Sea to Sky in Squamish

After a coffee at Tim Horton's, we set off for Squamish in our rental car. The Sea to Sky Highway runs along one of the countless fjords in BC, making the drive itself a true pleasure. We decide to take the gondola to get to the area a little faster. Even this ride is a true delight, with a view of the fjord and granite walls below us that would be perfect for some nice climbing pitches.

Once we arrive at the top, we do the Tomahawk throwing to avoid an early end to the hike. The plan is to do a peak round tour over an unnamed summit. After a winding path through the deep green forest, we reach a first granite plateau that offers a fantastic view. A little later, we meet an older lady on the way, who sets a good pace. So we hike and chat until we reach her destination, which offers an unparalleled view. As it turns out, the woman is from Squamish and does this hike every Sunday morning. Yes, Canadian seniors are quite fit.

Now the regular trail is over and the path is no longer so clearly visible. Unfortunately, we took this photo at the worst possible moment.

And just like that, we're lost in the backcountry. Canadians like to mark trails with brightly colored fabric strips, so you usually find the way pretty well. The problem here is that some joker seems to have randomly distributed these strips in the forest. So we follow the sparse fabric strips through mosquito-infested bushes and over steep slopes until we finally give up and turn back. After another struggle with the bushes, we pass by the devastating waypoint where we took the photo an hour and a half ago. Lo and behold, a junction with several clearly visible signs. Unfortunately, it's already too late to follow the path towards the summit. And what do we learn from this? Don't just look through the screen of your phones, especially when you're out in nature.

After enjoying the beautiful view once more, we head back towards the mountain station and treat ourselves to a cold beer. I was really annoyed about missing the junction, and by the way, I'm convinced that we only narrowly escaped several attacks by mountain lions or something. But it was a fun and impression-rich day on the west coast of Canada.