Mission Statement:

To ensure current and future generations can enjoy Squamish’s climbing resources

while fostering a diverse and engaged climbing community. We serve climbers by

advocating for access to Squamish’s climbing areas. We promote positive outcomes

through stewardship, education and engagement with Sḵwx̱wú7mesh Nation, land

managers, and rightsholders.

Ongoing:

Peregrine Falcon Habitat Protection

SAS works with BC Parks to create a reporting program that allows climbers to participate in identifying seasonal nests of these threatened birds.
Areas with active nesting are off-limits from March 15 – July 31.
Closures will be on the BC Parks Website and publicized by SAS.
Please report any sightings to: info@squamishaccess.ca

Re-bolting initiative

Local guides are contracted to replace aging bolts and anchors. If you come across an anchor or bolt that you feel needs replacing, please contact us with the details.

Report an Anchor/Bolt

Trail building and maintenance

Wondering how to contribute to your local crags?
Trail building and maintenance are foundational to SAS’s stewardship initiatives. Every year we host several opportunities for volunteers to join the fun!

Volunteer

Bat Reporting

BC is home to 15 bat species; half of the species are listed as species at risk. The Squamish Access Society has partnered with BC Parks and the Ministry of WLRS to collect bat data from cliff habitats. While climbing, you can report bats on your phone using the **iNaturalist Canada app**.

Reports will NOT lead to route closures but will help inform conservation management decisions.

For more on bats and bat programs go to bcbats.ca

New Routes / Area updates

Area Specific:

Stawamus Chief

SAS has had a long relationship with BC Parks in our role advocating on behalf of climbers on the Chief. SAS worked with BC Parks to create the Best Practices Guide for new route development in the park, it was the first of its kind and has since been adopted across the country. The Chief is, of course, also a key location for SAS’s ongoing Fixed Anchor replacement work.

Murrin

SAS’s main work at Murrin has been improving the trail system, principally through the creation of a new Loop Trail. This has encouraged the development of several new cliffs like the Commonwealth, Quercus, Altamont, and Woodstock.

Smoke Bluffs

Thanks to two decades of work by Squamish climbers, in 2006 the Smoke Bluffs gained formal recognition as a municipal park with an explicit climbing objective. SAS has supplied the chair for the Smoke Bluffs Park advisory committee for most of the period since then.

Cheakamus Canyon

SAS works to maintain access and keep critical FSR roads drive-able, mainly interacting with forest service staff. More recently SAS has funded extensive work to maintain fixed equipment at these cliffs.

SAS milestones:

1984 - Stopped Gravel mine between Chief and Slhanay

1987 - Active voice against Smoke Bluffs housing development
1992 - Stopped Apron Boulder Quarry
1995 - Major role in the creation of the Stawamus Chief Class A park
2002 - Major role in the creation of the Smoke Bluffs municipal park
2003 - Protection of Murrin Corridor; Hwy 99 expansion
2004 - Stopped Stawamus Chief Gondola Proposal
2005 - Cheakamus Gorge Protected Area
2007 - Smoke Bluff Park Development Committee established
2008 - New Apron to upper Chief parking trail + outhouses complete.
2009 - Climbing Strategy Report completed(SAS commissioned by Ministry of Environment)
2010 - Rebolting Initiative begins Phase 1
2011 - Rebolting Phase 2 completed
2012 - Rebolting Phase 3 completed
2014 - Cragkeepers program begins
2017 - Smoke Bluff’s Park Management Plan completed + Phase 1 of Cheakamus Recreation Site campground completed
2017 - Murrin Loop Trail completed, lead by Brian Moorhead
2018 - BC Parks Volunteer program established and Grand Wall Boulders trail rebuff + fence build