One of my favourite ways to relax on a weekend is to go for a hike or walk. Living in the Lower Mainland of British Columbia there is no shortage of places to get away to. I also love to take photos. I do not claim to be a professional by any stretch of the imagination. Rather, I take photos which strike a cord inside me.
One of my current favourites is: The Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC. Here is the link to what it is like: https://www.vancouvertrails.com/trails/stawamus-chief/ . Fun fact: If you watch any of the Mystery 101 movies from Hallmark which is filmed in Squamish, you will see the granite face in some of the shots around the town.
This is an easy hike which takes you to three different peaks although I have only gone to the first of three peaks. There are stairs at the beginning of the trail but they don’t last too long. Then it is a serene trail through the forest with stairs on the sections where the path has eroded. When heading up to First Peak you have to climb a small ladder. This was pretty neat for me the first time I went. Once you are almost to the top of First Peak you will get to a second ladder and then a chain section to make it up a big granite boulder. It made me feel like I was an explorer!
If you plan on going to The Chief, I would recommend getting there early for a parking spot. Also, if you are going in the spring and get there before the crowd, it may be cool. I would suggest you have a light weight pair of pants to put over top your shorts. You will warm up quickly and then can roll up your pants and put them in your daypack. If you bring a snack to the top be aware there are chipmunks that aren’t afraid to crawl into your daypack! If you, like me, aren’t a fan of heights stay away from the edge once you get to the top. It is a long way down! My son terrified me when he came with me as he walked to the edge to look for any rock climbers coming up the granite face.
For other really interesting hikes around the Lower Mainland I suggest getting the book: https://105hikes.com/ My daughter gave this to me as a birthday present a few years ago. It is a definite favourite.
