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Sea to Sky (Squamish to Whistler)

International > N America > Canada > British Columbia

Description

This is the area along highway 99 between Squamish and Whistler. It includes such crags as Cheakamus Canyon, Rogues Gallery, Alice Lake and many more. Some are just a few km north of Squamish others up to half an hour drive up the highway.

While it's very close to Squamish and the Chief, the rock is quite different. It's still granite, but it's of a much more smooth and compact nature. It rarely lends itself to trad climbing, but makes for excellent sport climbing. This area is home to many hundreds of sport climbs of all grades, right up to 5.14c.

The climbing tends to be vertical or overhanging and there's enough variety to find huge roof routes, vertical crimp-fests, endurance marathons as well as bouldery power routes. While the climbing tends toward 5.11 and higher, there are some excellent, properly bolted 5.9 and 5.10 routes as well.

One of this area's notable features, in addition to excellent climbing, is the possibility to climb in the rain on quite a number of routes.

Getting There

Starting from Squamish, head north on highway 99. Various side roads, forest service roads and pullouts will take you to each of the areas.

Camping

Basing yourself in Squamish probably makes the most sense if you intend to climb in this area for multiple days since it's the closest place for food and non-climbing diversions. Alice Lake Provincial Park has camping and will put you closer to some of the climbing (see env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explo…).

I'm not aware of any camping from which you could walk to the main areas. Let me know if there is and I'll update this information.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Following second pitch of "Star Chek"
[Hide Photo] Following second pitch of "Star Chek"
Alex enjoying the overhanging granite of an the Leonard Cohen Crag near the Cheakamus canyon.  As far as we know, this climb is 5.12b.  We were able to climb this and a few others in the rain.
[Hide Photo] Alex enjoying the overhanging granite of an the Leonard Cohen Crag near the Cheakamus canyon. As far as we know, this climb is 5.12b. We were able to climb this and a few others in the rain.