From humble beginnings when Jim Baldwin and Ed Cooper started up the Grand Wall of the Stawamus Chief in聽May of聽1961,聽撸奶社区has聽hosted an avalanche of rock climbers seeking extremes: challenging routes balanced by a laid-back lifestyle when the harnesses are off.
Every year, thousands of climbers come聽here聽to test聽themselves聽on the granite聽boulders and聽cliffs.聽The result is a聽passionate聽group of聽Canadians and internationals聽who call聽撸奶社区home聽for聽the summer.聽
While many stake a temporary claim to a campsite within Stawamus Chief Provincial Park, others wishing to be a little closer to nature 鈥� and avoid the cost聽and regulations聽of a sanctioned campground聽鈥� opt for more freestyle camping.聽The 撸奶社区Estuary and聽along the Stawamus or Mamquam聽rivers are known to be favourite spots.聽
Whatever the accommodation, it is an interesting community and culture that forms in a climber campground 鈥� generally focused on maximizing climbing and enjoyment of life.聽
Phil Bonham, 27, and聽Claire Donley, 28, are two people who聽chose to lead parts聽of their lives聽in聽this聽fashion.聽
Bonham has lived in 撸奶社区and Whistler for the past five years. This summer, he decided to embrace his 鈥渋nner dirtbag鈥� and move into a聽camper-van.
鈥淚 was nervous about moving into a van, because I wasn鈥檛 sure what it was going to be like,鈥� he said, elaborating on聽the culture聽around the park鈥檚 campground from inside聽his聽van.聽
鈥淔rom day one, it was pretty much the best decision I鈥檝e ever made. The lifestyle is so good. The people are so good. There鈥檚聽so much support. There鈥檚 never a dull moment.聽There鈥檚 beauty and there鈥檚 love and聽just聽amazing times.鈥�
Bonham climbs聽most days,聽particularly during this past period of consistently sunny weather.
Donley is from Oregon, and聽she鈥檚聽staying in Squamish聽for five weeks before she聽returns聽to finish her masters in physiotherapy. She said the community聽of people聽in the campground is amazing.
鈥淭hey鈥檙e just so giving,鈥� she said. 鈥淵ou know we make dinners together all the time, potluck-style, and we hacky-sack and talk about things that matter.鈥澛�
Donley adds聽that this summer聽a Frenchman taught her how聽to aid-climb 鈥� a style of climbing in which the climber employs metal聽equipment聽to improve purchase on the rocks and 鈥渁id鈥� themselves聽upwards.聽
鈥淓veryone I have met here, I can call a good friend,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檝e been meeting people from around the world. I went on an adventure with a聽Swedish聽girl I just met a few days ago. I know I鈥檓聽going聽to keep in contact with her for the聽rest of my life.鈥澛�
Donley and Bonham express the archetypical sentiment聽of聽the scene聽at the climbing campground.聽People are psyched聽on聽climbing and living simply.聽
Cleo Simms, Sam Lavin茅 and Gabriol Kelley, who hitchhiked聽west to 撸奶社区from Quebec City聽earlier this summer, are relaxing under the covered cooking area in the Stawamus Chief Provincial Park campground.聽
They鈥檙e聽waiting for the聽cooler evening before they聽return聽to聽the boulders聽for another climb.聽
鈥淚t鈥檚 chill, everybody is climbing. 撸奶社区is one of the best places on the earth to climb,鈥澛爏aid Lavin茅.聽
鈥淭here is no shower, but there are the falls right there and it鈥檚 cold, but beautiful,鈥澛燼dded Simms.
The discussion about climbers around聽Squamish聽is聽often聽focused on聽how聽to聽better accommodate聽them聽and how to get more of them staying in legitimate campsites.
John Harvey is the founder of the聽Mamquam River Access Society. He鈥檚聽working on聽creating聽a聽not-for-profit,聽45-site campground聽alongside the聽Mamquam聽River聽on Centennial Way.聽He says聽the site is in the middle of everything聽鈥� biking trails, climbing areas and聽the聽Brennan Park聽Recreation Centre 鈥撀燼nd聽it聽will aim to attract climbers, cyclists, windsurfers and other people聽passing through town. People have camped on this聽patch聽of聽Crown land for 40 years until recently when efforts were made to聽curb the perennial phenomena聽of nature camping 鈥� or squatting, as some opponents would call it.
Harvey聽is currently in the process of聽acquiring聽a Crown lease and applying to have the land rezoned with聽the聽District of Squamish.聽He says his聽intention is affirmed by the聽number of people聽who approach him and let him know that they think聽this type of project is exactly what 撸奶社区needs.聽
Given the growing popularity of climbing in Squamish, efforts like Harvey鈥檚 for more and better accommodation of these rock-enthused freespirits are probably worthwhile.
Back in his van,聽Bonham laments the end of the climbing season and having to return聽to a life more consistent with typical social norms.聽
鈥淚 haven鈥檛 had a bad day yet. Damn, I don鈥檛 want this to end,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 have to move back into an apartment in the winter time when it gets cold, but I don鈥檛 really want to.鈥�
