Hey,
So, Daniel and I have been in Canada for over one week now and it has been extremely busy. Last weekend, we camped at Cat Lake with some friends and it was a blast. I have been camping throughout British Columbia my whole life and I usually camp in provincial parks. Cat Lake is a great alternative to Alice Lake and it is located about 15 minutes north of Squamish. It is not a provincial park but it has the basic amenities.
What We Did at Cat Lake
My friends and I had originally planned on camping in Osoyoos in the Okanogan but due to the vast amount of forest fires in my province, we decided that it was safer and better to be closer to Vancouver. Unfortunately, Osoyoos had an air quality index of 10+, which is worse than the air currently in Beijing. Squamish is a closer drive and was only a 3 on the air quality index, so it was definitely a good decision. We had booked our trip to Osoyoos so we did lose some money by cancelling late. However, Cat Lake easily made that up! Prices per a campsite are only $15 per night, which is a steal in British Columbia! We were 11 people, so we decided to get 3 campsites for sleeping since the sites were quite small, and also an extra campsite to eat and hang out in. The sites easily held our 6-person tent (we borrowed it from my mom and she likes comfort) as well as my friend’s smaller tent. I would like to note that Cat Lake does not take reservations, which is both a pro and a con. It was perfect with our change of plans and luckily for us, there was an abundance of campsites so it was really easy to find a spot. However, the park ranger working there did mention that it can get unbelievably busy in the summertime, so if you are in a big group like us, it could be smart to send someone there earlier to scout out and nab some spots.
We decided to spend 2 nights at Cat Lake even though we didn’t hit the jackpot with the weather. I would say that the weather near Squamish is generally quite warm in the summer, but after the entire province burning to the ground, it was probably good that we got a lot of rain last weekend. On Friday night, we arrived there in the late afternoon and just set up our tent on the campsite. We had some friends that were arriving later in the night due to work, so we just relaxed, drank, and played board games. Daniel and I are board game enthusiasts but in this group of friends, I have friends that are even more passionate than us. I think it is great since I love playing different types of board games and it really gets me in a happy mood. It is always fun when board games turn into drinking games later in the night.
Unfortunately, there was a fire ban while we were there so we did not get the majestic feeling of sitting by a fire. I definitely missed the warmth that a campfire provides, but not the smell. It was nice to come home after camping and not have to try to desperately remove that smell from all of your clothing. We did use a portable outdoor campfire that my friend bought. It did provide enough light to hang out all together into the late evening, but it did not provide a lot of warmth.
On Saturday, we just relaxed in the morning, and later in the day, Daniel and I did a quick run around the lake. Then a bunch of us decided to go swimming in the lake. It had quite good visibility and we did use the Go Pro to take some pictures. I would recommend having a floatie since it made relaxing in the lake easier. Cat Lake is quite small so you can easily swim from one side to the other. Since it was chilly outside, the water felt quite warm. So, we swam for quite a while and it was hard to get out. That evening, we just chilled. It was quite cold and rainy, so we just had a cozy evening.
Practical Information
How to Get There
As mentioned, it is a bit past Squamish and there are signs that clearly point out when to turn. If you are driving from Vancouver, it takes just over an hour.
Where We Camped
There is a map of the Cat Lake campsite online, which was quite helpful to us. We stayed at sites 17, 18, 19, 20, which are all clustered together. We parked in the back parking lot, which looks a lot like a logging road. We followed under the giant telephone lines and it was quite easy to find. Just be careful while going up the steep part of the gravel hill.
Water, Toilets, and Garbage
There is no running water at Cat Lake or flush toilets. You need to make sure that you pack enough water to last you during your stay. Remember, you need to hike into your campsite, so it could be worth it to pack practical instead of comfortable: a lesson that my friends and I learned. They do have wagons that you can use, but there were none available at the back parking lot. So, if you have a lot of stuff, I would recommend finding a campsite near the main parking lot. Cat Lake has pit toilets, which were ok to use and had toilet paper provided. We bought extra toilet paper but did not end up needing it.
There are bins for garbage and recycling on site, which are really close to the campsites. There are also bear caches that you need to keep your food in during the night. They have just updated the bear caches from a bucket system to these huge metal cases that lock. They are really easy to use. The ranger recommended that we lock up all food and even hygiene products that have a scent during the night.
Final Thoughts
Camping at Cat Lake was great and I would really recommend it. As you can see, we took some nice group pictures right at our campsite. On Sunday, we head to White Spot to eat brunch before heading home. Since the weather was quite bad, we were all a bit tired and run down. I think if the weather had been nicer then it would have been nice to do a hike on the way home. For example, The Chief and Sea to Sky Gondola are right on the way home and are awesome hikes.
After Camping
After we went camping last weekend, Danne and I headed to my parent’s place and just relaxed for a few days. We had a lot to clean due to the rain, so that took a bit of our time. My mom, Daniel, and I also played disc golf a few times together, which my mom really liked. Daniel and I have played a few times in Slottskogen in Gothenburg, but it was our first time playing in Canada. We played at Centennial Park in Mission and bought the frisbees at the local Leisure Centre. I think you can find them at any sports store since it has gotten popular recently. I like disc golf since once you buy the equipment it is essentially free. We also had amazing sushi that day. Sushi is one of the things I miss most from home. It is seriously so good in the Great Vancouver Area. I could eat it every day on this trip—which we have almost done. After that, we visited friends in Maple Ridge and then headed up to Whistler to visit one of my good friends, which I will write about later!
xx
Jasmine