Squamish Bikeraft Loop
After my previous adventure that involved hiking, cycling, and a 5km paddle with the packraft, I was much more confident about paddling long distances on the raft with lots of gear, and was excited for another ambitious route. A trip I have been wanting to do for quite some time is to raft up to the north end of Indian Arm with my bike, and ride up Indian River FSR to Squamish. The Indian Arm is an ocean fjord that stretches 20km north from Vancouver to the Indian River estuary. I would start my paddle about halfway up Indian Arm at the end of the BC Hydro Road at the Hydro Powerhouse, as this would make for the shortest paddling distance (10km) and save a lot of time. The Indian River FSR is all gravel and has some rough patches, so I would be taking my cyclocross bike which has wide tires that can take on rough roads while still being efficient on the pavement.
I plotted the track on a map, and added the bike ride from Squamish to Coquitlam along the Sea to Sky Highway to make one large loop. I knew I had the fitness to do the loop as a day trip, so it was a matter of finding the right day. Hot sunny weather was best, as packrafting on cold water is always better when the air is warm. I would also want a tailwind for the rafting portion, since wind plays a major role in raft speed, and it would be ideal to be paddling just before high tide or during slack tide so the water would be calm and the current would be going in the direction I was headed. Above all, I would want to be at Indian Arm at a time when BC Hydro workers weren't at the BC Hydro Powerhouse on Indian Arm where I would begin my paddle, as they would likely ask me to leave if they were there before I could set up my raft - so I would need to be there early in the morning.
The conditions for August 3rd, 2019 pretty well met the constraints, so I decided I'd give it a go. I left home at 6am. I had my raft mounted to a rack on the back of my bike with the paddle shafts tied to the top of the raft, and had a pannier on the right side of the rack filled with food and water. I also had a backpack on with the paddle's oars and some other gear. I biked to Anmore, and rode the service roads beside Buntzen Lake before descending down to the BC Hydro Powerhouse on Indian Arm, which I got to at ~6:45am. There were no workers there so I was good. Since it was around high tide, the shore below the wall at the end of the road was well underwater, and it would be nearly impossible to get my bike laden raft down to the water and get in without swimming in the ocean, so I'd need to figure something else out. There was a small section of shore about 50 metres from the end of the road that looked ideal. Getting there would require walking across the steep bouldery (albiet dry) channel below the hydro dam and bushwacking a little, but it was the best option. I put my heavy bike on my shoulder, and started the traverse. It was very tricky walking across a boulder field with cycling cleats while carrying a bike with loads of gear, but I had the finesse to do this safely. Thinking back, this was probably the crux of the entire trip. For the bushwacking section I pretty much forced my way through without much of a problem. Eventually I was through the technical section and on a beautiful piece of flat shore on Indian Arm.
I was excited so I quickly set up my raft and mounted my bike on top. I was getting better at this - it took me about 15 minutes to do the conversion. I took a couple of quick photos before setting sail from the shore.
I started the paddle. It was about 10km between the Buntzen Powerhouse and the dock at the north end of Indian Arm, so I would be on the water for just over 2 hours. The ocean was calm and quiet, the sun was slowly rising, and the views were fantastic. It usually takes me a few minutes to get my arms warmed up, but once the blood is flowing I am usually able to get into a nice rhythm. The terrain in this area is spectacular. Much of the shoreline is steep cliffs, and the mountains above the shore are rugged and treacherous. It's pretty clear why they didn't build a road along the full length of Indian Arm. Most of the flat shorline areas have boat-access-only homes. This would be a pretty cool place to live. The sun eventually started to rise above the ridge on the east side of Indian Arm, which enhanced my views.
I plotted the track on a map, and added the bike ride from Squamish to Coquitlam along the Sea to Sky Highway to make one large loop. I knew I had the fitness to do the loop as a day trip, so it was a matter of finding the right day. Hot sunny weather was best, as packrafting on cold water is always better when the air is warm. I would also want a tailwind for the rafting portion, since wind plays a major role in raft speed, and it would be ideal to be paddling just before high tide or during slack tide so the water would be calm and the current would be going in the direction I was headed. Above all, I would want to be at Indian Arm at a time when BC Hydro workers weren't at the BC Hydro Powerhouse on Indian Arm where I would begin my paddle, as they would likely ask me to leave if they were there before I could set up my raft - so I would need to be there early in the morning.
The cycling and paddling loop between Coquitlam and Squamish.
The conditions for August 3rd, 2019 pretty well met the constraints, so I decided I'd give it a go. I left home at 6am. I had my raft mounted to a rack on the back of my bike with the paddle shafts tied to the top of the raft, and had a pannier on the right side of the rack filled with food and water. I also had a backpack on with the paddle's oars and some other gear. I biked to Anmore, and rode the service roads beside Buntzen Lake before descending down to the BC Hydro Powerhouse on Indian Arm, which I got to at ~6:45am. There were no workers there so I was good. Since it was around high tide, the shore below the wall at the end of the road was well underwater, and it would be nearly impossible to get my bike laden raft down to the water and get in without swimming in the ocean, so I'd need to figure something else out. There was a small section of shore about 50 metres from the end of the road that looked ideal. Getting there would require walking across the steep bouldery (albiet dry) channel below the hydro dam and bushwacking a little, but it was the best option. I put my heavy bike on my shoulder, and started the traverse. It was very tricky walking across a boulder field with cycling cleats while carrying a bike with loads of gear, but I had the finesse to do this safely. Thinking back, this was probably the crux of the entire trip. For the bushwacking section I pretty much forced my way through without much of a problem. Eventually I was through the technical section and on a beautiful piece of flat shore on Indian Arm.
I was excited so I quickly set up my raft and mounted my bike on top. I was getting better at this - it took me about 15 minutes to do the conversion. I took a couple of quick photos before setting sail from the shore.
My bike-laden packraft on the shore looking north.
Looking west towards Mt Seymour from the shore.
Looking back at the BC Hydro Powerhouse where I had hiked over from.
I started the paddle. It was about 10km between the Buntzen Powerhouse and the dock at the north end of Indian Arm, so I would be on the water for just over 2 hours. The ocean was calm and quiet, the sun was slowly rising, and the views were fantastic. It usually takes me a few minutes to get my arms warmed up, but once the blood is flowing I am usually able to get into a nice rhythm. The terrain in this area is spectacular. Much of the shoreline is steep cliffs, and the mountains above the shore are rugged and treacherous. It's pretty clear why they didn't build a road along the full length of Indian Arm. Most of the flat shorline areas have boat-access-only homes. This would be a pretty cool place to live. The sun eventually started to rise above the ridge on the east side of Indian Arm, which enhanced my views.
Near the beginning of the paddle, passing a cliffy section of shore.
The sun casting blinding rays across Indian Arm.
The direction I was headed - the water conditions were perfect.
When I wasn't taking photos I kept my pace smooth, and my arms slowly started feeling better which allowed me to ramp up my speed. At a certain point I was suddenly able to see my endpoint, which gave me extra motivation and helped me make a strong final push. It was a great workout with top-notch scenery.
Looking at Hixon Peak and my route ahead of me.
Looking up at Bishop and Deacon Peaks, which I have summited twice each.
At one point I was in the middle of the fjord and I heard a loud buzzing noise above me. It was a float plane looking for a spot to land. I was crossing my fingers that it could see me and wasn't going to land too close. Fortunately, after a few circles the plane touched down about 500m away from me.
A float plane making a landing close to me (elevated white object on the right).
About 1km from the north dock of Indian Arm is a massive waterfall called Granite Falls. It's steep and tall, and has a large beach below with a campsite. I marvelled at the waterfall for a short while before paddling on. There were lots of tents at the campsite, and it appeared people were just waking up.
Granite Falls is impressive - you can see why it got its name.
I eventually got to the dock at the north end of Indian Arm by the Indian River estuary. The main dock is privately owned by the Vancouver Yacht Club, so I found a small patch of beach beside it and deflated my raft. I got everything packed onto my bike pretty quickly, and I relaxed a little bit. The sun was getting higher and it was starting to warm up, so I sat and enjoyed a small snack. There were a lot of people out at the Yacht club, and some nice smelling breakfast was being cooked. I pulled my bike up to the old logging road beside the camp, and started pedalling on some narrow and bushy single track that was kind of fun. Before long I popped out onto the active main road that was wide and relatively smooth. I started up the road, which is quite flat as it meanders through the bottom of the Indian River valley. There were a couple of bridge crossings where I got nice views of the river.
Most past trip reports from this area include bears, but I didn't see any signs of bears on this trip - they all must have been scared of the unusual load of gear on my bike. Not far up the road from Indian Arm, there were a few buildings from an old logging camp. It was neat to see this large relic intact in such rugged territory.
About 10km up the road from the Indian Arm dock, the valley begins to steepen. I got my bike in a low gear and had to dig deep to pedal up some of the steep pitches. I got a pinch flat on a rough uphill patch, and had to use one of my 2 spare tubes. Replacing the tube was a bit cumbersome due to the load on my bike frame, but I made it work. I made sure to put more air in the new tube to hopefully prevent another pinch flat. A little ways up from my flat tire, there was a cool waterfall beside the road on the Indian River.
I enjoyed the misty waterfall for a little while before getting back on the bike and continuing the climb. The total climb is about 17km, and due to rough gravel, steep pitches, and the load on my bike, it was slow going and tiring. I persisted, and after about 2 hours of grinding uphill I finally reached the top of the climb, which is a plateau dividing the Indian River valley and the Stawamus River valley at about 800m elevation. Along the plateau, the trees are thin and the views of surrounding mountain peaks provided a reward for my climbing efforts.
The next challenge was the descent down the road down to Squamish. The road is rough and has steep sections, so I would need to be careful. After 30 minutes of meticulous descending, I arrived in Squamish with a better idea of what a jackhammer might feel like. My wrists were pretty numb, but my legs had gotten a nice rest. I meandered through some neighbourhoods in upper Squamish and found my way to the Sea to Sky Highway. I took a rest at the side of the highway in a spot below the famous Stawamus Chief rock face. The weather was getting hot and I was feeling burnt out. From Squamish to home was about 95km, and I didn't feel like I had the energy to make it - but knew if I kept moving, and ate and hydrated well, I'd maybe start to feel more encouraged and energetic.
I got moving again, and slowly made my way up and down the rolling hills on the Sea to Sky Highway. The views were great, but I had been here many times before so I didn't bother to take photos. My bottles were running empty of water and I was needing a refill pretty badly. I got my chance at Porteau Cove Provincial Park, which is right beside the highway and has a public water fountain. I filled my bottles and drank as much as I could without feeling bloated. I pedalled on, and immediately felt more energetic. As I turned to the east around Horseshoe Bay, I was greeted with a huge tailwind, which felt amazing after riding into a large crosswind for the previous 2 hours. This gave me a major mental boost (on top of the physical boost), and I found myself in the zone as I cruised east across the North Shore. I crossed the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and entered Burnaby. After climbing a steep hill at the end of the bridge, I noticed I had another flat tube - but this one was a slow leak so I decided to just keep pumping it up with air as needed until I got home. This worked pretty well, and overall I think it took less time than changing the tube so I made the right call. More than anything it gave me motivation to finish the ride fast and strong. I entered Coquitlam, and powered up the small hill back home, about 13 hours after leaving in the morning, and in time for a late dinner.
I was elated to have successfully completed such an epic, unorthodox trip full of unique challenges. This ride scrapes the surface of what is possible when you pair together a versatile bike that is efficient on both gravel and pavement with a raft system that can cross nearly any body of water.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2588458561/overview
One of the bridge crossings over the Indian River.
The Indian River - I have heard it's well stocked with fish.
The southern flat portion of the Indian River valley.
Most past trip reports from this area include bears, but I didn't see any signs of bears on this trip - they all must have been scared of the unusual load of gear on my bike. Not far up the road from Indian Arm, there were a few buildings from an old logging camp. It was neat to see this large relic intact in such rugged territory.
An old logging shed beside the road.
About 10km up the road from the Indian Arm dock, the valley begins to steepen. I got my bike in a low gear and had to dig deep to pedal up some of the steep pitches. I got a pinch flat on a rough uphill patch, and had to use one of my 2 spare tubes. Replacing the tube was a bit cumbersome due to the load on my bike frame, but I made it work. I made sure to put more air in the new tube to hopefully prevent another pinch flat. A little ways up from my flat tire, there was a cool waterfall beside the road on the Indian River.
A neat waterfall on the upper portion of the Indian River.
I enjoyed the misty waterfall for a little while before getting back on the bike and continuing the climb. The total climb is about 17km, and due to rough gravel, steep pitches, and the load on my bike, it was slow going and tiring. I persisted, and after about 2 hours of grinding uphill I finally reached the top of the climb, which is a plateau dividing the Indian River valley and the Stawamus River valley at about 800m elevation. Along the plateau, the trees are thin and the views of surrounding mountain peaks provided a reward for my climbing efforts.
A typical section of the road climb.
Looking up at Sky Pilot Mountain from the road.
The road was smooth and the trees were thin at the top of the climb.
Typical road potholes; Sky Pilot Mountain above.
Looking over at a pond beside the road, and Mt Habrich above.
My bike with the raft and paddle shafts mounted to the rear rack.
The next challenge was the descent down the road down to Squamish. The road is rough and has steep sections, so I would need to be careful. After 30 minutes of meticulous descending, I arrived in Squamish with a better idea of what a jackhammer might feel like. My wrists were pretty numb, but my legs had gotten a nice rest. I meandered through some neighbourhoods in upper Squamish and found my way to the Sea to Sky Highway. I took a rest at the side of the highway in a spot below the famous Stawamus Chief rock face. The weather was getting hot and I was feeling burnt out. From Squamish to home was about 95km, and I didn't feel like I had the energy to make it - but knew if I kept moving, and ate and hydrated well, I'd maybe start to feel more encouraged and energetic.
At the side of the highway, looking up at the Stawamus Chief.
I got moving again, and slowly made my way up and down the rolling hills on the Sea to Sky Highway. The views were great, but I had been here many times before so I didn't bother to take photos. My bottles were running empty of water and I was needing a refill pretty badly. I got my chance at Porteau Cove Provincial Park, which is right beside the highway and has a public water fountain. I filled my bottles and drank as much as I could without feeling bloated. I pedalled on, and immediately felt more energetic. As I turned to the east around Horseshoe Bay, I was greeted with a huge tailwind, which felt amazing after riding into a large crosswind for the previous 2 hours. This gave me a major mental boost (on top of the physical boost), and I found myself in the zone as I cruised east across the North Shore. I crossed the Ironworkers Memorial Bridge and entered Burnaby. After climbing a steep hill at the end of the bridge, I noticed I had another flat tube - but this one was a slow leak so I decided to just keep pumping it up with air as needed until I got home. This worked pretty well, and overall I think it took less time than changing the tube so I made the right call. More than anything it gave me motivation to finish the ride fast and strong. I entered Coquitlam, and powered up the small hill back home, about 13 hours after leaving in the morning, and in time for a late dinner.
I was elated to have successfully completed such an epic, unorthodox trip full of unique challenges. This ride scrapes the surface of what is possible when you pair together a versatile bike that is efficient on both gravel and pavement with a raft system that can cross nearly any body of water.
https://www.strava.com/activities/2588458561/overview
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