Adventure 16 Blog » Kayaking & Climbing Vancouver and Squamish, British Columbia, Canada

By Molly Ewen, A16 Apparel Buyer
Aug 28- Sept 1, 2008

Day 1: We took advantage of the beautiful weather in Vancouver and went kayaking around English Bay and Stanley Park for the day. Rented single person sea kayaks (spray skirt, PFD, etc all included) from Eco Marine Ocean Kayak Center down in Granville Island- great package deals and prices.
Day 2-3: Weather maintained, so we headed up the Sea to Sky Highway for some world class climbing in Squamish. Headed to Murrin Lake for a day of sport climbing. Murrin Lake is know for numerous sport routes for every level, all of which are easily accessible, picnic areas abound, and of course, the scenery is simply majestic. Shannon Falls were our next destination. Shannon Falls is the 3rd largest waterfall in Canada. The parking lot and trailhead are right off the highway and easily accessible, which is good and bad. The place can get crowded FAST with picnickers, sightseers, hikers, etc. Go early to enjoy the most wonderful views and peace and quiet. It is a moderate to challenging hike up, but the view from the top is worth it. At the end of the day, we headed into Squamish to chow down on some grub and local brews at the Howe Sound Inn and Brew Co. Climbers pretty much eat anything, but I have to say this really hit the spot! They serve a delectable menu of homemade goodness from classic burgers and pizza to gourmet salads and spicy curries and everything in between, all at fair prices. I highly recommend the Hefeweizen Apple Crumble!

GEAR REVIEW

TECHNICAL CLOTHING
For climbing, I always wear my Prana Organic Cotton Cargo Pants, Icebreaker BodyFit 200 Long Sleeve Scoop and/or Bodyfit 260 Tech Top, and Arc’Teryx Gamma SV Softshell. All are perfect for climbing and hiking in inclement weather. Very comfortable, durable, and keep me warm and toasty regardless of the changes in weather.  For Kayaking, I wore the Prana Elisa Capris, Icebreaker Tech Tee lite, Olukai Haiku flip-flops, and Kaeonon Klemm polarized sunglasses.

FOOTWEAR
I am all about comfort, especially for all day/multi-day trips. Montrail Continental Divide are my new favorite trail shoes as they provide great traction and support for a pronator like myself. For climbing, I live by my La Sportiva women’s Mythos. The most comfy and versatile climbing shoe, and happens to fit me like a glove.

ACCESSORIES
Climbing gear: mix of Black Diamond & Metolious draws; all Metolious hardwear (cams, buts, biners); Bluewater Accelerator 10.5 dynamic rope.

BOOKS / MAPS
Guide books: Squamish Select and Squamish Climbing Guide from Quickdraw publications.

THINGS TO BEWARE OF OR TO AVOID NEXT TIME: There is a lot of construction on the Sea to Sky highway in preparation for the next Winter Olympics. Be prepared for traffic- we encountered some slowing, some stopping, falling rocks, lots of sightseers stopping randomly to snap a photo, etc.

TIPS: It’s always best to notify your Bank and Credit Card companies of your travels, particularly when traveling internationally. This is not only a safe guard to help protect your identity, but it can also help you save a few bucks in the end. International ATM’s usually need a 4-digit pin, so you may need to change your ATM pin. Also, if you are like me and never use Traveler’s Checks and rely on Credit Cards and ATMs, familiarize yourself with your Bank/Credit Card’s traveling fees. Most banks charge a flat fee for every ATM transaction, and may limit the amount you can withdraw in one transaction. Also, credit cards may hit you twice by (1)charging an exchange fee for every credit card purchase, as well as (2) charging you up to 3-5% of each purchase total. These charges can add up quickly! Because I contacted my bank and credit card before I left, I was able to negotiate all the fees down quite a bit, and even remove some.