Am looking into going to Squamish this summer. I am going in july for an about six weeks and won't have a car. Anyone have good beta on free camping, good food,getting around, climbing ect.?

I should flesh out this sort of information in the Squamish section. In the mean time, here are my suggestions:

- If you're going for six weeks, it's more than worth it to get a guidebook (the links are in the Squamish area). Have it delivered and you can read up about the camping etc. ahead of time.

- Check out this site: http://www.district.squamish.bc.ca/visitors/default.aspx

- Camping is available at the base of the Chief. It's literally a stone's throw from the wall and cheap. No reservations as far as I can tell (http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/stawamus.ht>>>>>, but vehicle accessible is $9/day, so walk-in should be less. There are other places to camp as well, some are "free" but without a car you're better off at the Chief.

- You can walk from the Chief (and the camping) to the center of town (ie. supermarket, etc.), but once you're in the campground you can probably hook up with others and carpool as well.

- To get to the Smoke Bluffs (mostly single pitch) or Murrin Park (good mix of sport and trad) you'll probably want to carpool or hitchhike.

- Take lots of picture and post them, along with route descriptions, on the site.

I used to climb at Squamish quite a bit and could always find a free camping spot on the Spit. You have to manuever through some neighborhoods to get there but if follow all the windsurfers to where they park you'll find it or ask a local. It's about a mile walk from Smoke Bluffs. It has been a few years since I've been up there so I don't know if anything has changed and I'm not sure you will be able to poach for 6 weeks but you shouldn't have a problem finding a room to rent. it's pretty easy to hitch hike between Squamish, Chuckamus and Whistler so don't sweat not having a car, or just get a junker bike to get around. Everything in town is within walking distance anyway. Good luck and have fun! The climbing there rules!

The camping on the spit is quite a bit further than one mile from the smoke bluffs. I would say it's more like 5 miles. You would definately want a car if you were out there.

You could try to find some other climbers who will be there long term and split the cost of a single site at the climber's campground beneath the Chief.

enjoy the climbing...it's world class.

The chief campground is the best bet, try to get with someone else there cuz last time I checked you can pack like six campers per site and divide the site fee. Plus its CLOSE; to all routes along the base of the chief, the tantalus wall, the apron, and to the great bouldering under the canopy. The walk to town can get a bit long but there is always people who pick up hitchhikers right next to the pullout of the campground.
There are buses that run everyday from Vancouver to Squamish, last time I went it was like 15-20 bucks. But I had to take a taxi from the airport to downtown, got in late and the buses had stopped running.
Once you get into squamish go to the hostel right off the road after you cross the main bridge heading into town, its on the right and hard to miss. Great place to network with other climbers and best place in town for a shower. When I was there showers were like 2 bucks. The other place for a shower is a bit further away, the rec center. But for a few bucks you can take a shower, swim and enjoy the hot tub.
Enjoy the trip and if you meet up with a guy named Gord, Grand, or Jotham tell them Terry says hey!!! Great guys and great climbers, cant beat the locals up there for sure!!

Oh yeah food... the brewery in town is the hangout for climbers, there is a good pizza joint and some other great food along the main drag in downtown.

Climbs: Bouldering: pretty much anywhere under the canopy
Trad: The apron is great, Deidre 5.8
Snake 5.9
Base of grand wall, Exasperator 5.10c?
Smoke Bluffs, Mosquito 5.8, Smoke Bluff Connection
Sport: Murin Park: Great place to cool down after a long day on the rock, big lake you can skinny dip in after the yocals vacate in the eveing. Just beware they close the gate and ticket your car if you are in the lot after hours.

Enjoy!!

Thanks Ben for the clarification on mileage to the spit from the base of the Chief. It's been a few years and I would hate to lead a climber astray. My bad.

Thanks for the beta. I wish i could leave tomorrow.

Here's some more great routes to add to Terry's suggestions:

Smoke Bluffs area: Penny Lane 5.9, Crime and Punishment 5.10d, Flying Circus 5.10a, Corn Flakes 5.6, Cat Crack 5.6, Pixie Corner 5.8, Popeye and the Raven 5.10c, Quarryman 5.8

Base of the Chief:
Exasporator 5.10c, Apron Strings 5.10b, Seasoned in the Sun 5.10a/b

The Squaw:
Bird of Prey 5.10b, 6 pitches

Shannon Falls area:
Klahanie Crack 5.7 (the best hand crack i've ever seen)

camp at the chief. its fun, easy with no car and safe. the spit is beautiful, but bad without a car. you would not want to leave stuff out there as squamish has a reputation for thievery. if you split your chief site with a group it will be cheap, or certainly cheaper than the beer.

I don't mean to hijack the thread but I'm wondering what time of year is best to climb in Squamish? I notice that late May/Early June tends to have to least amount of moisture. I'm looking to make a trip there sometime next year. Thanks in advance.

It's been a slower start to the summer this year, although there have been some great days. In my limited experience, July and August are the driest, but September and October are generally very good too. The rock dries quickly in most areas.