Nothing like reading your local columnist Jeremy Blumel to start Sunday morning right. As a father, a kindergarten teacher, and a dedicated climber, Jeremy juggles it all while giving us the good every two weeks. Here is his latest from last week.
Jeremy on the big show. Photo courtesy of Jamie Finlayson.
Late in the morning of Sunday, April 19, an enormous piece of the Stawamus Chief fell off and crashed into the forest below. A column of dust shot into the air and moved downwind through Valleycliffe.
Houses shook, windows rattled and then a deafening silence followed where there oddly seemed to be no highway noise, airplane noise or wind of any kind. After a few minutes, helicopters could be heard beating the air and sirens wailed.
Was this a rare and exciting event when you live in Squamish? Yes, but also amazing is how many of the long-time locals I’ve encountered talked of seeing and hearing rockfall from the Chief regularly throughout their lives. Many of these people aren’t climbers but share a long history of living in the shadow of the Chief.
I’ve lived here since 2002, and I can remember one other large rockfall event from a similar location, and I recall the strange hollow void it leaves in your stomach when you either witness or see the destruction left behind from an act of nature.
For the full article, please visit the Squamish Chief.
