Читать книгу The Whistler Book - Jack Christie - Страница 12
Оглавление> 3 SQUAMISH AND PARADISE VALLEYS
> LOCATION : 76 km (47 mi) north of Vancouver, 16 km (10 mi) north of downtown Squamish, 50 km (31 mi) south of Whistler, 87 km (54 mi) south of Pemberton
> ACTIVITIES : Camping, climbing, cycling, fishing, hiking, picnicking, whitewater rafting, rock climbing, swimming, viewpoints, walking
> HIGHLIGHTS : Eagles, cataracts, swift water
THE SQUAMISH and Paradise valleys are dominated by four glacial rivers—the Cheakamus, Cheekye, Squamish, and Mamquam, which converge here before they meet the ocean.
The Cheakamus River, having almost completed its flow south from Whistler, picks up water from the Cheekye just before it joins the Squamish near Brackendale. The Mamquam River comes in from the east to add volume to the Squamish, downstream from Brackendale. As you head along the back roads leading from downtown Squamish north to the Brackendale neighborhood, then beyond into the Squamish and Paradise valleys, you’ll quickly discover easy routes on which to walk, pedal, or drive. You can choose to follow a gentle country road or a river-dike trail, none of which will prove too lengthy or vertically challenging.
The farms you pass will be small compared to the wide expanse of the Pemberton prairie to the north. Although the rich agricultural lands here were a powerful lure for the region’s first European settlers, today urbanization is putting the future of Squamish’s family farms in jeopardy. Still, a pastoral ambience prevails, making these back roads a good place to stretch your legs while enjoying seasonal colors, counting eagles, or tracing pioneer byways. The finest hops in the British Empire were once grown here and exported to England for use in brewing beer. Although the market for hops ended abruptly with the outbreak of war in 1914, a reminder of the aromatic crop’s glory days in the valley is preserved in the name Hop Ranch Creek, which drains Alice Lake.
As you journey north on Buckley Street from downtown Squamish towards Brackendale, Buckley crosses the BC Rail tracks and turns into Government Road. At the West Coast Railway Heritage Park (39645 Government Road; 604-898 -9336; www.wcra.bc.ca), vintage train cars and steam engines such as the Royal Hudson are displayed on the grounds and in a large roundhouse. The history of Squamish is interwoven with that of the railway, once the largest employer in town, and the museum has found a receptive home. One of the oldest pieces of equipment on display—and my personal favorite—is the stout-hearted 2-Spot locomotive, which went into service in Squamish with the Howe Sound and Pemberton Valley Northern Railway in 1910. Climb aboard and ring its resonant bell.
> BRACKENDALE AND CHEEKYE
Access: Follow Government Road to 7 km (4.3 mi) north of downtown Squamish, or just west of Highway 99 on Depot Road, where a large sign of an eagle is posted.
Once an important relay station on the Pemberton Trail, Brackendale was eclipsed by Squamish when that port began to grow in importance with the construction of a government wharf in 1902. Although Brackendale was located only 7.5 km (4.6 mi) north of the Squamish waterfront, it sometimes took the early travelers who arrived aboard the steamer Saturna half a day to make the journey between the two. Today Brackendale is part of the municipality of Squamish.
A large population of bald eagles has called Brackendale home since long before the arrival of Europeans. From November to March, when the tall black cottonwoods stand bare, you can see massive nests high in their branches. The eagles return each year to reclaim their penthouses, repair them, and add new nest material, and every January there is a tally of the birds’ numbers. In 1994, a world-record 3,769 bald eagles were counted along the Squamish River, making this one of the largest nesting colonies of these magnificent birds in North America. Thanks to the efforts of community leaders, Brackendale Eagles Provincial Park was created on the site in 1999.
Winter is prime time in eagle country. The best viewing spot is from the top of the dike beside Government Road, directly across from the Easter Seals Camp. From here you may see thirty or more eagles at any one time. (The Squamish River didn’t always flow this close. Longtime residents remember when hayfields stretched a kilometer west of where the dike stands. This land was flooded when the river assumed its present channel in 1940.) A wheelchair ramp leads up onto the dike from Government Road. Two benches, whimsically fashioned from driftwood, provide good perches for enjoying grand views of the river, valleys, and mountains. Information kiosks mounted on the dike, including an inspirational Skomish First Nations display, detail the natural history of eagles.
North of Brackendale, Government Road meets the Squamish Valley Road coming west from Highway 99. Signs on Highway 99 indicate the turnoff to Squamish and Paradise valleys. Just as you begin driving west from 99 towards the small Native settlement of Cheekye, also the Squamish name for Mount Garibaldi, one of the best views of Mount Garibaldi’s Atwell Peak, Dalton Dome and the red lava ridge below it rises in the east. The best time to catch it is late in the day when the sun lights up the rock face. A bridge crosses the Cheakamus River at Cheekye, and on its far side the road divides into the Squamish Valley Road to the left and the Paradise Valley Road to the right.
> SQUAMISH VALLEY ROAD
Access: 12.5 km (7.8 mi) north of downtown Squamish via Government Road; 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Highway 99 on Squamish Valley Road. On the west side of the Cheekye Bridge the road divides. To the left, the Squamish Valley Road continues northwest while to the right the Paradise Valley Road heads north. Check your gas gauge before exploring the Squamish or Paradise Valley roads. The nearest gas station is in Brackendale.
Reasons for making the journey up the Squamish Valley are plentiful. In early summer, daisies, elderberries, and thimbleberries color the roadside while glaciers cloak the surrounding peaks, from the expansive Tantalus Range at the valley’s southwest corner north to the aptly named Icecap Peak and Powder Mountain, a reminder that parts of B.C. are still emerging from the most recent ice age. In July, the broad Squamish River, augmented by creeks strung like shoelaces from the receding snowline, gets low enough to entice experienced paddlers and rafters. As the water levels drop, sandbars appear, creating soft campsites for stargazers. Given that the valley rises steeply beside the road, hiking trails are few—though you can explore the well-marked High Falls scenic route, a short distance north of Cloudburst.
Partnered with the Squamish River Forest Service Road, the Squamish Valley Road runs northwest for 40 km (25 mi), winding through shady stands of tall broadleaf maples towards a small settlement informally known as Cloudburst. The Squamish River accompanies the road in places but is hidden for the most part, and this is an easy place to cycle. There’s also a particularly good viewpoint of Tantalus and Zenith mountains from the one-lane bridge across Pillchuck Creek, about 13 km (8.1 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge.
The valley is a narrow floodplain with rarely a cleared homesite. When you do spot a house, it typically sits atop large raised earthen pads or on stilt supports, which provide incomparable views of Mount Tantalus and its companion peaks. A tantalus is a stand on which crystal decanters are displayed, and Mount Tantalus certainly displays the frozen crystals on its slopes to best advantage. Tantalus is also the name of a mythological Greek king, and the names of adjacent peaks here, including Alpha and Omega, also reflect this.
Much of the first 19 km (11.8 mi) of the road passes through a series of Squamish First Nation reserves, which are posted as private property.
> SQUAMISH RIVER FOREST SERVICE ROAD
Access: 17.5 km (10.6 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge
Just past the farmyards of Cloudburst (watch for cattle on the road) is the gateway to Tree Farm 38. The Squamish Valley and the Squamish River widen here for the next 20 km (12.4 mi). By July, when water levels have usually dropped to their seasonal lows, sandbars appear and provide excellent picnicking, camping, and fishing spots. Dolly Varden char and cutthroat trout run in the silty gray river, which never warms up enough for more than a quick plunge, even on the hottest days.
Squamish River
Just north of Cloudburst a bridge spans the Squamish near its confluence with Ashlu Creek. Rough picnic and camping spots dot the far bank. The creek is one of the few major tributaries that feed the Squamish from the west.
Beyond Ashlu Creek on Squamish River Road, granite walls rise above the east side of the Squamish River, forcing the road to hug the slopes. You soon pass BC Hydro’s Cheakamus powerhouse. It receives water pumped through a tunnel from Daisy Lake—a reminder of how interconnected this valley is with Whistler.
Cars are often parked near a water tower north of the powerhouse. This is a good spot to begin a hike of the High Falls Creek Trail or to launch a raft, kayak, or canoe. In summer the current here is often ideal for a leisurely paddle downstream. If you’re traveling with a group, leave one vehicle at the tower and another at one of several locations along Government Road, or even at the Squamish Spit, for when you pull out of the river. You can then drive back with a partner to reclaim the vehicle at the water tower.
> HIGH FALLS CREEK TRAIL
Access: 20 km (12 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge Ability Level: Intermediate
Picture yourself standing beside a towering torrent of water falling with such force that the ground shakes like the boxcars coupling in the Squamish railway yards. Welcome to High Falls, one of the most powerful places I’ve ever visited around Whistler—which says a lot.
From the well-marked trailhead just north of the powerhouse, the High Falls Creek Trail follows the north side of the creek from which it takes its name. On busy days, parked vehicles line the shoulders of the road at this popular location.
This is a challenging fourto five-hour hike (best undertaken May through October), though hikers can make use of fixed ropes as they scramble hand-over-hand across outcroppings on the steepest stretches of the rock-and-root trail. The trail is not recommended for young children. Viewpoints of the falls, the Tantalus Range to the northwest, and the Squamish River as it braids its way through the valley below await you along the 6 -km (3.7-mi) route. Some require short detours to reach. In places, signs warn of treacherous footing and steep drop-offs. That said, the greatest threat along this well-worn trail is dehydration.
The canyon into which High Falls Creek cascades is so steep and narrow that what lies above and below is not revealed at any viewpoint— only a slice of white effervescence endlessly repeating itself as plummeting water shatters into millions of droplets. The hydraulic motion is so hypnotic that you’ll be hard-pressed to pull yourself away.
Expect to catch your first good look at the falls after an hour of steady climbing. The higher you hike, the better the views. Eventually, the trail leads away from the falls into a forested zone of welcome quiet before connecting with the Branch 200 Road. Rather than retrace your steps, you may well decide to descend along this open road that leads 4.5 km (2.8 mi) to the Squamish River Forest Service Road. From there it’s a 1.6 -km (1-mi) ramble south back to the trailhead. Along the way you’ll be rewarded with some of the best views of the Squamish Valley seen all day.
> ELAHO RIVER
Access: 39 km (24.2 mi) from the Cheekye River Bridge
Almost year-round, one of the Squamish Valley’s most compelling sights is the hundreds of small glacier-fed waterfalls that pour off the mountains on the western side. The silty waters of Shovelnose and Turbid creeks, cascading down off the slopes of Mount Cayley, Mount Fee, and Brandywine Mountain above, pass beneath the road as it nears the northern end of the valley. Stop at one of several bridges for panoramic look-arounds in the area. The ragged crest of Mount Cayley is particularly distinctive.
A bridge leads across the Squamish next to its confluence with the Elaho River. Here, at last, a half-hour drive from Cloudburst, are easily reached sites along the river for picnicking and camping. A short, steep, rocky access road descends to riverside beside the bridge. (Check from the bridge for a good place to park and spread out.) Above, vast icefields spill down the slopes of the Pykett and Icecap peaks to the west.
The Elaho main road climbs, in dramatic contrast to the mostly level road you’ve just traveled from Cheekye. Look down into the canyon of the Elaho River and you’ll understand how it got its reputation for danger. One mistake in a raft or kayak can lead to serious trouble. Drive slowly as you climb through this section of the canyon. Park and explore on foot for a better look. Interestingly, views of mountains and glaciers in the Squamish Valley are best when traveling south versus north. Make sure you stop and take in the big picture.
The road continues to climb above the Elaho canyon until it passes over Blanca (Maude Frickert) Creek, then enters a long level valley. The most interesting part of your journey is behind you now. Heavy logging has cleared the forest right to the banks of the Elaho in places, accounting for much of the debris that jams up the canyon— and for the scarcity of wildlife, which once thrived here. Only the moose in a protected herd farther up the valley by Sims Creek have stayed in any numbers. The southern boundary of Clendenning Park, a rugged 30,330 -ha (74,946 -acre) undeveloped provincial park set aside in 1997 as part of the proposed Randy Stoltmann Wilderness Area, lies nearby. Together with Upper Lillooet Headwater Park (see chapter 25), these two massive swaths represent a major portion of the land that Stoltmann sought to preserve prior to his death in 1994 (see sidebar, page 205).
To the northwest are the glaciers of Mount Ralph, which feed the Elaho. Over the icy peaks to the west, a short distance by air, is Princess Louisa Inlet. To the north, the Pemberton Icefield leads up towards Mount Meager. Looking back to the east, you can finally see the glaciers of the Pacific Ranges on the tops of Callaghan, Powder, and Brandywine mountains—three of the extinct volcanoes that molded this region.
BEST SWIMMING HOLE Levette Lake—wildly popular with cyclists who have pumped their way up from Squamish. The shoreline plunges quickly; to swim, hop off logs into bathtubwarm heaven.
> PARADISE VALLEY
Access: 4 km (2.5 mi) west of Highway 99 off Squamish Valley Road; 12.5 km (7.8 mi) north of downtown Squamish via Government Road. See page 60 for a detailed map of this area.
A narrow stretch of land that was carved by the Cheakamus River, Paradise Valley is flanked by high ridges on either side. Highway 99 climbs above the valley to the east, a series of small lakes lies hidden from view on the west side, and the BC Rail line charts a careful course between them. Although less than half as long as nearby Squamish Valley, Paradise has a quiet beauty all its own.
Take the right-hand road north from the bridge at Cheekye and you will be traveling on Paradise Valley Road. Paved for much of its 11.3-km (7-mi) length, the road is level—making for easy cycling, at least until you reach the Pemberton Trail. Along the way are several good picnic and fishing spots on the banks of the Cheakamus River, where fishing is strictly catch-and-release. The historic Pemberton Trail, now used as a hiking and biking trail through the Cheakamus Canyon, takes over where the road ends.
About 2 km (1.2 mi) beyond Cheekye, you pass an ecological reserve to the west and, across the road, the North Vancouver Outdoor School, where students study the environment. (The school’s conference center is available for use by other groups in summer; 604-980 -5116; www.nvsd44.bc.ca) The land on which the school stands was homesteaded by Jim Levette, who named Paradise Valley and gave his own name to a nearby lake. Several old fruit trees from his orchard still flourish on the school’s grounds. Evidence of the Pemberton Trail can be seen on the scree slope nearby.
Directly across the road from the school, a road leads up to Evans and Levette lakes. Evans is a private lake, but Levette has a public— albeit small—side to it. A 4-km (2.5-mi) road leads past Evans to Levette. Although paved as far as Evans, the road past that can be rough and muddy at times, but is graveled as it climbs towards Levette. Many visitors opt to leave their vehicles at the pullout near Evans Lake and continue on foot. The 11-km (6.8 -mi) Skyline/ Levette Lake Loop intermediate hiking trail leads uphill from here, at first following the road, then branching through the forest. A detailed trail map is prominently displayed. Conditions at points along this trail have deteriorated to where caution is strongly advised. Decide for yourself whether the trail’s excellent views of Tantalus, Diamond Head, and Squamish Valley are worth the risk.
If you opt to drive to Levette Lake, bear right until confronted by a deep ditch, which some drivers consider a personal challenge to navigate; others opt to park and walk the remaining few meters. On the far side of the ditch, a boulder-strewn road leads uphill on the right to Hut Lake, a 90 -minute hike one way.
Levette Lake has an open spot for picnicking and swimming at a Forest Service recreation site that has seen better times. There are primitive campsites beside the lake and an outhouse nearby. But a lack of garbage containers (and a general disregard for the principles of no-impact camping) contributes to the trashiness of what was once a pretty little campground. Views of Omega Mountain to the west, hidden by the forest at lakeside, greet those who make the effort to get out on the water.
Just beyond the North Vancouver Outdoor School, Paradise Valley Road crosses the Cheakamus River, then Midnight Way. Local rafting companies as well as anglers launch or cast from the easily accessible riverside beside the bridge. (Midnight Way is named after the Midnight family, who homesteaded here). From here it’s possible to drive north for another 7 km (4.3 mi), but the road narrows and becomes quite rough for the last stretch. If in doubt, park beside the BC Hydro tower and walk beside the Cheakamus. The river is frigid even in the dog days of August, which is the best time to spread out on a sun-drenched gravel bar; whitewater kayakers favor this location as a put-in spot.
As it flows through Paradise Valley, the Cheakamus River is a clear emerald color dotted with stretches of whitewater. Water levels in the river are controlled by a BC Hydro dam farther upstream on Daisy Lake, near Whistler. By agreement, an even flow is supposedly guaranteed for the health of fish stocks in the river (a debatable point with local anglers). There’s good freshwater action on the Cheakamus River almost year-round, though it’s strictly catch-and-release, as is all fishing on rivers and creeks in the Squamish region. Anglers cast from the banks of the Cheakamus for coho salmon in October and November, for steelhead from late February to April, and for Dolly Varden char anytime. Best access to the banks is from the north end of Paradise Valley Road.
> THE PEMBERTON TRAIL
Access: 11.3 km (7 mi) north of Cheekye. The Cheakamus Canyon section of the trail from the north end of Paradise Valley Road to Highway 99 is about 5 km (3.1 mi) one way. Ability Level: Intermediate
The rock walls on each side of the Cheakamus River close in at the north end of Paradise Valley. From here the old Pemberton Trail once led travelers up one of the valley’s steepest sections, where traces of the route are still evident. Most cyclists find that the rocky road climbs here too steeply for them to maintain traction for long. You’ll have to dismount and push for much of the way until you reach the BC Rail tracks. From here the going is much better heading north. You can also get some good views of the Cheakamus Canyon if you walk along the trail to where it intersects with the railway. Cross the tracks to pick up the trail again. Follow along for another 15 minutes and you’ll find that even better views present themselves just north of Starvation Lake (a much prettier lake than its name suggests).
Hut, Levette, and Evans lakes lie hidden across the valley, screened from view by rolling ridges. The Tantalus Range is to the west, with Omega Mountain most prominent. Basalt rock formations beside the railway tracks remind visitors of the volcanic heritage of the region. Another good view of the canyon occurs just as more of the Tantalus peaks begin to appear. The long stretch of river that is now visible below is a jade-green color that instantly turns to white froth when the river drops and encounters one of the numerous boulder gardens. The best view of all is to be had here. And even though the tracks and trail are perched high above the canyon, the ground trembles from the force of the Cheakamus as it splits into two cascading waterfalls.
Follow the Pemberton Trail north until it meets Highway 99 and you will have covered one of the most well-preserved sections of the historic route. This is also the opening segment of the epic Cheakamus Challenge mountain bike race held in September between Brackendale and Whistler (www.cheakamuschallenge.ca).
> BEST BEAK SPOTTING
NO MATTER what time of year you adventure here, Brackendale’s Art Gallery Theatre Teahouse, just north of Depot Road, makes a good stop to learn more about bald eagles (41950 Government Road; 604-898-3333; www.brackendaleartgallery.com). Open weekends and holidays from noon to 10 pm, this birders’ hot spot hosts a variety of artistic, musical, and dramatic productions and serves up steaming bowls of soup—perfect on a frosty morning. Sculptor Thor Froslev, who began building this sprawling space in 1969, is also responsible for publicizing Brackendale as the winter home of the bald eagle and helping to develop the park. The dramatic wooden signs on Highway 99, dominated by the profile of an eagle, are his creation.
> THE INSIDE TRACK
> Camping: Squamish Valley Campground (16.5 Mile Squamish Valley Road; 604-898-1145; www.campsquamish.com); Paradise Valley Campground (Paradise Valley Road; 1-800 -922-1486 or 604-898-1486; www.paradisevalleycampground.net)
> Flightseeing: Black Tusk Helicopter (Squamish Municipal Airport, 46041 Government Road; 604-898-4800; www.blacktuskhelicopter.com)
> Kayaking: The Sea to Sky Kayaking School in North Vancouver conducts tours of the Cheakamus River and other whitewater sources around Squamish (604-898-5498; www.squamishkayak.com).
> Rock Climbing: Slipstream Rock and Ice (5010 Paradise Valley Road; 1-800 -616 -1325 or 604-898-4891; www.getclimbing.com) operates a private climbing center at Paradise Valley Crags.
> Trail Riding: Sea-to-Sky Stables (Paradise Valley; 1-866-898-3934; www.seatoskystables.com) offers trail rides, guided hikes and eagle watching tours.
> Whitewater Rafting: Those in search of a lively river experience should experience rafting the Squamish when its water levels and those of a trio of its major tributaries—the Cheakamus, Cheekye, and Mamquam rivers—are on the rise, fed by snowmelt from the local mountains. Here, each May, Canadian Outback Adventures (1-800 -565-8735; www.canadianoutback.com) ramps up for another season. In operation since 1992, COA has an enviable record not only for safely guiding rafting trips but also as a training center for aspiring river guides. (COA also runs special rafting trips for families with young children.) Their river of choice is the Cheakamus, which flows past COA’s base on Squamish Valley Road. Rafters are bused from base camp to a put-in location farther north in Paradise Valley, where the river broadens after its long run through the narrow Cheakamus Canyon. The Sunwolf Outdoor Centre, situated beside the Cheekye River Bridge, offers a variety of year-round adventure tours of the region, including eagle-watching and rafting. Sunwolf also has cabins available for rent (1-877-806 -8046; 604-898-1537; www.sunwolf.net).
From out on the river, views of the Squamish and Paradise valleys open on all sides. This is a remarkably scenic location, dominated by peaks in both Garibaldi Park to the east and the Tantalus Range to the west. Whistler River Adventures (1-888-932-3532; www.whistlerriver.com) also offers guided rafting on the Cheakamus, Elaho, and Squamish rivers.
