Squamish - Where Clouds Are Born

I had the opportunity to explore some mountains during the 2015 Arc'teryx Squamish Climbing Academy held at the Sea to Sky Gondola in Squamish (45min North of Vancouver).
This is one destination you can't afford to miss if you're in the Vancouver area. The scenic view, which starts on the drive there, is probably why Squamish was named the best mountain town to visit in 2014 according to CNN.

The July 10-12 event included many activities related to climbing and some live music from a local band. The fact that it rained during part of the event didn't damper the experience at all... I mean, you can't go wrong with a party on top of a mountain right?
I'm a mountain hiker more so than a climber but found myself genuinely interested in the information shown by the guest speakers/climbers and I was left with a "I need to try this" feeling at the end of the night.

The Sea to Sky Gondola is, again (I can't emphasize this enough) a must see destination if you're in the Vancouver area. This is the one place that truly shows the natural beauty that is B.C.

*Update - July 16, 2015: A video of the event was released on youtube today and you can actually see the back of my head at 1:50 - It's pretty Rad (climbers say that a lot)! Check it out here:

The event was also mentioned on the Arcteryx blog here: http://blog.arcteryx.com/arcteryx-climbing-academy-wrap

Journey To Vancouver

Following someone leaving a project in Vancouver, the company saw fit to send me to Vancouver to act as a bridge until a permanent replacement can be found.
I currently reside in the Deep Cove area, North of Vancouver - a place filed with hiking opportunities which is, to me, it's greatest appeal. So far, I've climbed 2 mountains with incredible views. I just wish I had a better camera at this point because my old Iphone 4 just doesn't do the experience justice.

I've met a lot of nice people and found that they use the words “Finicky” and “To Be Honest” quite often in their mingling (while also calling "vacation" a "holiday"). Many Brazil students are enlisted in the local university English course during the summer season.
I've met a Brazil woman who didn't speak a single word of English and we had to use my Iphone translate app to communicate. It's my first time using this app in such a way.

The biking system, on most streets, is amazing! Something every city in Canada could learn from. Obviously, biking is very popular here but so is climbing, hiking, skiing/snowboard, boating ... most of the population here is fit.
Recycling is another thing the city does right. Everyone is encouraged to recycle and everything that can be recycled usually is.

As you may be aware already, Vancouver is a bit like California in the sense that water is becoming a problem. Rivers are low, we're currently not allowed to water the lawns and fires are spreading here and there throughout the province (obviously, camp fires are prohibited). The locals have told me that it usually rains at this time of the year.

During my stay, I haven't seen a single seagull nor pigeon but I did see many black crows. Perhaps it's because there's not as many McDonalds nearby? (Which is, as you know, the natural habitat of seagulls and pigeons)

The experience has been beneficial to me so far. While this isn't a vacation, it still feels like it because I love what I do here. I would definitely recommend you to visit this place given the chance.