Issue link: http://digital.canadawide.com/i/207624
squam i Brack dale en & sh weekender Squamish & Brackendale For the active-minded, Squamish is hailed as the outdoor adventure capital of Canada, offering climbing, hiking, cross-country skiing, kayaking, kite-surfing and more. And just north of Squamish, tucked away beside the Sea to Sky Highway, lies Brackendale, a small community that hosts one of nature's grand spectacles: an annual winter gathering of bald eagles of staggering proportions. The eagles, which begin to arrive in November and remain until about February, perch on trees and snags, glide gracefully overhead and stand on the shore or on gravel banks. More than 30 eagles have been seen on one tree. In 1994, volunteers tallied 3,769 eagles in a single day, a record that still stands. Little wonder that Brackendale claims the title of "Bald Eagle Capital of the World." the getaway Eagles can be viewed from the Eagle Viewing Dyke along the river between Squamish and Brackendale, where an interpretive display explains the eagle and salmon life cycles. But the best way to observe these mighty raptors up close is to float gently down the Cheakamus River on a rafting tour operated by Sunwolf Outdoor Centre. Snow-topped mountain peaks form a grand backdrop. The air is deliciously crisp and the sight of eagles everywhere is exhilarating. Eagle cries, a cross between a warble and a yodel, echo up and down the valley, while the tap-tap-tap of pileated woodpeckers reverberates amongst tall Douglas fir and cedar. The river teems with birds: mergansers, gulls, Barrow's goldeneyes, crows and great blue herons. the hideaway Nestled in the wilderness at the junction of the Cheakamus and surrounded by towering mountains, the Sunwolf Outdoor Centre offers an escape from urban pell-mell. Along with 10 cozy riverbank cabins, Sunwolf offers eagle tours (November 15 10 W e s t w o r l d p10-11_Weekender.indd 10 >> winter 2013 to February 15) and white-water rafting (June 15 to September 15). Fishing and hiking are also excellent. Cabins start at $100 a night, or stay at the new luxurious Logger's Shack from $180 a night (sunwolf.net). the inside track Soar like an eagle: The Brackendale Winter Eagle Festival runs January 1 to 31, 2014. Join the annual eagle count on January 5 and glimpse the highest concentration of wintering bald eagles in North America (brackendaleartgallery.com/ Festival.html). Best brews: Knock back tasty suds like Wee Beastie Scotch Ale, Three Beavers Imperial Red Ale and Devils Elbow IPA at Howe Sound Brew Pub. Then stay off the roads and spend the night at the brewery's inn (howesound.com). Chugga chugga: Play engineer at the West Coast Railway Heritage Park (wcra.org). Eat like a lumberjack: For gargantuan breakfasts and lunches head to Fergie's Café (604-898-1537) at Sunwolf Outdoor Centre. Go underground: Relive B.C.'s early mining days at the Britannia Mine Museum, site of a copper mine that was once the largest in the British Empire (britannia minemuseum.ca). – Hans Tammemagi (top) Rolf Hicker/All Canada Photos, Canadian Outdoor Adventure and Tourism Squamish, (cabin) Sunwolf Outdoor Centre, Sam Leung/CP Images 13-10-25 9:53 AM