5th Annual Squamish Mountain Festival

The 5th annual Arc’teryx Squamish Mountain Festival is gearing up for another great series of films, presentations, clinics and competitions in the Outdoor Recreation Capital of Canada, Squamish BC, from July 14-18, 2010.
 
“This year’s festival is built on the success that we’ve seen in our previous years,” says festival director Ivan Hughes. “I’m encouraged by the enthusiasm for the fest. It keeps growing as word spreads that Squamish is the place to be for the best climbing and adventure film festival held during the peak of the climbing season. Not only can you share in adventures on screen in the evening, but you can actively take part on the crags during the day.”
 
The festival will have events for everyone regardless of their mountain or adventure experience. “We’re really trying to make this a festival that appeals to anyone that has a passion for the outdoors, and so there are climbing clinics for everyone from complete novice to advanced,” says Hughes. “The annual trade fair even has gear demos so that people who don’t own their own stuff can still gear up and try it out for the day.”
 
Also on tap during the fest will be screenings of international mountain adventure films and presentations from climbers fresh from frost-encrusted peaks and vertigo inducing walls. They will offer the audiences an up close look at the risks that these incredible athletes are undertaking when they take on a climb. The films are selected from entries that come from all over the world, many of which are world and Canadian premieres.
 
Highlights of the festival are: Oh Canada Climbing night featuring the best in Canadian mountain culture and films;  Big Wall Climbing night that looks at life in the vertical world;  Steep Shot photo shoot-out which pits the best shooters against each other while a wild party ensues; and the Alpine Climbing night for those that love frosty knife- edged ridges.  Break out the cowboy boots for this year’s festival finale party, the West is Best theme party which promises to be another memorable night of fun.
 
The Squamish Mountain Festival is a gathering of climbers, filmmakers, alpinists, boulderers, hikers and anyone that just likes to be a part of it all.
 
More information and tickets can be found on the website.