Hiked Stawamus chief (British Columbia) in 1 hr and came down in 14 mins here are some shots I took

The Stawamus Chief in Squamish, BC is one of those hikes that sounds manageable on paper until you're actually on it.

The trail starts innocent enough, a forested path with some elevation gain. Then the granite shows up. Steep, unforgiving slabs with chains bolted into the rock to help you pull yourself up. Your hands and legs are both working the whole time. It's less of a hike and more of a full-body scramble once you get into the upper sections.

I made it to the summit in 1 hour flat. The descent took 14 minutes.

At the top, you're standing on one of the largest granite monoliths in the world, over 700 metres above Squamish. The view stretches across Howe Sound, the valley below, the mountains in every direction. It's the kind of view that makes you forget your legs are on fire.

A few things worth knowing if you're planning this:

• The chain sections are the real workout. Don't skip upper body day before this one.
• Wear shoes with grip. The granite gets slippery and there's no margin for error on the steeper sections.
• Go early. The parking lot fills up fast and the trail gets busy.
• There are three peaks. Most people do Peak 1. All three is a different beast entirely.

British Columbia just keeps delivering. This one's going straight to the top of my list.