With summer quickly coming to an end as does my summer in Squamish. I was recently asked by my good friends at Duer why I loved the climbing in Squamish so darn much. When they asked me to write a blog entry on the topic I jumped, the place is honestly my version of heaven so this one is going to be a piece of cake!

Squamish itself is a rock climbing mecca, and probably Canadas top destination and most saturated location for quality climbing of all styles. Its inspiring lines have entranced climbers from all over the world ever since Ed Cooper and Jim Baldwin pulled over the top of the Chief in 1961. A decade ago my wife and I made our first pilgrimage to Squamish, I was lovestruck and have frequenting the area ever since. There’s no way you could ever climb it all, there’s just too much, so I thought it would be a personal challenge to try to narrow down and share with you my top Squamish climbing spots. It’s difficult to say what specific climbing areas I love most but there are definitely a few that I frequent more than others. I am going to attempt to nail it down to two but i have to say that there’s no clear winner here as I have fallen in love with both spots equally.

Murrin Park

This place has my whole heart, it’s the complete package if your looking for a day out to now only climb but swim and chill at the beach. The place is incredible for a million reason not to even mention that the parking lot gives you virtually instant access to a number of classic Squamish rock climbs. Now if I had to go ahead and choose only one reason why Murrin Park is in my top two Squamish climbing hot spots I would easily say it has everything to do with just one boulder problem, Prime Time Sit Down. This incredible overhanging boulder lends itself to my style so much that i have climbed it like a hundred times plus. Bur, if your not into bouldering take a walk in any direction and you will find ultra classic rock climbs that will undoubtedly suite your style and level of difficulty, and when you’ve had all you can handle and you’re pumped out of your mind take a stroll down to the lake and cool yourself off in that lake. Seriously, you’d be crazy to overlook this spot, you gotta go.

Me, taking another lap on Prime Time Sit Down, the best problem in Squamish!

The Clean Boulders

Now this one seems kinda odd considering I am narrowing it down to one very small location along a vast expansion that is the North Wall Boulders, but hear me out. The Clean boulder are just that clean, super flat landings and a variety of moderate boulder problem. The biggest reason I love this spot so much is that It’s where I introduced my daughter to bouldering and it will be, without a doubt, where the soft fingers of our unborn baby girl will get there first grasp of granite block. The thing about The Clean Boulders is that they inspire and foster a love for climbing. I take friends and family to these boulders and give them their first taste of granite bouldering and it fills me with joy to see there eyes light up as they top out on some of Squamish’s most forgiving yet epic boulder problems. The area has something for everyone and you can bring your lunch and camp chair along as it is, like many Squamish climbing spots seconds from the parking lot.

Now if you are looking for a few specific boulders problems to try go for these you won’t be disappointed. here’s the list with images provided for your viewing pleasure!

My pal Julian climbing the fun, Cash For Clunkers

Me on, Outrage, one of the best V3 boulder problem I have ever climbed.

Now I know that I left out some of the more obvious areas in Squamish but I think those areas, such as the Grand Wall, speak for themselves. And, to be real with you my favourite spots have more to do with the felling of joy that they bring me when I am in the moment climbing than the climbing routes themselves. You may also have noticed that I have left out all roped climbing, and ya there is a zillion areas I could have talked about in this post but the truth is that bouldering is and always be my favourite form of climbing just me and my shoes, so pure and joyful. In the end, if you are a climber, Squamish itself with put you under its spell, no matter the location you climb. But its these two amazing spots that I myself have fallen in love with the most.