The Backyard Summit - Nch’Kay
Squamish is one helluva town.
Downtown Squamish, with Nch’Kay towering above. Mt. Atwell is the prominent triangle peak on the right, and the true summit is the small bit in the centre back.
I feel incredibly fortunate to have called this place home for the much of the past 13 years. Each year continues to reveal new hidden zones, fulfilling (albeit expensive) hobbies, and a dynamic and exciting culture of its own. The area is experiencing a cultural renaissance, with demographics shifting from the old industrial logging town to today's vibrant outdoor tech community.
However, this transformation comes with the usual drawbacks of gentrification. The affordability crisis is hitting Squamish hard, especially affecting the locals who have nurtured this town from its humble beginnings. They are now being priced out of a housing market that aligns more closely with Vancouver than with smaller, traditionally industrial towns in BC.
Looking further back, this rapid transition has been even more impactful to the original inhabitants of the region: the Squamish First Nation.
Land use management in the 21st century in this region is a highly complex issue, one without a perfect or eloquent solution. Many of the beautiful locations we enjoy are considered sacred, and while honestly initially it felt a bit awkward and insufficient, I've come to realize that acknowledgment is indeed a critical part of the path forward. The more time I spend experiencing the beauty of the unceded lands of Canada’s First Nations people, the deeper my appreciation and love grows for this region , and the peoples who have called this place home for thousands of years.
Speaking of peoples I love and appreciate, who also share a spiritual connection to the Squamish lands, buddy Mike “Dank Fromage” Martenson and my wonderful fiancé, Mary “Matsu” Pines make up the dream team for bottomless levels of stoke and energy for quality adventures. I had convinced them of the ideal window to summit and ski the Squamish Overseer, Nch’Kay (pronounced N-Cheek-eye), hopefully soon to be the mountain formally known as Garibaldi. Named after Guiseppe Garibaldi, an Italian from the mid-19th century that never visited Canada who, historically, seemed like a decent enough guy as far as these things are concerned, but probably doesn’t need an eponymous sacred mountain in British Columbia.
Nch’Kay is a dormant stratavolcano that sits imposing above the townsite of Squamish. The name means “The Dirty Place” or “Grimy One”, and as someone who lives in a decent neighborhood called the “Garibaldi Highlands”, it would definitely be a laugh to have my locale translate to the “Grimey One”.
I’m doubtful that some of the upscale residence would approve…
It is also sometimes known as “Diamond Head”, but technically that name applies to a lower sub-peak following the ridge south of Mt. Atwell: the “pointy one” that is most obvious when viewed from Squamish.
In winter, access is actually remarkably straightforward… provided you have access to a snow machine. The Brohm Ridge snowmobile area, slated for redevelopment as a commercial ski hill (though that plan is starting to look more doubtful), provides easy access to the perimeter of Garibaldi Provincial Park, which hosts it’s namesake mountain. From there, it is a beautiful ski tour across stunning glaciated terrain to the middle section of the Warren Glacier, and an easily travelled slope that brings you to within only a few hundred meters of the summit before things get proper steep. From there, a large bergschrund guards the upper slopes of the fan, though in mid-winter, this barricade is covered by a season’s worth of snowfall. Even in the low snow season of 2023-2024, this proved to hold true, and travel was indeed straightforward.
Straightforward in the mountains definitely does not equate to easy, and the 200 metre bootpack up the steeper upper face definitely gets the heart racing, and drives a satisfying sense of accomplishment. Cresting the upper ridge to glimpse the first views down into Howe Sound and the backyard of our home we know intimately was an overwhelming emotional experience for all of us, and we were elated to be standing on the crown of Squamish finally after marveling at its majesty for many years.
We were even treated to some decent glacier skiing after the initial steep crux of the upper slopes, which was icing on the cake, descending down towards Garibaldi Lake and the deeper parts of the Provincial Park.
Considering the ease of access, and the emotion of standing on top of a such a stunning mountain that backdrops our home, this is definitely a trip I will aim to complete every year!
Mikey gearing up
Beautiful fit there Mikey
Sleds are dropped, time to start walking
View of the upper slopes and the final steps up to the summit. The Bergshrund is the obvious horizontal line mostly filled in with snow.
Incredible views back down to Squamish and Howe Sound
From the summit, looking North. Garibaldi Lake on the right with Black Tusk visible above.
Table Mountain, Garibaldi Lake, Black Tusk
Looking real good there buddy Mike!