Squamish: Outdoor Capital of Canada

Squamish sits halfway between Vancouver and Whistler, and locals call it Canada's outdoor recreation capital without much argument. The Stawamus Chief, a 700 metre granite monolith, rises straight off the highway and draws climbers from across the continent, while Howe Sound below fills with kitesurfers on windy afternoons. Come winter, bald eagles gather by the hundreds at nearby Brackendale to fish the Cheakamus River.