that with design and housing and it really fits.” Honomobo has installed houses across western Canada and the United States, but the pre-designed one-bedroom on Meadow Avenue is a new concept in Squamish. The finished structure bears little resemblance to endless rugged and colourful boxes stacked on top of barges seen in the Vancouver Harbour.

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right: The exterior of the container house before the installation of the garage doors. below :

Devon Siebenga, co-owner of Honomobo. below right:

Homeowners are Ryan Johnson (back row, second from right) and Kirsten Sollid (back row, right), with their daughters and friend and contractor and his wife. Photos: Haley Ritchie

The exterior of the “HO3” unit – composed of three lightly used shipping containers – is black corrugated steel with modern wooden accents. The sleek white interior arrives almost complete, with pre-selected finishings and appliances added in a factory just outside Edmonton. “I’m really happy with it. I love how it looks,” said Squamish homeowner Ryan Johnson. When Johnson and his wife, Kirsten Sollid, bought the Brackendale property in 2011 they already had plans to add a laneway apartment that could work as a rental unit or in-law suite. The couple wanted something basic to keep costs low since the purpose of the rental unit was to offset their mortgage. Originally, they planned to do a site build, but the simplicity of the shipping container structure caught their 14 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

eye. Johnson, a professional building technologist, acknowledges he was a skeptic at first. He had concerns about price, durability, and flexibility. Because they are prefabricated, the walls and windows in a Honomobo house are fixed and not customizable. The unit ended up being a good fit for the space. Facing the quiet laneway, it has wallto-ceiling mountain views and privacy for both the family and tenant. “Through the process, I became very confident with the product, and eventually decided to go with it…. It’s green, durable and energy efficient, all those things came together.” Johnson said construction from start to finish – including the concrete foundation and getting services installed – lasted about four and a half months. The

installation of the HO3 unit itself took two weeks.

“The rental market is zero vacancy, so this is providing a place for people that need to live.” Inevitably, not everyone will love the modern style, but it hasn’t dissuaded tenants. The homeowners easily found someone ready to move in just weeks after construction finished. Johnson said they plan to rent the unit for $1,600 a month. “The rental market is zero vacancy, so this is providing a place for people that need to live,” he said. Johnson said as communities like Squamish grow and the need

for properties grows, different density options like laneway houses will become more and more popular – both as rental units, but also offering flexibility to families. “Our in-laws might move in there, we might move in there someday – our kids have already told us they’re going to live in the house and we’ll live in there,” he said with a laugh. For now, Siebenga said that most Honomobo owners are early adopters – excited about the technology and modern design, whether they’re planning a tiny house or a large cottage. “It brings simplicity to the addition of a home or adding more density. You can literally go online and click buy. We’ve simplified the process. To me, that’s the future.” •

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Valleycliffe: Moving and shaking since the early days

By KIRSTEN ANDREWS

ONG known as a working-class neighbourhood, Valleycliffe was historically comprised of trappers and loggers and subsequently workers at the now-defunct Woodfibre Pulp and Paper Mill. It truly came into its own in the early ‘70s when streets were paved, ditches were dug, and houses were built in short order – perhaps a little too quickly, according to those who’ve embarked on renovations and discovered a lack of insulation in exterior walls.

16 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

opposite page :

The Valleycliffe neighbourhood of Squamish at dusk. right: Hiroaki Kimora and Miho Yoshida of the Kululu Café in Valleycliffe.

Today, you’ll see high-end homes being built amongst older ones, many of which are undergoing their own facelift as Valleycliffe shifts in the face of new socio-economic standards. Squamish has become a bedroom community of sorts to Vancouver, and at its southern most tip, Valleycliffe is the most commutable neighbourhood. Let’s face it: the drive to the big city is probably one of the most scenic in North America. It’s an easy choice for those who want the benefits of living where they recreate but put in their 40-hour workweek in the Lower Mainland. Residents will tell you that living at the foot of the Stawamus Chief – the second tallest granite rock face in the world at 702 metres – is awe-inspiring daily. It doesn’t seem to matter how long you’ve lived in the Valleycliffe

community of 3,112 (which encompasses Crumpit Woods, Ravens Plateau, and Hospital Hill), the sheer power and magnitude of that geological rock formation is enough to humble any pro snowboarder, mountain biker and climber that makes their home here – and many do.

“If it’s not your destination, you wouldn’t be here.”

If nature had her way, few would look beyond the gorgeous rise of rock and tree surrounding Valleycliffe, but on closer inspection, you can easily pick up on the neighbourhood’s bluecollar roots, overtly demonstrated

by the lack of architectural diversity on streets named almost exclusively after trees. It’s also quiet due to the fact that the community is only accessible by singular entry points off Clarke Drive near the municipality’s only hospital. As resident Ivan DeWolf notes: “if it’s not your destination, you wouldn’t be here.” A favourite running joke amongst residents is that you never have to ask where the bathroom is when visiting a neighbour, as virtually all homes sport the same layout – give or take a carport. Recently, relative newcomer Jody Kramer cleverly coined the term The Valleycliffe Shuffle: that “super awkward dance” one must do at the entrance of most homes built (coincidentally?) in the disco-era, which feature an oddly impassible front entrance/ staircase split.

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Valleycliffe is also brimming with new developments, families, a variety of public alternative and independent schools; outdoor enthusiasts, pro athletes, professionals, and environmentalists who call it home; and there’s a small yet robust business community. All of this contributes to a colourful cross-section of Squamish’s movers and shakers, like Tracey Saxby – a marine scientist, musician, “accidental activist” and environmentalist who has lived in Valleyclife with her partner Adrian Jones for over a decade. Saxby co-founded My Sea to Sky in 2014 in response to growing concerns about the proposed Woodfibre LNG project. The volunteer executive director says the group is committed to protecting Howe Sound and its sensitive environmental habitat for the long-term health and prosperity of the region. Her reverence for Valleycliffe runs just as deep. “We first came to Squamish on a climbing and skiing trip in 2001, we’ve been here ever since. 18 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

We fell in love with the temperate rainforest and the mountains coming down to the sea. We had an ‘aaaaah’ moment as we first drove into Squamish – it was one of those miserable rainy days when we first drove up the Sea to Sky Highway in July 2001, and it was so foggy that we couldn’t even see Howe Sound. But as we drove into Squamish, the fog lifted, the rain stopped, and there was a beam of light shining down and illuminating the Stawamus Chief – cue angels singing,” Saxby said with a laugh.

“We had an ‘aaaaah’ moment as we first drove into Squamish.”

“For the first few years we lived in pretty much every neighbourhood in Squamish, but we fell in love with Valleycliffe and bought our home there in 2006. We love watching the mist rise off the river and between the three peaks of the Stawamus

Chief. I can watch it for hours,” she added. “Last winter, we went for a walk by the river one evening when it was snowing. We lay on our backs and watched the snowflakes falling while looking up at the clouds hiding and revealing the Stawamus Chief. It doesn’t get any better than that. It’s pure magic.” Rhonda O’Grady, who moved to Valleycliffe with her husband Stephen Savauge and sons Lucas and Tristan in 2008, is a selfprofessed “mad” enthusiast of gardening and lover of all things related to nature. She cultivates her own personal vegetable, flower and pollinator garden at home, and as a parent volunteer, she’s created the same, as well as a pollinator habitat enhancement project, bat house, pathways, signage, and wetland restoration called The Living Classroom at Valleycliffe Elementary School. She said she attributes much of that to the abundant sunlight the neighbourhood receives during the summer months – more than any other part of town due to the sun’s path June through

opposite page :

Rhonda O’Grady at the Valleycliffe Elementary living classroom pollinator hotel. right: Tracey Saxby and her partner Adrian Jones along the banks of Stawamus Creek, near their home in Valleycliffe.

Photos: David Buzzard

September. “All the gardens flourish.” “The Living Classroom has become a very significant part of the Valleycliffe community. Not only during our annual community events and celebrations that occur about four times a year, but in the evenings, this special place has become a gathering place,” said O’Grady, who is the education coordinator for the Squamish River Watershed Society. “It has connected us with other schools throughout the corridor, as well as with UBC, BCIT, Quest University and, national and international nature organizations.” Like many other parents, O’Grady said it was important

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that her children could walk to the elementary school, and that she rarely has the urge to leave the neighbourhood.

“The Living Classroom has become a very significant part of the Valleycliffe community.” “I do everything in Valleycliffe. I think the Stawamus River is what connects me to this place as much as the Chief. I swim in the river, take my children to the river, hike around the river, watch the salmon and the wildlife around

and in the river. The peregrine falcons and blue herons fly overhead every day as we walk to school on the dike. It is paradise,” she enthused, adding in the evening they often spot beavers, bats, owls, and the odd coyote. Michael Coyle, software consultant and search and rescue volunteer, has called Ravens Plateau home for over 11 years. “I love being next to one of the most popular rock climbing areas in the world, and some of the most outstanding mountain biking. I love how we’re wedged between a mini mountain range of the Smoke Bluffs and Mount Crumpit, and the higher cliffs of the Chief and Slhanay with our own little Stawamus River, and its tributaries. “We’re in the mountains while being on the ocean.” For all the nature elements in Valleycliffe, there is a thriving business area as well. In the mall at Westway Avenue and Maple Drive you’ll find ninja classes at the training centre, a general store, esthetics spa and hair salon, laundromat and dry cleaning services, plus offices and other specialty shops. The neighbourhood’s newest addition is Kululu Café, which opened in October and offers healthy, tasty fare such as Japanese rice bowls and noodle dishes, salads, sandwiches, baked goods, teas – and of course killer locally roasted espresso drinks. “Our café is a place where parents can feel comfortable coming with their kids,” said Miho Yoshida who is partners in the venture with Hiroaki Kimura. “As a new business owner, we feel grateful to be a part of Valleycliffe so we can grow together.” •

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Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish 19 2017-03-20 10:53| AM

Brackendale: a continuum of community

By MELANIE GREEN

HE railroad bridge over the Mamquam River in Brackendale was frequently uncrossable in the 1950s. Ellen Grant, a long-time Squamish resident, fondly remembers taking a canoe across the river to visit her grandfather, Harry Judd, one of the first settlers in the area.

Brackendale, located north of downtown Squamish, developed around transportation. With the railroad came houses, Grant says. Judd was a farmer who settled after adventuring to the land years prior. Other farms existed throughout the community. “Some had chickens, or fruit trees or somebody had a cow,” says Grant, a former school teacher of 40 years. 20 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

“Everyone looked after themselves because when they relied on the boats to bring the supplies, it just wasn’t feasible.” The core of Brackendale is self-reliance and a sense of community, Grant asserts. “I have a great love for this area,” she said. The Judd Farm still stands. It was sold to a lifelong local resident who refused to tear the farmhouse down.

Grant too still lives in Brackendale. The Brackendale Art Gallery and its owner, Thor Froslev, are the strongest anchors of the community, Grant says. Froslev’s dream was always to have a gallery in the woods. In 1969, while having a slice of pumpkin pie, Froslev saw a property out the window on Government Road for sale and bought it.

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above : Brackendale Art Gallery owner Thor Froslev and Squamish Mayor Patricia Heintzman inside the Gallery. page twenty: Thor Froslev introduces Dustin Bentall and Kendal Carson at the Brackendale Art Gallery.

Photos: David Buzzard

22 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

“So here I am,” he says nonchalantly. “I built it all with anybody I could lay my sticky hands on.” The result is all wood, intricate and creative. Froslev first opened the Brackendale Art Gallery’s doors in 1973. Now, it’s a Squamish centre for live music, artistic expression, and community events. “Once I figured out what to do, I just kept doing it,” he says. Though Squamish totalled 6,000 people when he moved to Brackendale and currently boasts 20,000, Froslev says everyone is still friendly. It’s bustling but still small. He says he still has good neighbours. His neighbours include hotspots such as the Bean Brackendale Café, a daily local stomping ground not just for locals seeking coffee, but also for meetups and visits by people just checking out the busy community board. Next door, Republic Bicycles is a go-to, with bikes for all abilities and staff ready to help with a quick repair so people can get back on the trails. There’s also the Bee Hive

Hair Salon where almost every customer outside gushes about the quality of care and service or “Tanya’s perfect cut”. But, there’s not quite anything like the art gallery, or “the BAG” as Squamish residents call it. And it’s up for sale. Froslev is 85 yearsold and ready to cross off a few things on his bucket list. “The BAG is iconic,” says Mayor Patricia Heintzman. “It is the de-facto community centre of Brackendale and has been for almost 50 years now.” It is part of the Squamish vernacular, she adds.

“So here I am… I built it all with anybody I could lay my sticky hands on.”

For Heintzman, the Eagle Run area of Brackendale along the Squamish River is also essential. “Making sure we’re connected to the river and habitat and all that is associated with that, is really what Brackendale is,” she said. In the early 90s, Squamish boasted the world-record count of

eagles and is still home to one of North America’s largest gathering of wintering bald eagles. The birds are visible all over town in the winter, though Eagle Run Park on Government Road in the heart of Brackendale is a prime viewing spot. Here, you’ll find a display of eagles and the lifecycle of their feed — the chum salmon. A volunteer-run community initiative is stationed at Eagle Run Park every weekend during the peak season of November to January from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. Trained volunteers are on hand to help people view the eagles and learn about the lifecycle of both eagles and salmon. Eagle Run dike is accessible with a ramp at the south end, though it can be limited in winter months. Heintzman says there will be a little more development coming to Brackendale in the future. Much like in the days of the railroad, density will happen along highly travelled routes, she says. But it will always have its Brackendale feel, she asserted. “Brackendale has this neighborhood vibe to it and everyone has pride in it.” •

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Winter weddings, Squamish style

By JENNIFER THUNCHER

N Feb. 3, in front of 120 guests, Squamish’s Taylor LaRose will marry her fiancé David Foster at the Cheakamus Centre in Paradise Valley.

above: A couple celebrates moments after exchanging vows at the Sea to Sky Gondola. Photo: Gucio Photography

24 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

The pair met at a pub and have dated for nine years. They got engaged last Christmas. “I have always dreamed my wedding would be in the winter – hopefully with lots of snow,” LaRose said. “Squamish seemed like the perfect place for us. We moved here April of 2016 and fell in love with everything – the mountains, the trees, and the water. So, it all fit perfectly.” The couple is not alone in choosing Squamish for their

winter nuptials, according to local experts. Squamish is becoming a “cool” place to wed. For those who want a mountaintop, snow-covered view, the Sea to Sky Gondola is an increasingly popular locale for weddings. By the end of 2017, the gondola will have hosted 50 weddings, the most since it opened in 2014, according to its sales manager Anne MacKenzie. While the majority were in the summer,

winter weddings are gaining in popularity at the gondola, she said. “The opportunity to be up there in the snow… and have fun with wearing fur stoles and the tables look beautiful and there are blankets on the backs of the chairs,” she said, explaining the draw of a winter gondola wedding. During December, Christmas decorations are up in the gondola’s Summit Lodge and fire burns in the fireplace, adding coziness to the winter Squamish wedding, MacKenzie added.

above: Nuptials at the gondola guarantees a beautiful backdrop. Photo: Gucio Photography below: A wedding place setting from Oh Lovely Deer wedding planners. Photo: David Buzzard

But to snag any beautiful Squamish venue, including the Sea to Sky Gondola, couples need to plan ahead and book early, warns local wedding planner Shelley Jacobsen, owner of Squamish’s Oh Lovely Deer Events & Design. “Venues in Squamish book incredibly fast lately, almost two years ahead,” she said. Another consideration with a Squamish winter wedding is the Sea to Sky Highway.

“You can’t get that just anywhere.”

“You’ve got to think about the weather,” Jacobsen said, adding she suggests couples bring their wedding party to Squamish days in advance to ensure everyone has arrived for the big day and isn’t stuck on the highway due to a snow storm or accident. Venue and highway issues aside, Jacobsen said with the extremely active demographic and reputation of Squamish, weddings in the winter months can be sporty and unique. Couples may choose to ski or snowboard down the “aisle,” for 26 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

example, she said. “You can’t get that just anywhere.” The snowy white backdrop of the winter months in the Sea to Sky Corridor also allows couples to play with colours in their décor and attire. Fellow Squamish wedding planner Ashley Metcalfe of Harmony Wedding & Event Coordination agreed winter weddings in Squamish tend toward the use of darker shades of grey, blue and silver, as well as swaths of burgundy and forest green, sometimes used in capes around brides. Closer to Christmas, metallics such as silver and gold make an appearance. Sequins on bridesmaids’ dresses can also add a festive flavour, she added. Metcalfe predicts this season faux fur and velvet will be popular. Smaller weddings with smaller budgets are common among Squamish locals, she said, as compared to the larger, ballroomtype weddings seen in the big city. The average Squamish wedding includes between 75 to 100 guests, according to Metcalfe. “It is quite pricey to live out here and most couples are paying for the wedding

above: Tables are set for a beautiful winter wedding. right: Flowers from Billies Flower House showcase how beautiful a winter wedding can be. Photos: Gucio Photography

themselves so they want a more intimate and smaller group of people,” she said. To fill the bellies of famished winter guests, craft beers and locally-sourced foods are a staple of the Squamish wedding, Metcalfe said. Locally sourced favours are popular as well, such as Squamish-made wooden ornaments or packets of Squamish coffees or teas. Of course, no wedding would be complete without flowers. Downtown Squamish’s Billies Flower House is a popular spot for couples to source their local floral arrangements. For Squamish winter weddings, greenery is a theme, according to the shop’s co-owner Alanna Wilson, who added the store helps design about 80 weddings per year. “The more casual West Coast natural feel, which most people who get married here are looking for,” she said. About 95 per cent of the couples that come to Squamish specifically to get married are looking to create a “rustic glam” wedding, according to Wilson. “It is really popular,” she said. Traditionally popular greenery includes eucalyptus and more recently ruscus.

Garlands of suspended greenery is a huge local trend, she said. “Just to add to the sense of magic and a bit of an ethereal feeling,” Wilson said. All of the Squamish wedding experts agreed the most important thing for couples to

remember when planning their nuptials is to not get lost in what is popular or traditional, but instead to stay focused on who they are and what the day means to them. “You want them to focus on the ceremony and the love that they are building,” said Wilson. •

Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 27

The path to the podium By HALEY RITCHIE

IN SQUAMISH, AN OLYMPIC HOPEFUL LOOKS FORWARD TO THE WINTER GAMES, AND A RETIRED OLYMPIAN LOOKS BACK. 28 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

ARREN Gardner and Tami Bradley talk about what the next Winter Games in PyeongChang Korea means to them.

Gardner, 27 years old, is a snowboard racing Olympic hopeful. Gardner is from Burlington, and studies at Quest University in Squamish. Gardner said he’s trying to keep the Olympics in perspective as an event, but he acknowledges that for a lot of athletes, the games are on a pedestal. “The Olympics is definitely a different beast, from what I’ve heard. I just don’t have anything to compare it to right now,” he said. The national champion snowboarder is hoping that will change this year if he can clinch a spot representing Canada in downhill snowboard at the 2018

above : Darren Gardner. opposite page :

Tami Bradley.

Winter Games. The training is constant, but he’ll only know if he’s made that goal a few weeks before the games. In 2014, he came short in the selection process. “I wasn’t quite where I am today,” he said. “To be honest, it was the biggest learning experience for me. It sounds weird, but it was one of the best things to happen in my sporting year.” “When 2014 didn’t really work out for me, I was kinda like, ‘What now?’ I knew I still really wanted to snowboard, but I also wanted to plan for a future after snowboarding. It was a very big

wake-up call, in a lot of ways.” As a snowboarder, Gardner’s sport is relatively new, and he’ll be competing for a spot with his fellow athletes in slopestyle, big air, halfpipe and snowboard cross. He says watching Ross Rebagliati winning gold in 1998 was a pivotal moment in his childhood. Gardner said being a highlevel athlete means constantly reassessing goals, whether it’s World Cup events or the Olympics. “You need to take the time to assess good or bad days … It’s super important. I think that’s been huge to my success, and my failure as well.”

Photos: David Buzzard

Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 29

above: Darren Gardner at the FIS Snowboard World Cup, Carezza Italy. Photo: Miha Matavz

“For me, it’s year by year, it always has been,” he said. “I wouldn’t use the word hope. I feel if I keep doing what I’m doing, working hard throughout my events, things are going to work out. You can never say for sure, but I feel confident in what I’m doing to make it to that level.”

AMI Bradley, 47 years old, made it to the Olympics twice for freestyle skiing moguls. Bradley is originally from North Vancouver and now coaches young athletes and lives in Squamish with her family. “I think people think, ‘Oh the Olympics, they’re so great’,” says Bradley. “And it is. It is so great. But in the head of an athlete, you go through every different scenario.” Bradley’s Olympic goal began at age five, watching gymnast

30 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

Nadia Comăneci win gold on television. Watching the opening ceremonies was a family tradition. “I can remember just waiting and watching for Team Canada to walk out,” she said. Sixteen years later, Bradley was the one waving to fans through the television camera in Nagano, Japan. She said the feeling was “surreal.” “This was my first Olympics not watching the opening ceremonies from my house. I wasn’t watching and waiting for Team Canada to come out: I was Team Canada.”

“I can remember just waiting and watching for Team Canada to walk out.”

Bradley said in her first Olympics, she felt lucky to place in the finals. When she returned to Salt Lake City as a medal contender four years later, she had higher expectations.

In the end, Bradley didn’t meet her goal – crashing after her second air and placing 14th – and it left a scar that would take years to heal. “Things didn’t go my way. In the scheme of sports, it was a devastating moment for me. In terms of life, was it devastating? No, but I was in shock. As much as I had made that decision, but I hadn’t played that possibility out.” Bradley ended her professional freestyle skiing career in 2003, scoring two World Cup medals. By the next Winter Games, she felt like she had moved on from the Olympics and was busy discovering a new life: being a mom. She was proud to see Canada do well in the 2006 women’s moguls, but after that single event she turned the TV off. It didn’t get switched on for the rest of the games. “When I hung up the boots, I was content. But I think I felt such agony for athletes that were supposed to do well or could have done well.” She expected the same feeling in 2010 when the games came home – Bradley and her husband decided to fly to Hawaii during the games to escape the hustle and bustle. “It was odd, but we still weren’t over the craziness, the stress that we had felt from it. As enjoyable as it was as an athlete, there was another side of it, and I wasn’t ready for it in my hometown. But something happened when we were in Maui. Suddenly we were addicted to the TV. I was watching it and I was sad that we weren’t here. I felt the stress of not being a part of it. If Whistler brought stress of a different kind, she said Sochi brought peace. “Time heals, in a lot of different things,” said Bradley. “All of a sudden, I was at peace. The Olympics are over, I have a completely new life, I’m super happy and I can watch and enjoy it. Looking back at my Olympic experience, it was such a great thing. But during it, not getting the outcome you want, is definitely a challenge to heal from.” “It took a long, long time to just watch and have that love back. Now I can’t wait to host all these Olympic parties in 2018.” •

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Sledding in the Sea to Sky

By STEVEN HILL

F you ask Tony Cailes his opinion about where Squamish ranks as a sledding destination, the president of the Black Tusk Snowmobile Club doesn’t exactly mince his words.

“This is the best place in the world to snowmobile,” he said. “And, that should be bolded and underlined!” As evidence, he points to the sheer number of tourists who descend on the area every year to chew up fresh powder in the backcountry. “People come from all over 34 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

the world just to snowmobile here,” Cailes said. “And really, what sets us apart is the fantastic snow quality, the views and clarity, and the fact that our avalanche conditions are much more stable than in a place like Whistler, where they have ‘faster’ avalanches.” Avalanche training is a big

part of Black Tusk Snowmobile Club’s mandate. The association boasts close to 200 members and maintains the access road and chalet at arguably Squamish’s best sledding destination – Brohm Ridge. “We are the stewards of the snow, here,” he said. “For the past 45 years, we have worked

to maintain Brohm Ridge, make it better for snowmobilers, and teach people about avalanche safety while sledding in the area’s backcountry.” For Cailes, Brohm Ridge, once the proposed site for a ski resort in the 1960s (with a sweet 10,000 sq. ft., 50-person chalet they acquired as a clubhouse),

above : Sledding in Brohm Ridge. Photo: Brad Sarauer right: Friends gather for an afternoon in the snow. Photo: Rich Duncan opposite page :

Photo: Rich Duncan

is absolutely the ultimate snowmobile paradise in the Sea to Sky Corridor. “Brohm Ridge is the safest place to drive a snowmobile, in terms of avalanche safety,” he said. “It is also the first place you can snowmobile in the area at the start of the season, and the last place you can snowmobile at the end of the year.” The Squamish snowmobile season starts at the end of November and can last until June if it’s been a particularly good snow year. In the spring, it is not uncommon to spend the morning snowmobiling and then play a round of golf in the afternoon afterward.

favourite Squamish sledding spot may be in question, as the idea of developing a ski resort in the area has resurfaced in recent years, under the name “Garibaldi at Squamish.” But, he said he thinks there is room for everyone on Brohm Ridge, as well as all of the Sea to Sky’s backcountry. “I think the best thing would be a co-existence,” Cailes said. “I’ve spent a lot of time on that mountain. I’ve snowmobiled it. I’ve skied the whole thing. It’s really not a practical place to ski. I think something they should look at is reducing the footprint

of the ski resort, and putting it in a more stable and practical area of the mountain. Make the top of the mountain a shared ‘mountain sports centre.’ It’s the same with any developments that may come along. We can all live together and share the backcountry. It’s the safe and practical thing to do.” And, Brohm Ridge is not the sole spot in the Squamish area that’s a sledding paradise, either. Just a little further north along the Sea to Sky Highway, the Brandywine area comes in at a close second for snowmobiling, according to Cailes. “Brandywine is excellent because of the parking and the road,” he said. “You can practically just drive in, park, unload your sled, and away you go. And it continues to improve over the years, too.” He also said the Lillooet/ Goldbridge area, north of Whistler Resort, is another breathtaking place to ride a snowmobile, although he classifies it as more “traillike” than the deep and sweet backcountry powder you’d be roaring through on Brohm Ridge or at Brandywine. “Really, to enjoy the experience here, you have to be prepared for the conditions in which you’ll be riding,” he said. “An Ontario trail sled isn’t practical around Squamish. Everyone here drives the ‘Porsches’ of snowmobiles. And, you really need to have avalanche gear and some avalanche training. Then you can just have fun and enjoy the experience.” •

“I think the best thing would be a co-existence.”

“Other spots melt out, or you have to ride on a gravel road for way too long before you hit snow,” he said. “Plus, Brohm Ridge is a great place for an intro to snowmobiling in the area, no matter your level, and you can always make arrangements to stay in the chalet overnight, which is always a treat for people.” However, the fate of Cailes’s Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 35

Squamish breeds mountain bike champion

By PAT JOHNSON

T was lucky sevens for Jakob Jewett – until it wasn’t. The 14-year-old from the Garibaldi Highlands in Squamish flew by his competition to win the first seven downhill races in Cycling BC’s 2017 BC Cup series. He needed one more win to clinch the cup for the under-15 division.

36 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

He had beat his opponents down the courses at races throughout the province. Having been on two wheels most of his life, and spending a couple of hours on the local trails most days in the year, Jewett is at home on a bike. But when his competitors were practising for the final race in the 2017 BC Cup, Jewett was laid up at home with a broken foot. Late in the summer, a slipup at the local skate park put the Grade 9 student out of the race for the cup that was his to lose. The broken foot was not his first injury – he broke his collarbone when he was nine

– but it did mean returning to school in September on one leg and it seriously disrupted his routine for about a month. Seven for seven is still a proud record and the local boy didn’t have all his eggs in a single basket. He also competes in free riding and downhill skiing, and he started racing BMX when he was four. He was practically born on a bike. “When I was two, I was riding with training wheels, but when I was three I got rid of them,” he says. Jewett was born in Squamish, but the family moved to Kelowna, then Montreal, before returning

above : Squamish mountain bike racer Jakob Jewett rears his bike into a wheelie. Photo: Julien Grimard right: What’s a rider without his ride? Jakob Jewett with one of his bikes. Photo: David Buzzard

to the Sea-to-Sky region permanently in 2011. “That’s kind of where I got into BMX a bit more,” he says, because the opportunities for downhill racing were more limited in those places than they are in Squamish. “I ended up quitting it two years ago and got more into downhill racing.”

opposite page :

He’s come a long way. Jakob Jewett starting riding at an early age and has made the transition to a BC Cup contender with impressive speed. Photo: Julien Grimard

“It’s perfect… It has some of the best trails in the world.”

Having lived elsewhere, Jewett is glad to be back in Squamish and he appreciates what is in his own backyard. “It’s perfect,” he says. “It has some of the best trails in the world. When you’re out riding, you find people from all around

the world that just come here to ride.” Squamish does tend to breed and nurture excellence, especially in mountain biking. The district lays claim to hometown hero Miranda Miller, who recently took gold in the elite women’s world downhill division at the 2017 UCI Mountain Bike World Championships in Cairns, Australia. And Squamish’s Holden Jones, 16, earned a bronze medal in the international competition, placing third in the under-19 category of the UCI World Cross Country. Squamish boasts a 189km single track trail network, most of which was built and is maintained by Squamish’s powerful, volunteer-run Squamish Off-Road Cycling Association. The weather in Squamish means almost any day can be a training day, says Jewett. He rides up to the trails in the

Highlands most days after school, usually with friends, for a couple of hours. On the rare winter days when snow interferes, he skis. “There are only one or two months when you can’t ride, so it’s basically all seasons.” •

ill Where wd’s your chilke path ta them?

Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 37

Life-saving volunteers navigate Howe Sound

By MELANIE GREEN

AST winter, a disabled 60-foot sailing vessel was rescued from Anvil Island and towed back to Squamish in bitter outflow conditions.

38 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

The three-hour recovery was so smooth that the skipper down below remained fast asleep, according to Scott Shaw-MacLaren, a coxswain, or captain with the Squamish Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue, Station 4 team. Often mistaken for the coastguard, the red and yellow-

top skiffs of the Squamish RCM-SAR are a welcome sight to anyone stranded and at the mercy of the sea. Tucked right on Howe Sound, Squamish has its fair share of boat owners and several marinas to its name. It is not surprising then that there is a lot of boating activity to keep volunteer rescuers

on their toes not just in the summer, but throughout the winter too. “We are one hundred per cent volunteer… and community funded,” says Shaw-MacLaren, who admits winter weather is much harsher with 1.5-metre waves and winds that outflow up to 40 knots.

above : Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteers Dave Richardson and Paul Jones man a rescue boat at the Squamish yacht club during a training session. opposite page :

Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteers at the Squamish yacht club during a training session. right: A Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue volunteer jumps into the water during nighttime swim test at the Squamish yacht club.

Photos: David Buzzard

The volunteers work on-call 24 hours a day, seven days a week serving the area’s rugged coastline with a promise of a 15-minute response time. This year, all responses have come in under that time. When a boat capsized near Porteau Cove in August with a father and his two sons who had been out crabbing for the day, Squamish’s rescue team was the first on the scene.

“It was a major operation to find an overturned canoer right in the Mamquam Blind Channel.”

As important as their rescue job is, it isn’t all RCM-SAR volunteers do. They also conduct boating-week events introducing people to safe boating habits and complimentary vessel inspections. Coxswain Chris Scarborough says the group trains rigorously every week — in the water and out. Significant hours are needed to qualify for specific roles and the group is always looking for fresh recruits, he says. The job is out of the ordinary but that’s why Scarborough – an original member– says he stays onboard. “You wake up in the middle of the night and go out on a task then come back to your regular life.” One of the original RCM-SAR members from 2008, when the organization was launched in Squamish, is Dave Richardson

who is also a volunteer firefighter. “It seemed like a natural thing to try and help out the community,” he says of why he joined Station 4. “It’s interesting to see the crossover of how one group will look at a situation and then how these guys approach it.” Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue falls under federal jurisdiction, not provincial, unlike many other first responders. The Squamish station fundraises to purchase equipment and resources. Shaw-MacLaren says there are reimbursements from the Coast Guard, but that “essentially covers the fuel for rescues.” At the Squamish Yacht Club, Station 4 currently has two rescue vessels docked— an aluminum hull and fibreglass hull — both clock 40 knots and are rigidhulled inflatable boats. One is out of the water, however, due to hydraulic failure. To repair it is costly, says ShawMacLaren. “Vessels of support are a critical feature for marine safety.” A four-foot trailer holding the 31-volunteer rescuers gear sits at the dock, with room for only two people to change at a time. Getting a permanent and suitable base of operations is an ultimate goal. Shaw-MacLaren hopes for a boathouse to protect the highly sensitive equipment from exposure and a facility for their gear. For more on Squamish’s Royal Canadian Marine Search and Rescue go to rcmsar.com/rescuestations/southern-region/ squamish. •

The family made it safely to shore thanks to the Squamish team and other rescue agencies working together. That particular rescue was memorable, says ShawMacLaren, as was responding to the Squamish Terminals’ east dock fire in 2015. A recovery in 2015 also stands out. “It was a major operation to find an overturned canoer right in the Mamquam Blind Channel. That involved the coordination of several resources … the RCMP, ground search and rescue, Comox air search, and our resources, including the Coast Guard,” he recalls. Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 39

Dangerous Sea to Sky winter hikes

By LEIGH MCCLURG

EIGH McClurg is a Squamish outdoor adventurer, writer and photographer who describes himself as always testing the limits of what is personally possible.

40 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

right: Exploring the summits on Mount Seymour. opposite page: Winter views over Garibaldi Lake on Panorama Ridge. Photos: Leigh McClurg

The changing of the seasons from summer into winter can be one of the most beautiful times of year in the Sea to Sky Corridor. The light begins to stay golden for longer, the leaves turn shades of yellow and red and the occasional chill in the air can feel refreshing after a long, hot summer. But with this change also comes some additional considerations for hiking up into the mountains. Perhaps you had a checklist

of places you wanted to visit this summer and there’s still a few left on the list. Or maybe you woke up to a beautiful sunny day in town and plan to head out to spend your time visiting a local mountain summit. Winter up high around Squamish is personally my favourite time of year. The stark mountain landscape adorned in its white, seasonal livery is something special to behold.

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But it is important to be extra diligent when the mountains become more dangerous through the fall and into winter. Some hikes that were simply a stroll in the heat of summer might require extra training and experience or simply be off limits in the fall and winter, until spring after the snow has receded. Extra attention and respect should be given to adventures in wild places through this time of year.

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above: Lunch break on Crown Mountain, overlooking Vancouver. Photo: Leigh McClurg

Here is a short list of some popular local hikes that can become treacherous in winter. While these places are more dangerous, they aren’t unreachable. Consider looking into courses in avalanche safety, backcountry skiing, and winter camping so that you too can experience the mountains we have around us through all four seasons of the year.

PANORAMA RIDGE This Garibaldi Provincial Park hike is high on most people’s wish lists in the Lower Mainland. It offers a world-class view and a picturesque hike that also makes you earn your lunch at the top. Getting to the viewpoint in summer is about 15kms one way with close to a mile of uphill climbing. In late fall and winter, the distance alone can become unreasonable to cover. Deep snow through Taylor Meadows, the exposure to wind along the ridge as well as avalanche terrain 42 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

and sections of ice hard snow can make the route treacherous. Due to the amount of elevation that is gained, it can be common to feel warm in the sun at the Rubble Creek trailhead but later find yourself wading through the knee-deep snow by Taylor Meadows, bracing against subzero temperatures.

MOUNT SKY PILOT A difficult but popular mountain to climb in summer, it can become more difficult to ascend to its summit in winter. Few people will continue along the rocky ridge to the top once the ledges begin to get wet and filled with fresh snow. The area below Sky Pilot has become popular with individuals ski touring in winter. Snowshoeing has also become popular in this area. It’s worth noting that the avalanche terrain beyond the Sea To Sky Gondola becomes increasingly complex as you continue towards Sky Pilot. Travel beyond the

recommended trails near the top of the gondola is recommended only for those with experience avoiding avalanches and also performing a rescue should one occur.

LAKE LOVELY WATER Another local lake that is quickly becoming extremely popular as hikers, and others, are choosing to either fly in via helicopter or float plane or cross the wide Squamish River by canoe, stand-up paddleboard or inflatable raft. However, it is worth noting that the popular Tantalus Hut that sits along the shores of the lake closes in early October most years and is not accessible through the winter. While the lake is still reachable, the trail to it can become treacherous as you transition through the frozen and icy ground along the sometimesprecipitous trail. A destination that is highly recommended to visit during the warm months of summer.

SUMMIT HIKES IN THE NORTH SHORE MOUNTAINS Through the fall, winter and spring the North Shore mountains that straddle the Sea to Sky Highway and make up the majority of the Vancouver skyline become notorious for search and rescue incidents. While steep in nature, and relatively safe in summer, they can become particularly dangerous when

covered in snow. The terrain is complex and varied. With snow covering the trail it can be easy to get lost in the forest and end up stuck above icy cliffs or loose gullies. Cornices, overhanging shelves of snow, can become common along ridges, masking where the ground is below you and can collapse, triggering an avalanche, as you walk on them. Great care should be taken in these mountains to always be

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prepared with warm clothing, extra food and a good knowledge of being able to navigate back to safety should the trail become covered in fresh snow. With all of this said, many experienced individuals will continue to visit these locations in winter, on snowshoes or skis. With the right education and experience, you can make travel in the mountains in winter an enjoyable and safe experience. •

top left: Dealing with snowy and icy rocks on Mount Brunswick. above right: Hiking up towards Sky Pilot in early winter. above left: Cold temperatures lead to iced up eyelashes in winter. Photos: Leigh McClurg

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Best-in-class beverages in Squamish? By OLIVIA BEVAN

T’S no secret that Squamish has earned a reputation for adventure. But you might be surprised to learn it’s also gaining a reputation for producing excellent handcrafted beverages made by world-class brewers.

From locally made craft beer, spirits, and mead, to artisan cider and wine, whether you’re rewarding yourself after a day of adventure or embracing the opportunity to sip a boutique beverage against a breathtaking backdrop, Squamish has it. Well-established craft brewers such as Howe Sound Brewing, A-Frame Brewing, and Backcountry Brewing and cocktail lounge Gillespie’s Fine Spirits, all already have an avid fan base in this formerly small and sleepy logging town that is now home to approximately 20,000 residents, according to Statistics Canada’s latest count, and hundreds of thousands of tourists each year. Cider and wine though are so new to town the ink has barely dried on the map. The soon to open Cliffside Cider on Second Ave. is located in the funky artisan downtown 44 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

south part of Squamish locals call – “Ted Town” after municipal councillor Ted Prior who owns a lot of property in that area. The cidery resulted from a collaboration of like-minded locals who shared the vision of creating great-tasting ciders with “honest” flavours, in a space with a community feel, explained partner and managing director, Rob Weys.

“We will be making seven or eight different ciders…”

“We will be making seven or eight different ciders including a dry apple cider, a dessert cider, a pear cider (also called Perry), and ciders using different regional BC fruits,” Weys said. Scheduled to open any day

now, Cliffside will offer a tasting lounge and daily tours, as well as the chance to meet co-owner and cider maker, Tom Hackett. If you’re looking for an alternative beverage to beer or wine, cider could be it, said Weys. Being gluten-free and boasting fewer calories, it fits in with current healthy lifestyle trends, and is better for the environment in terms of waste, he said, adding the aim is to produce zero waste. With beer, cider and spirits checked off the list, it seems only natural for wine to have a home in Squamish too. When four Squamish residents combined a passion for music and wine, the outcome was two quality vintages by Mash Records Wine, with a third to follow soon. The newly-opened Squamish eatery, The Joinery, is serving a wine menu created by Mash Record founders, featuring wines of which they’re proud of and

right: Jimmy King, co-founder of the Joinery Restaurant. opposite page :

Cliffside Cidery operations manager Tom Hackett and partner Rob Weys, photographed at Newport Beach. Photos: David Buzzard

personally love to enjoy, said Mash co-founder, Jimmy King. Though current licensing restricts Mash Records’ manufacturing to the U.S., “As soon as the liquor licence allows it… we’ll be doing it here in Squamish,” said King. When they receive licensing approval, their location will be alongside The Joinery. “Over time, we’ll be introducing our style and our craft,” said King, who explained they hope to source everything as locally as possible, including grapes from the Okanagan. In the meantime, you’ll also find a supply of their wine at the Squamish BC Liquor Store (40204 Glenalder Place). Could there be more craft

beverage makers to come? Both Weys and King believe so and explained that Squamish is just in its infancy with huge potential for growth. As with so many other local businesses, the community has been incredibly supportive of craft brewers who are, themselves, supportive of one another, explained King.

While the future, as always, is unpredictable, there’s no doubt that Squamish is becoming a fascinating incubator for entrepreneurs who are trying to work where they play, while avoiding a daily commute north or south. For details visit mashrecordwines.com and cliffsidecider.com. •

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Entrepreneurial Nation

By PAT JOHNSON

ELMAR Williams, who is from the Squamish and Lil’wat Nation, grew up among elders speaking the traditional language and singing traditional songs. His family fished in the Fraser River to sustain themselves throughout the year.

When he grew up, he combined his love of the outdoors with his dedication to his heritage and has created a career – a lifestyle, really – leading people through wilderness expeditions that integrate Indigenous learning and primitive skills. He is a certified mountain hiking guide who leads big game 46 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

hunts and works with Outward Bound, where he recently ran the first Indigenous instructor development program. He is also involved with the Wilderness Living Project, which teaches ancient earth-based skills in the Elaho Valley and elsewhere. His own business, Two Worlds Guiding Company, offers

tailored outdoor adventures for individuals, groups and schools. The name of his business comes from William’s vision of his place in the world. “I’m really drawn to the raven because it’s a messenger between two worlds,” he says. “I like to combine the native world and the non-native world, as a messenger.”

Some of his skills were honed at the Boulder Outdoor Survival School, in Colorado, where he walked through the desert for two weeks with no knife, matches or other equipment except a five-by-five-foot cotton blanket, a toothbrush, and a camera. Using friction to make fire and surviving on foraged food, fish and rodents

opposite page: Delmar Williams, photographed in Whistler. Photo: David Buzzard

caught in crude traps, Williams says, “I learned how to live with nothing.” He also teaches at public and private schools, as well as for Quest University’s business program. “I’ll go there and do a little bit of Aboriginal stuff and then also some primitive skills, go for a day hike,” he says. “I’m a guide but I also have all the first-aid and I can teach traditional native skills, so it all kind of blends together. I’m an all-rounder.” He is also on a lifetime mission to master every form of archery, he does drum-making and is a carver. Throughout the Vancouver 2010 Winter Olympics, Williams accompanied a master carver doing traditional carving demonstrations in Whistler. The products of this work are visible in the house posts at the Squamish Lil’Wat Cultural Centre and in the 27-foot totem pole near the IGA in Whistler. For those who Williams leads in programs, his objective is succinct: “I want to be able to take them through an experience, have them have a little bit of craftsmanship at the end, a little bit of self-reliance.” Williams’ life and career path are somewhat unique, but he is one of the hundreds of members of the Squamish Nation with something important in common. He has benefited from an entrepreneurial initiative with a success rate that is turning heads in native and non-native communities. In 2000, the Squamish Nation ended a 23-year legal battle around land claims that included Kitsilano Point in Vancouver, much of Squamish and parts of North Vancouver. The history

of Kits Point was particularly painful. In 1877, 35 hectares at the south end of what is now the Burrard Bridge, were set aside for the Squamish people. Three decades later, the provincial government expropriated the land in order to expand the City of Vancouver. The lawsuit, initiated exactly a century after the broken promise in 1977, dragged on until an out-of-court settlement granted the Squamish Nation $92.5 million in lieu of the contested land. The approximately 3,000 members of the nation each received a dividend at the time and the rest of the money was put into a trust. Geena Jackson, small business officer for the Squamish Nation, says that, depending on the stock market, the trust can generate $700,000 to $1.2 million annually, which is then invested into priorities including housing, education, elders, recreation, and entrepreneurship.

“We have 4,000 members, and 50 per cent of our members are under the age of 25.” It is the latter priority that has helped Williams and more than 400 other members launch or expand successful businesses. “I started with the Squamish Nation Trust 10 years ago,” says Jackson. “We had a very limited amount of entrepreneurs – some artists, some people who owned a couple of catering companies … and then over the last 10 years, it’s increased to 460 people.”

Jackson’s office publishes the Squamish Nation Small Business Directory, the pages of which have burgeoned over the decade. Most of the businesses listed have either received seed funding from the program or the principals have participated in the trust’s entrepreneurship classes, which include business fundamentals, marketing, social media and building your own website. “We support about 50 to 60 entrepreneurs per year,” Jackson says, with each receiving about $2,500 to $6,000 through a twostage process. Along the way, the Squamish Nation has nabbed four B.C. Aboriginal Achievement Awards in three years, recognizing the best of Aboriginal entrepreneurship in the province. The fact that 10 per cent of the community are business owners – and the program has an 80 per cent retention rate – is due in part to the mutual support of the community and the participants in the program, who find support among one another as they meet the challenges of entrepreneurship. The Squamish Nation’s demographics also help, she adds. “We have 4,000 members, and 50 per cent of our members are under the age of 25,” she says. “So we’ve got a lot of young entrepreneurs that are up-andcoming.” The level of success surprises Jackson and others. “It’s ridiculous,” she says, laughing. “We are like superstars. People are always waiting to see what Squamish is doing. It just shows how fast-forward thinking all of our members are. And it’s all about community … and with the community comes confidence.” •

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Going out after dark in Squamish By MELANIE GREEN

ARINA Leveque’s family has owned businesses in Squamish for three generations. Her great-grandfather, among the first loggers to brave the forests, was well known for throwing lively barn parties. In line with family tradition, Leveque is the owner and head bartender of The Knotty Burl – one of the best places to experience nightlife in Squamish. If you want to put on those dancing pants or just do something different, this is the place. “Our prices are a lot cheaper than Vancouver with smaller shows and a smaller venue,” she says. Born from a genuine desire to meet the after-dark needs of a growing community, Leveque is no stranger to the late-night business, having owned the Ruddy Duck Bar and Grill across the street years prior. “We don’t just wanna be a nightclub. We want to be a meeting spot,” she says. Jose and Kevin Cunha, two local artists who own a construction company in town, built the refined downtown space with their bare hands. They previously created floats for Burning Man and Leveque 48 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

says the designs just “flowed out.” Most of the materials were recycled, including 90 per cent of the wood. Leveque brings in bands and DJs from all over the world, like Mexico City or Prague. But, dancing isn’t all there is to do. “It’s not just a party spot. We are really trying to showcase talent and show people something they haven’t seen before,” she says. Once a month, you can catch either comedy or a burlesque show in an intimate setting with candlelit tables. If you’ve had a long day outdoors, you might just want to kick back with a beer. Then, Backcountry Brewing is the answer. A new locals’ favourite, the tables are communal and the vibe is somewhat rustic. Families are welcome, and the staff is open

and engaging. None of their beers are filtered and “all are true to form,” says Marc Roberts, part owner, and craft brew industry veteran. And, if you’re hungry, the pizza is the most popular thing on the menu, highlighting seasonal and often local ingredients.

“It’s not just beer… it’s the atmosphere too.”

“It’s not just beer… it’s the atmosphere too,” says Roberts. “You can meet old friends and make some new ones at the same time.” Roberts was inspired to open this year and saw an up-and-

coming craft beer scene in Squamish. There are taps on rotation and the brewery boasts over 30 styles of beers and counting. Other notable places for a brew include A-Frame Brewing, Howe Sound Brew Pub or The Watershed Grill, a popular hangout for both sweaty construction workers and tired mountain bikers and it has screens for the game. Or there is The Copper Coil Still & Grill downtown, where live music jams on certain nights. If just having a brew doesn’t satisfy you, shimmy down to the craft cocktail spotlight of Squamish, Gillespie’s Fine Spirits. The sound of the saxophone belting out of a record player will greet you at the door of what looks like a warehouse. It’s not.

above: James Patry and Karina Leveque, owners of The Knotty Burl. Photo: Geoff Howard Photography above right: Backcountry Brewing partners Marc Roberts, Ben Reeder, John Folinsbee, Adam Sternberg, and Rajiv Sandu. Photo: David Buzzard opposite page: Partiers wait outside the Knotty Burl nightclub in downtown Squamish. Photo: Geoff Howard Photography

District - Discover - 17171.indd 1

The 1920s-inspired room is cozy and dimly lit, with a provocative menu full of one hundred per cent craft cocktails. Sometimes it can echo with the sound of warm conversation and other nights it may be quieter, offering a place to unwind. Everything is made in-house. “The gin I fell in love with, it’s amazing. I drink it by itself. It’s hard to find a gin you can drink by itself,” says Chris Ward, the

only full-time bartender. He says he quit what he thought would be his perfect job to travel the world and bartend. He is proud to create a new cocktail every week, using fresh ingredients like blackberries from the shrub outside. “We do a wheat-based vodka, gin, raspberry gin, limoncello and aphrodisiac liqueur,” he adds. There are three stills tucked away behind the sitting room,

but only one is in use at a time. All were built by owner John McLellan, says Ward. Because they operate under the B.C. craft license, they only source and sell within the province. “People want a nice little warm place where they can have a couple cocktails and desserts,” explains Ward. “We’re the only people doing what we do in town.” •

Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish 49 2017-04-26 4:09| PM

Tourism for all ACCESSIBLE WINTER ACTIVITIES IN SQUAMISH By LUCIO DOGLIONI MAJER

QUAMISH’S natural landscapes, rich history and world-class facilities have been set up to provide a unique, accessible tourism experience. With so many exciting initiatives to provide adventures everyone can enjoy, it is hard to outline them all. Here are some top picks to help you plan your activities, get outside and enjoy what the district has to offer this winter.

CANADIAN ADAPTIVE CLIMBING SOCIETY Once winter is in full swing, the Canadian Adaptive Climbing Society will move its operations indoors. Every first Tuesday of the month, the society gathers between 4 to 6 p.m. at the Ground Up Climbing Centre. The not-for-profit organization grew from the desire to assist 50 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

people living with disabilities climb and its indoor climbing club nights are the perfect way to develop your skills in a controlled environment. The folks behind the society have learned to use unique rope systems to meet each climber’s needs. Among others, they have extensive experience working with people living with cerebral palsy, spinal injuries and those with missing limbs.

While some participants and volunteers consistently attend climb nights, others have never set foot in a climbing gym. To attend an upcoming climbing night contact the Canadian Adaptive Climbing Society at adaptiveclimbingsociety@ gmail.com, or visit their website at canadianadaptiveclimbing. com.

SEA TO SKY GONDOLA If you are looking to spend some time outdoors, the Sea to Sky Gondola provides an accessible way for people to connect with the natural world. Throughout winter the gondola is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. From the base camp to the summit, the Gondola is built to

above right:

Having fun at the Sea to Sky Gondola. opposite page :

Winter can be fun for everyone, no matter their abilities. Photos: Paul Bride

accommodate almost everyone. Wheelchair parking is provided adjacent to the gondola and an accessible ticket booth awaits visitors. The gondola’s cabins accommodate wheelchairs and are able to slow down for ease of access. The 10-minute ride up takes you 885 metres above sea level to a variety of spectacular views. At the summit, visitors are greeted with a wheelchair friendly patio and viewing deck. Additionally, gender-neutral accessible washrooms are available at the Summit Lodge and base camp cafe. To purchase tickets and get more info, visit www.seatoskygondola.com.

SEA TO SKY AIR For those who are trying to get a little higher, Sea to Sky Air offers a variety of scenic sightseeing tours anywhere between 900 to 2700 meters above sea level. The company has been flying in the region for more than 20 years and has made a conscious effort to provide an accessible experience. Visitors enjoy a wheelchair friendly route to the landing strip where they meet the flight crew. Wheelchairs are not permitted onto the aircraft but the Sea to Sky Air staff has experience helping visitors move from their wheelchair into a comfortable seat on the plane. To book a flight, visit www. seatoskyair.ca.

BRITANNIA MINE MUSEUM The Britannia Mine Museum is an award-winning national historic site located in Britannia

Beach, a 10-minute drive from downtown Squamish. The museum is a member of the Access 2 Entertainment Program, meaning any person living with disabilities who requires the assistance of a support person can present the Access 2 membership and receive free admission for the assistant. The mine also offers free admission for individuals helping folks who require visual support regardless of membership status. As part of the mine’s commitment to accessibility, visitors are greeted by an accessible parking lot and bathrooms. Currently, the majority of the lower site of the mine accommodates wheelchairs. The visitor centre is part of the accessible portion of the lower site – in it you can watch films, check out the exhibit on modern mining, as well as the Britannia A-Z exhibit on the history of the Britannia Beach community. Additionally, there are paved surfaces that lead to activities such as gold panning. The mine has experience providing tours and in some cases, interpreters to groups of people living with visual or auditory disabilities. With some prior planning, the Britannia Mine Museum staff is happy to coordinate a tour. For more info visit britanniaminemuseum.ca.

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inside of an accessible facility. Airhouse staff has experience working with groups of people living with disabilities. Special Olympics and Paralympics athletes have used the facilities to train. However, you don’t need to be an athlete to go, and with some prior planning, staff at Airhouse are happy to work with groups to arrange a custom session and meet visitors at their skill levels. The facility is focused on safety and coaches who oversee sessions are trained on how to accommodate visitors’ needs. Support aids can also access the facility free of charge. To book a session, visit airhouse.ca.

CANADIAN OUTBACK RAFTING Between Nov. 15 and Feb. 28 you can travel via raft down the lower Cheakamus and Squamish rivers observing, photographing and learning about wintering eagles. Each year, bald eagles gather in the Brackendale area of Squamish. This interpretive wildlife float is an opportunity to learn about these eagles, and the world-renowned area that hosts them. Canadian Outback rafting has experience working with folks living with all sorts of disabilities, and makes an effort to provide an accessible experience. For more info and to book a trip visit www. canadianoutbackrafting.com/ eagle-viewing-floats. •

For those looking to have some bouncy indoor fun, Airhouse has a wide range of trampolines as well as a skateboard mini-ramp Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 51

Squamish women keep hitting the Refresh button TWICE-ANNUAL MARKET INCREASINGLY A POPULAR DRAW FOR SHOPPERS AND VENDORS

By PAT JOHNSON

HE Sea to Sky Corridor has a huge and diverse wealth of local artisans working in almost every imaginable medium. But Squamish women Shannon Lorenz and Rachel Boguski saw one thing missing: a single space where the best of the region’s – and the province’s – creators could display their wares to the public, and where the public could access a one-stop shopping experience for unique products.

52 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

above: Crowds at the annual Refresh Market. opposite page: Rachel Boguski and Shannon Lorenz of the Squamish Refresh Market at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park in Squamish. Photos: David Buzzard

So, in 2011, they started Refresh Market. Except, when they started, it was called simply Fresh Market. “We decided to rebrand and call it Refresh,” says Lorenz. “The idea behind that was basically refreshing our vendor lineup and keeping everything fresh and exciting was something we always wanted to bring to the event. It’s been great, because actually the name of the event has always pushed us to see what we’re doing new here – the percentage of new vendors, we look at the type of activities, the type of programming, how we are marketing everything. We definitely dive right into it in the off-season and think of new ideas to make it better.” For six years, the pair has put on markets in spring and fall. Upcoming markets are Nov. 17 and 18, 2017, and April 27 and 28, 2018. In 2013, they launched a kids’ market, the next one of which will take place in fall 2018. The Friday night-Saturday events have a different vibe each day. “The Friday night has really become a bit of a locals’ night,” says Lorenz, “a fun, social night for people close by. We are lucky to have Kelly Ann Woods from Gillespie’s Fine Spirits, who makes up cocktails at the bar and we have a bit of a social evening while

getting the first look at Refresh.” The markets take place in the West Coast Railway Heritage Park and food trucks outside invite customers to leisurely enjoy the experience and come and go from the market, relax outdoors and make an experience of it. The organizers are considering ways to make the market even more enticing, possibly continuing an approach begun at the spring 2017 market.

“The Friday night has really become a bit of a locals’ night.” “We created more of a lounge setting,” says Boguski. “We brought in small cocktail tables and lights and plants and we had a tarot card reader and we just created this cool lounge space that people could have a drink and hang out and then go and enjoy shopping as well. It was such a hit at the spring market that we are thinking of expanding on that.” They’re also considering offering workshops. Boguski and Lorenz are especially pleased at the connections and partnerships that have emerged from their venture. “We have a really strong community here in Squamish

but we wanted to connect that community with the public and offer something unique to Squamish as well as the rest of the corridor and the Lower Mainland,” says Boguski. “A lot of times what will happen is people who own retail shops will come and scope the market for upand-coming makers and brands. Refresh is becoming more and more known as a place to scout out that new talent for vendors and small shops.” In terms of geographic representation, they estimate that about 30 per cent of the vendors are from the Sea-to-Sky area, with others coming from throughout the Lower Mainland, Salt Spring and Vancouver Island – there’s even one vendor from Alberta. Product offerings are similarly diverse, including clothing, ceramics, jewelry, dry goods, vintage home wares, food and beverage, skincare, jams and chutneys, among other things. “The great thing about Refresh is that we really are a one-stop shop for very well curated, locally made and designed goods,” Lorenz says. “Our market has quadrupled in size since the beginning. We have 100 vendors, but we receive about 400 applications from vendors wanting to participate in Refresh because people are doing great things and a lot of them are here in our community.” • Winter 2017-18 Discover Squamish | 53

Squamish locomotion

By PAT JOHNSON

HE history of rail in Squamish is as long as the many tracks that crisscross the district.

above : Craig McDowall in the restored #2 Engine at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. opposite page :

Craig McDowall runs the electric mini railway at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. Photos: David Buzzard 54 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

Squamish is synonymous with the province’s rail history thanks to the presence of one of Canada’s foremost railway heritage museums. The West Coast Railway Heritage Park is operated by the association that bears the same name and began in 1961. In the late 1980s and early 1990s, the association was looking for a permanent place to create a destination museum. By that time, the City of Vancouver had grown to such an extent that the railway hub was at the heart of the city, making it financially inaccessible unless the museum was to be on a small footprint. “You could put a railway museum on a one-acre site,” says Craig McDowall, president of

the association. “But you couldn’t move anything around. It would be a static display.” The association’s search coincided with the enthusiasm of Squamish to accommodate a new museum that could help put the town even more securely on the tourism map. “Squamish was very interested in allowing us to come into the area and set the park up because they realized that eventually, it would be a tourist attraction,” he says. The 12-acre site was ideal and hooked right into the rail network. The cavernous buildings – remnants of Squamish history as a railway hub – allow the association to store most of their most cherished artifacts indoors. The park mimics an early

20th-century railway town and includes several historic buildings, a train station, minirail, and the CN Roundhouse and Conference Centre. Among the park’s collections – the second largest of its kind in Canada – are 90 railway artifacts, the centerpiece of which are several vintage locomotives. The most famous among these is the Royal Hudson, which from 1975 to 2000 plied the North Vancouver to Whistler route for tourists and locals alike. When the boiler needed rebuilding – a job that could have cost up to $2 million – the government shut down the service. The forward-thinking Squamish planners were correct in their assessment of the museum as a tourist draw, McDowall says. Special events, including a Thomas the Tank Engine extravaganza and the

winter-themed Polar Express train ride, are among the busiest in the Squamish tourism sector’s annual calendar. Outside of these special attractions, the heritage park and conference centre is a magnet for

school tours and travellers, as well as a destination venue for parties, weddings, meetings, and events. McDowall acknowledges that the park faces a challenge in appealing to successive generations. Older audiences

often have a nostalgic connection with trains, while most children and young adults do not. The wild popularity of Thomas the Tank Engine is connecting a new generation to the love of locomotives, says McDowall, and constant innovations are in the works to keep first-time visitors and regular attendees captivated by the park’s offerings. Recently added attractions include summer drive-in movies and turning one rail coach into an escape room. The park has also recently started its own catering arm, creating revenue for the association beyond event rentals. Other new initiatives are in the works. McDowall says it’s important that repeat visitors experience something new every time – and the staff is brainstorming to ensure something fresh is always on offer. •

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Winter 2017-18

EVENTS & ACTIVITIES

OCTOBER - JANUARY Tenderfoot Hatchery

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Want to learn more about salmon? Fall is the best time of the year to visit the Tenderfoot Hatchery, just outside of Squamish. Staff at the hatchery help maintain populations of chum, coho and chinook in the Squamish waterways.

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The hatchery is open to the public 8 a.m. to 3 p.m. daily. For scheduled tours and further information, it is best to call ahead.  604-898-3657

From November to January, Squamish becomes one of North America’s hottest spots to see wintering bald eagles. These majestic birds come to feed on the salmon, and are best viewed from Eagle Run Park on Government Road. Volunteers from the Eagle Watch Interpreter Program set up every year during peak weekends in January to answer your questions.

WEEKENDS, NOV 25-DEC 17 Polar Express A treasured holiday story comes alive at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park for four weekends in November and December. Families can board a special train car and travel to the “North Pole” including Christmas music and cookies. PJs are encouraged. Details and tickets online.  www.wcra.org

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DECEMBER 1

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Squamish Santa Claus Parade

Winter Farmers’ Market

The Refresh market, one of B.C.’s leading indie marketplaces for handmade and locally designed wares, returns to Squamish in November. Vendors hailing from Pemberton to Metro Vancouver will be set up at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park, bringing a specially selected mix of clothing, jewelry, dry goods and more.  refreshmarket.ca

Santa will be touching down in Squamish and rolling down Cleveland Avenue on December 1 at 7 p.m. The parade is hosted by the Downtown Squamish BIA and includes many colourful floats from local businesses and organizations. Bring the kids and get a glimpse of the big man in the red suit at the end of the parade!  www.downtownsquamish.com

Squamish’s much-loved Farmers’ Market doesn’t come to an end during the winter months. Instead, this year the vendors will move to the Squamish Adventure Centre and the market will continue every Saturday from November 4 to December 16.  www.squamishfarmersmarket.com

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DECEMBER 16 Santa Visits the Mine Museum

DECEMBER 1-3

Santa’s sleigh is in the shop, so he’s arriving at the Brittania Mine Museum by helicopter on December 16. See the special arrival and stay for craft activities, holiday displays and kids photos with Santa and Mrs. Claus. Details and other holiday events at the museum can be found online.  www.bcmm.ca

Artisan Holiday Celebration

APRIL 27 & 28 Refresh Spring Market

Holiday music, art displays, baking and art demonstrations come to the Squamish Public Library’s foyer gallery during the day from December 1 – 3. Local Squamish artists will be displaying their works for the general public. Times and details online.  squamish.bc.libraries.coop

The Refresh Market returns again for one April weekend. Like the market’s winter counterpart, a hundred hand-picked vendors from across the Sea to Sky region will be setting up at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park. Local artists will be selling their clothing, jewelry, dry goods and more.  refreshmarket.ca

JANUARY 1 Polar Bear Dip

DECEMBER 1-3

Start your new year with a bold splash in Howe Sound. An official event hasn’t been announced yet for 2018, but swimmers traditionally go for the annual dip around noon at Newport Beach. Remember to bring a friend with warm clothes so you can warm up after the cold water.

Pancakes and Pictures with Santa Claus

APRIL Easter Egg Hunts

Santa Claus is visiting the Sea to Sky Gondola during the first weekend of December, and children of all ages are invited to a pancake breakfast and festive holiday crafts. Take photos with Santa, work on a holiday postcard and create magical reindeer treats 2,800 feet above sea level. Prices and details available online.  www.seatoskygondola.com

There will be plenty of Easter bunnies and Easter eggs to look for in Squamish come April. The Sea to Sky Gondola hosts an annual egg hunt from above, while at ground level the Squamish Firefighters Association hosts an annual hunt in Brennan Park. Dates for the annual events will be released later in the year.

JANUARY 1-29 Winter Eagle Festival and Count

DECEMBER 15 Holiday Winter Pairing Dinner at the Sea to Sky Gondola

While wintering eagles are busy all winter long, the annual bird count takes place in January. The count is organized by the Squamish Environment Society, but the Brackendale Art Gallery hosts many cultural events during the month-long Eagle Festival. Annual events include photography shows, art, music, and lectures. Watch brackendaleartgallery.com for details on this year’s programming.  brackendaleartgallery.com

Experience some holiday cheer for adults at the top of the Sea to Sky Gondola. Guests to the annual holiday dinner will be invited to enjoy wines expertly paired with locallysourced food to kick off the December season. Prices and details available online.  seatoskygondola.com www.squamishchief.com 58 | Discover Squamish Winter 2017-18

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GLUTEN FREE Many Gluten Free Options GLUTEN FREE OPTIONS OPTIONS

GreatKIDS! for Kids! GREAT FOR GREAT FOR KIDS!

Best Calamari Best Steak Best Pasta

www.pepeandgringo.net 40359 Tantalus Way, Squamish Explore modern and interactive exhibits, pan for real gold, then climb aboard a train and rumble underground. Open 7 days a week!

We are located behind Extra Foods

604-898-3606 604-898-3606

www.pepeandgringo.net www.pepeandgringo.net 40359 Tantalus Way, Squamish 40359 Tantalus Way, Squamish

2016

$ 00 3 Course 3Kids Meal Course Kids$7.00 Meal 3 Course Kids Meal $7.00

22001166

SEAFOOD SEAFOOD IN SQUAMISH IN SQUAMISH

TRIPADVISOR REVIEW

We are located behind Extra Foods We are located behind Extra Foods

@pepeschophouse

www.BritanniaMineMuseum.ca

Quality worth sharing. Introducing 100% organic Italian tomato sauce and meats made from pork raised without the use of antibiotics. Choose one of our 35+ recipe pizzas or create your own delicious masterpiece.

15 –1347 Pemberton Avenue SQUAMISH Panago - Discover - 17177.indd 1

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FOR ADVENTURE

AMISH 2017

DISCOVER Squamish

where the ocean meets the mountains in Sea to Sky country. It is the home of incomparable outdoor recreation and unforgettable West Coast culture. iking, hiking, mountain climbing, windsurfing, sailing. Home of the famous Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival, the epic Sea to Sky Gondola, ale and so much more! Squamish has a unique arts & culture community and an unsurpassed variety of places to shop, dine & relax.

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visitorschoice.com

Like us. Follow us. Get VC on your mobile.

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RECREATION CENTRE

Finch Dr

To Vancouver

Discovery Way

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Tantalus Pl

Newport Ridge Dr.

Cheakamus Way

Diamond Rd

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Squamish Business Park

Midway

38 Tantalus Rd.

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HARDWIRED FOR ADVENTURE

SQUAMISH 2017

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

CAFES & RESTAURANTS

1 Executive Suites Hotel & Resort, Squamish 40900 Tantalus Road 604-815-0048 executivesuitessquamish.com

13 Norman Rudy’s 40900 Tantalus Road 604-815-7978 gibbonswhistler.com/ norman-rudys

2 Mountain Retreat Hotel & Suites 38922 Progress Way 604-815-0883 squamishmountainretreathotel.com

14 Panago Pizza 15- 1347 Pemberton Avenue 250-310-0001 panago.com

ATTRACTIONS 3 ArtInBc.com & Anissimoff Fine Art 2575 Mamquam Road 604-907-0888 artinbc.com 4 Britannia Mine Museum Sea to Sky Highway (Highway 99) South of Squamish 1-800-896-4044 BritanniaMineMuseum.ca 5 Squamish Rafting Company 38145 Second Avenue 1-888-498-4677 squamish-rafting.com 6 Squamish Valley Golf Club and Club House Restaurant 2458 Mamquam Road 604-898-9691 - Toll Free: 1-888-349-3688 squamishvalleygolf.com 7 West Coast Railway Heritage Park 39645 Government Road 604-898-9336 wcra.org

AUTOMOTIVE 8 Fred Hinchliffe Automotive 2595 Mamquam Road 604-898-9845 9 Triton Automotive and Industrial/Napa 1003 Industrial Way 1 800-790-6434 tritonautoindustrial.com

BREWERIES & DISTILLERIES

15 Pizzalicious & Squamish Donair Shop 38163 Cleveland Avenue 604-567-2020 pizzalicious.ca 16 Saha Eatery 38128 2 Avenue 604-567-5888 sahaeatery.ca 17 Squamish Valley Golf Club and Club House Restaurant 2458 Mamquam Road 604-898-9521 ext.2 squamishvalleygolf.com/ restaurant 18 Sunflower Bakery Cafe 38086 Cleveland Avenue 604.892.2231 sunflowerbakerycafe.com

DEEP SEA TERMINALS 19 Squamish Terminals 37500 Third Avenue 604-892-3511 sqterminals.com

DISTRICT OF SQUAMISH 20 Municipal Hall 37955 2nd Avenue 604-892-5217 squamish.ca

EMPLOYMENT SERVICES 21 WorkBC Employment Services Centre 302 - 37989 Cleveland Avenue 604-815-4550 squamishesc.com

GROCERIES/FRESH FOOD

LANDSCAPING 25 Coast Aggregates - Landscape Depot 2600 Centennial Way 604-898-6005 coastaggregates.com

MORTGAGE 26 The Mortgage Studio 38155 2nd Avenue 604-892-4647 micheleellis.com

NOTARY 27 Cam Sherk Notary Public 201 - 38142 Cleveland Avenue 604-567-8711 camsherknotary.com

OPTICIANS/DISPENSING 28 Precision Optical 1362 Pemberton Avenue 604-892-5615 precisionoptical.ca

PET CARE 29 Ruff Stuff Dog Services 40667 Government Road 604-733-6483 ruffstuff.ca

REAL ESTATE 30 RE/MAX Sea to Sky Real Estate 38261 Cleveland Avenue 604-892-3571 remax-squamish.com 31 Royal LePage Black Tusk Realty 3 - 1900 Garibaldi Way 604-898-5904 blacktuskrealty.com

RECREATION AND ENTERTAINMENT 32 Brennan Park Recreation Centre 1009 Centennial Way 604-898-3604 squamish.ca

RETAIL

10 Backcountry Brewing 405 - 1201 Commercial Way 604-567-2739 backcountrybrewing.com

22 Nesters Market 710 - 1200 Hunter Place 604-815-0733 nestersmarket.com/squamish

33 Anna’s Interiors 38052 Cleveland Avenue 604-892-6369 annasinteriors.ca

10 Gillespie’s Fine Spirits 8 - 38918 Progress Way 604-390-1122 gillespiesfinespirits.com

23 Save On Foods 1301 Pemberton Avenue 604-892-5976 saveonfoods.com

34 Canadian Tire 1851 Mamquam Road 604-898-2227 canadiantire.ca

CAFES & RESTAURANTS 12 Mag’s 99 Fried Chicken and Mexican Cantina 1584 Highway 99 604-898-9810 Find us on Facebook @mag’s99friedchickenandmexi cancantina

HOME AND GARDEN 24 Rona Home Centre Squamish 39009 Discovery Way 604-892-3551 rona.ca

Emergency: CALL 911 Non Emergency call: RCMP: 604-892-6100 Squamish Municipal Hall: 604-892-5217 Squamish General Hospital: 604-892-5211 Dog Pound: 604-815-6866

35 Empire of Dirt 38066 Cleveland Ave 604-848-6222 empireofdirtsquamish.com

RETAIL 36 Garibaldi Village II 40204 - 40282 Glenalder Place garibaldivillage.com 37 Home Hardware 610 - 1200 Hunter Place 604-892-3711 homehardware.ca 38 iRepair 5-40437 Tantalus Rd - The Spectacle Building 604-849-2857 irepair.ca 39 Marks 40270 Glenalder Place 604-892-5855 marks.com 40 Sound Runner 7B - 1319 Pemberton Avenue 604-892-3300 Find us on Facebook@ squamishsoundrunner 41 The Hive 38014 Cleveland Avenue 604-815-4483 Find us on Facebook@ thehivehome

SCENIC TOURS 42 Glacier Air Squamish Municipal Airport 46001 Government Road 604-898-9016 glacierair.com 43 Sea to Sky Air Squamish Municipal Airport 46041 Government Road 604.898.1975 seatoskyair.ca 44 Squamish Rafting Company 38145 Second Avenue 1-888-498-4677 squamish-rafting.com

SENIORS’ SERVICES 45 THE 55 ACTIVITY CENTRE 1201 Village Green Way 604-848-6898 squamishseniorscentre.com

VISITOR SERVICES 46 Squamish Public Library 37907 2nd Avenue 604-892-3110 squamish.bc.libraries.coop 47 Tourism Squamish 102 - 38551 Loggers Lane 604-815-4994 - Toll Free: 1-877-815-5084 exploresquamish.com #exploresquamish

THE

MORTGAGE STUDIO

Voted Best Mortgage Broker

Purchase - Renew - Refinance Whether you are purchasing a home, transferring your mortgage, refinancing to consolidate debt, or simply want to review your mortgage options, I broker results for you!

604.892.4647

mellis@telus.net | www.micheleellis.com 38155 Second Avenue, Squamish, BC

Come to my office Or I can come to you.

2016

Custom mortgage options

Discover Squamish November 2017

Articles inside

The path to the podium

Brackendale: The heart of

Valleycliffe: A destination

Container house life

Squamish: More than just looks and recreation