SOUTHWESTERN BRITISH COLUMBIA - British Columbia: Including the Alaska Highway - page 315

the sheer granite walls of the Stawamus Chief
THE EAGLES OF BRACKENDALE
Squamish itself doesn't have a ton of sights, but if you're in the area during winter,
Brackendale, just to the north along Highway 99, is definitely worth a stop. Through
the colder months of the year, the river flats behind this sleepy little town are home
to a larger concentration of bald eagles than anywhere else on the face of the earth.
Over 3,000 of these magnificent creatures descend on a stretch of the Squamish River
between the Cheakamus and Mamquam tributaries to feed on spawned-out salmon
that litter the banks. The dead fish are the result of a late-fall run of an estimated
100,000 chum salmon. The birds begin arriving in late October, but numbers reach
their peak around late December, and by early February the birds are gone. The best
viewing spot is from the dike that runs along the back of Brackendale.
The best place to learn more about these creatures is the Brackendale Art
Gallery (604/898-3333, www.brackendaleartgallery.com , noon-5pm daily Jan.,