When it comes to the road less travelled, Squamish is full of them.
For more than a decade, Squamish resident Derek Jarman has gone up or down these roads, exploring the outreaches of the Sea to Sky Corridor.
“I like the comradery with the other members, the challenge of pushing the truck to its limits, but for me the best part about it is being able to see so many parts of the province that you wouldn’t be able to access driving a car,” Jarman said of his love of four-by-fouring.
One could say it was inevitable that Jarman would venture into the world of four-wheeling, just as it was inevitable that he become a mechanic. Jarman’s father was a mechanic, as was his brother.
“It ran in the family,” Jarman said, who currently works at Diamond Head Motors.
At the age of 16, Jarman pieced together his first car – a 1971 Pinto. There was always a project on the go at his then home in Coquitlam. The driveway was often packed and a car used for spare parts was kept in the yard.
Off-road driving came down the road, when Jarman met his wife, Emily, in Whistler. She had a little four-by-four and Jarman quickly got to work rebuilding it – bigger suspension and tires.
The Sea to Sky Corridor is a good place to get started in four-by-fouring, Jarman said. While one will have to go further afield for some of the more technical routes, the region provides many old logging roads for those just getting into the sport, he said.
“Up the Elaho Valley there are roads that any four-wheel-drive vehicle can do,” Jarman said. “There are lots of places to go and explore around here.”
One of the more popular runs is to go see the Elaho Giant, a massive tree at the end of the valley, he noted. The tree was saved during a forest fire, but later died, Jarman said, adding it is still standing and worth a visit.
There are various directions one can go within four-by-fouring – Jarman focused on extreme rock crawling. He joined the Herd of Turtles Four Wheel Drive Association out of Surrey and explored the province and routes south of the border with the club.
“Sometimes there is not a lot of information about trails,” he said, noting just as in other sports like surfing, four-by-four enthusiasts will keep the best runs secret. “But the clubs have forums and share details on the trails. Also, for some of the more difficult trails, it is better to go with other people.”
Jarman’s favourite local rock climb is a washout logging road that travels up to Hut Lake, up Paradise Valley.
“You have to drive up this waterfall,” he said. “You need a complete rig to get up there.”
In the wintertime, there is a popular snow wheeling route that runs behind the Stawamus Chief along to Indian Arm. The road was once impossible to complete on the account of a broken bridge, Jarman said, but it has since been fixed.
Safety is imperative in four-wheeling. It’s important to have all the right equipment and emergency gear, Jarman said. Let people know where you are travelling or better yet, go with more than one vehicle. And always be prepared for the worst, he noted.
If you are interested in getting into the sport, the Pemberton Off-Road Rebels is a good place to start. The club holds an annual rally at the Pemberton Motocross Track. Behind the biking course, between Whistler and Pemberton, is a mud bog, hill climb and all-terrain course where four-wheelers can show off their goods. To get in touch with the club, message them on Facebook.
Nowadays Jarman has forgone extreme four-wheeling, he said, noting the deeper into it one goes, the bigger the bills get. But he still explores Squamish’s outer reaches.
“I think more people are getting into the easier thing because it doesn’t require a lot of monetary investment,” Jarman said. “And look at our backyard.”
