Where the Mountains Meet the Sea
The story of how four friends are building a sustainable tourism business in Squamish, BC
The journey from Vancouver to Squamish takes you along the dramatic Sea-to-Sky Highway, deep into the Tantalus Range of the Coast Mountains.
The hour-long drive skirts along the edge of a mountain and offers spectacular views over Howe Sound.
It is here, nestled at the confluence of the Cheekye and Cheakamus Rivers, that you'll find the Sunwolf Riverside Resort and Fergie's Cafe.
The 5.5-acre property features 13 rentable cabins and cottages, a communal fire pit area, access to the river, outdoor picnic areas and an onsite restaurant that has become a must-eat spot for locals and visitors alike.
Jake and Jess Freese purchased the property, long known in the community as Fergie's, in 2010. They began renovating the existing cabins and also reopened the cafe, which at the time was located inside a small blue shack.
In 2018, the cafe caught fire and burned to the ground. While devastating, the fire gave Jake and Jess a chance to rebuild the restaurant into a structure worthy of its surroundings.
"Since the fire decimated the existing structure, we were able to start the design fresh, though with some tight restrictions," says Jess. "The District of Squamish set us a mandate to build the bulk of the structure 10 feet above the flood plain on reinforced concrete columns. We decided to take advantage of this elevation and focus the building on the epic views of the river and mountains."
The end result has the effect of a treehouse that seems to blend into its surroundings, where food and nature can take centre stage.
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
Photo by Ema Peter Photography
In December 2023, the couple sold the restaurant to their longtime friends Nick and Jules Cassettari so they (Jake and Jess) could concentrate solely on running the Sunwolf Riverside Resort section of the business.
The two entrepreneurial couples mesh well together in business as they share a desire to support and build community and are all deeply committed to sustainability.
"We strongly feel that sustainability isn't an option anymore," Jess says. "It's a necessity. As a business, we consider our impact on the environment at every level of our operations."
Nick, who is originally from Australia, was born into a family of chefs. He has worked in a variety of roles in food service all over the world, from Michelin-starred restaurants to being a private chef for the rich and famous.
He met his wife on a ski vacation in Banff and moved to Canada, heading up kitchens in the mountain towns of Banff and Whistler before taking over at Fergie's.
His approach to ingredients is to source as local as possible.
"If I had the ability, I would like to have zero mileage on some of the food that we serve," he says. "That's definitely a goal in my future, to have a farm or something on the farm side."
But for now, Nick is content to grow some of his own herbs and source the rest of his ingredients nearby.
We asked Nick and Fergie's Head Chef Austin Cunningham to showcase one dish from Fergie's famous brunch menu to show just how local the ingredients are.
They chose the beautiful sourdough tartine, which is packed with local flavour — something that is extremely important to Chef Austin.
"The vibrant flavours of locally sourced ingredients elevate every meal," he says. "It ensures our customers enjoy the best that our region has to offer."
Photo by Holly Stock
The base of the tartine is a slice of grilled house-made sourdough bread, baked fresh daily (using a sourdough starter the staff have nicknamed 'Gary').
The flour comes from Anita's Organic Mill in Chilliwack, B.C.
The Micro-Arugula comes from Sea-to-Sky Mushrooms, who grow the greens in Squamish.
The mushroom ragout is made using a combination of cultivated mushrooms from Sea-to-Sky and wild mushrooms foraged in Squamish by the Fergie's team.
The smoked cashew 'ricotta' is made in-house and smoked on-site.
The black tuscan kale is sourced from North Arm Farm in Pemberton, BC.
The cherry tomatoes and marigold petals come from Brew Creek Farms, which is located just a 22-minute drive from Fergie's.
The farm also provides some of the herbs used in the herb oil for the dish, while the other herbs are grown by Fergie's.
"There's something deeply fulfilling about crafting dishes that not only taste amazing but also support our community's farmers and producers," Austin says.
Nick and Jules have also expanded the Coffee Box, a cool food truck which was conceptualized and built by Jake and Jess. It serves coffee and small bites to those passing by, waiting for a table at Fergie's or staying in one of the onsite accommodations.
The couple has also added a few new elements to the Fergie's property, including a mobile bar that will form the basis of an outdoor beer garden this summer and The Greenhouse, a curated shop inside the sweetest little greenhouse.
The Greenhouse is created and curated by Jules, who is an artist herself and strong supporter of local artisans, and includes items such as naturally made self-care products and artisanal pottery.
"Our ethos revolves around supporting companies committed to sustainable practices, B Corp certification, 1% for the planet, and those dedicated to giving back to their communities," Jules says.
As an artist herself, she aspires to infuse her creations into the space as well as organize future community events, to add to the already vibrant atmosphere of creativity and collaboration in Squamish.
Over on the Sunwolf side, Jake and Jess are continuing with their commitment to sustainability, which has guided them since they bought the property in 2010. This includes actively working towards waste reduction, minimizing energy consumption and safeguarding water sources on the property.
The property has a variety of cabins to rent — none of which have televisions or wifi, but all offer a full immersion into nature.
Jake and Jess are proud Gold Award members of Sustainable Tourism Canada and they are continually working towards implementing best environmental practices throughout their business.
Sunwolf Riverside Resort works with GreenStep, an organization that helps tourism destinations and businesses measure and improve their sustainability performance.
It signifies a commitment to global stewardship that Jake and Jess take seriously.
"We go through our day-to-day routines surrounded by mountains, ocean, rivers, lakes and lush forests," Jess says. "It’s hard not to feel passionate about protecting these natural spaces when they’re everywhere you look."
Inside Fisherman's Cottage. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
Inside Fisherman's Cottage. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
Inside Cheekye Lodge. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
Inside Cheekye Lodge. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
Riverside Cabins. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
Riverside Cabins. Photo by Triple Peak Photography
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