SAM the Axe Man greets you in Squamish, BC
Squamish, BC
We’re on the road again! And this time, our virtual tour of cool Canadian Roadside Attractions takes us to Squamish, British Columbia and a 10 meter tall logger.
Sam first appeared in 2003, built as a film prop for a movie shot around Britannia Beach, a little south of Squamish. After the movie was completed, Sam was donated to the Squamish Days Logger Sports Association. This is when he got his name - SAM, the Squamish Axe Man. For several years, Sam was brought out only for a few weeks for the annual Squamish Days Loggers Sports Festival which runs every B.C. Day (August) long weekend.
Then in 2010, it was decided he’d stick around all year for the Winter Olympics which were hosted along the Sea to Sky corridor from Whistler to Vancouver.
After the Olympics, some Squamish residents petitioned the city to get rid of Sam, feeling that logging no longer represents the city and its values.
It looked like Sam was going to be banished, but then a local business stepped up and found a spot in their Casino parking lot. Sam now greets people at the entrance to Squamish.
SAM looks out at the Stawamus Chief, the 2nd largest granite monolith in the world at 710m. There’s a great hiking trail to the top of the Chief and it is a popular destination for rock climbers.
Squamish is an adaptation of the Indigenous word, Sḵwx̱wú7mesh. Squamish is one of the wettest places to live in Canada, with over 2.2 metres / 7+ feet of rainfall per year.
(sources: various news articles including the Squamish Chief and Vancouver Sun)
Squamish Sam: The Coffee
A medium roast, easy drinking blend of coffees from Papua New Guinea, Brazil and Honduras. A little bit sweet. A little bit spicy. The perfect way to start your day.
Recommended brew:
A very versatile blend, Squamish Sam is great as filter coffee (pour over or automatic coffee maker) and makes a delicious French press.
The Roadside Attraction Coffee Series
The Roadside Attraction series of seasonal coffees celebrates our love for coffee, for road trips, and for Canada by creating limited edition coffees named for and inspired by Canadian Roadside Attractions.
Wach one is a limited edition, around for only a few weeks so try it out while you can!
Enjoy this coffee and dream of your next road trip!
Hear about our next seasonal coffee and other coffee news: