Stawamus Chief

The Stawamus Chief is claimed to be the 2nd largest granite monolith in the world, with a 600 metre vertical face seen from all areas of Squamish. Estimated to be 93 million years old, the Chief was formed by the slow cooling and solidification of molten magma deep below the Earth's surface. Exposure of the granite body came about through the erosion of overlying rocks, and the steep granite cliffs were then shaped by glacial erosion which also shaped the Howe Sound inlet. The Chief has significant historical and cultural value to the Squamish First Nation. It is also considered to be a place of spiritual significance.


There are three separate summits which can be reached via a trail on the backside of the Chief. This scramble up the Chief is an extremely popular hiking trail for locals and tourists alike. The trail starts off with some steepish stairs alongside a beautiful creek, and continues through a beautiful forested area all the way up to the Chief's granite surface. Once you reach the open granite, there are chains and ladders to help you get through certain steeper sections. The views from the top are breathtaking! On a clear summer day you can see kitesurfers and sailboats playing in the Howe Sound Inlet, snow on Diamond Head peak, the entire town of Squamish, and you also get an amazing view of Quest!



For those looking for more of a challenge, the Chief has approximately 180 climbing routes. Most of the big wall routes that go to the very top of the Chief are 12-18 pitches long, and usually take an entire day. Some of the most popular routes up the Chief include 'Stairway to Heaven' (5.10c), 'Ultimate Everything' (5.11 or 5.9+A0), 'The Buttress' (5.10c), and the world-class 'Grand Wall' (5.11a).



Rock on!