Banff or Squamish?

[robpatterson5]

Hi all, I've got a question to put to all of you hear on this board.

Suppose your a university student form central Canada and you've been offered summer work in both Banff and Squamish, the work being fairly similar, which one would you take and why?

I've completely lucked out this summer and I'd love some local input before I make my decision.

best, Rob

[eric8]

well do you like alpine climbing or cragging more? You can obviously do both at both but each is considered world class for different reasons

[G-spotter]

Do you prefer choss , or solid granite

[Mos_Chillin]

Being close to Squamish, I must, in my own interest, recommend Banff.

[Alpinfox]

Hi all, I've got a question to put to all of you hear on this board.

Suppose your a university student form central Canada and you've been offered summer work in both Banff and Squamish, the work being fairly similar, which one would you take and why?

I've completely lucked out this summer and I'd love some local input before I make my decision.

best, Rob

 

I recommend taking some remedial spelling and grammar courses.

[wfinley]

Do you prefer choss , or solid granite

 

I think the question should be: do you prefer rain or choss?

[jmckay]

I may be a bit bias here as I live in Banff. I would think that the Rockies would give you the opertunity to become a well rounded mountaineer. Lake Louise also provides a world class crag. You can improve your french as half of Quebec is here in the summer. You want to party? We know how to party! It is also the STD capital!

 

I have spent a lot of time in Squamish but only to rock climb. I find the place a bit one dimensional

[catbirdseat]

Do you prefer choss , or solid granite

 

I think the question should be: do you prefer rain or choss?

Sounds like one of those damn compromises again.

[jmace]

ya whos kidding...

You can improve your french as half of Quebec is here in the summer

 

that actually translates in university language to: you can get laid all the time cause quebec girls are easy.

 

Squamish ahhh ya may want to just put it away

 

Although Squamish is a ton of fun climbing, the Alpine requires walking all the way from sea level through mad bush which is an aquired taste, usually taking years.

 

You would be better of comin for a vacation from banff

[ClimbingPanther]

Neither. Eastern Washington is where it's really at. You may only hear derogatory and negative things about it, but that's just because everyone wants it to remain a secret.

[wfinley]

Do you prefer choss , or solid granite

I think the question should be: do you prefer rain or choss?

Sounds like one of those damn compromises again.

 

I am cynical because my only impression of Squamish was 6 days sitting in the Sunflower Cafe looking out at torrential rain and devising a new slogan for British Columbia: "British Columbia - Where it **cking Rains". That said... the sausage rolls at the Sunflower Cafe are worlds better than the sausage rolls at the cafe in Lake Louise.. although the cafe in Lake Louise has a nice day old bread selection that, if you get there early, will keep you well fed for a day.

[DirtyHarry]

You're probably just as likely to get shut down by an afternoon thunderstorm in the Rockies than rain in Squamish. That said, go to the Rockies - the mountains are bigger!! and you won't have to worry about ever running into Dru.

[David Trippett]

I have spent a lot of time in Squamish but only to rock climb. I find the place a bit one dimensional

 

Let's see..... great trad, sport, walls, bouldering, alpine, mountainbiking, sailing, kite boarding, white water kayaking, logger days, cannabis harvesting and snowsports....yes, Squamish is pretty one dimensional. Go to Banff.

[AlpineK]

You're probably just as likely to get shut down by an afternoon thunderstorm in the Rockies than rain in Squamish. That said, go to the Rockies - the mountains are bigger!! and you won't have to worry about ever running into Dru.

 

Yeah but Squish doesn't have dirt and choss, so Dru doesn't go there too much.

[DirtyHarry]

Huh? Drul's too much of a puss to climb anything but clean polished granite.

[David Trippett]

Yeah but Squish doesn't have dirt and choss, so Dru doesn't go there too much.

 

but what it does have it he has managed to locate and put up a "route"

[G-spotter]

I bet he can't eat a whole pound of bacon either.

How do you know if you meet someone who is from Banff? Don't worry, he'll tell you.

[DirtyHarry]

Do they have a Tim Horton's in Banff?

 

That's the deciding factor.

[murraysovereign]

I have spent a lot of time in Squamish but only to rock climb...

 

...I find the place a bit one dimensional.

 

This is a pretty nice illustration of what they call a "cause-and-effect relationship." It's akin to me saying "I have spent a lot of time in Banff but only to soak in the hot springs. I find the place a bit one dimensional."

 

I'm always amused by the climbers who hang around town, on a perfectly nice day, pissing and moaning about how there's nothing to do because the rock is still wet from last night's rain. What is it about being a rock climber that prevents you from doing anything at all except climbing on rock? I've been having a ball here for several years now, and in all that time the number of days I've spent rock climbing can probably be counted on my fingers. Hiking, biking, paddling, skiing, bushwhacking and exploring, waterfall-rappelling, making blue smoke with the outboard out on the ocean - who's got time for something as weather-dependent as rock climbing? If I had room to store the gear I could add scuba diving, windsurfing and kiteboarding, fly fishing, sailing, sea kayaking...

 

One dimensional? Are you sure it's Squamish that's one dimensional, and not you?

Edited March 25, 2006 by murraysovereign

[AlpineK]

Huh? Drul's too much of a puss to climb anything but clean polished granite.

 

Are you kidding every time I read a Dru TR it's about climbing some chossy gully up a mountain.

[AlpineK]

Oh yeah Banff is the Boulder CO of Canada.

 

On the other hand there's a lot of cool shit in the CR's if you have the time when the weather's good.