Three Days in Squamish - 08.06-08.11

Sabrina and I teamed up for three days in Squamish. We had big plans. There was talk on the drive up about Diedre, Calculus Crack, Snake and St. Vitus. We even discussed The Ultimate Everything. Could these all be done in two and half days? We were about to find out.

Day 1:
In the car we eventually decided to hit Shannon Falls on the first day. We figured trying to get on busy apron climbs on a Saturday late in the morning was not going to benefit us in our time use equation and opted for Shannon Falls. After a quick stop to set up camp (the last tent site!) we got rolling south to Shannon Falls.

Our objective there was the new route Skywalker. A mellow 5.8 multi pitch route that would be good for us to do as our intro to the weekend. We hiked quickly up to the base to get in the queue. There was a second leaving the ground, and a party of two ahead of us. We geared up while we waited. Three parties of two arrived shortly afterward. This is a very popular climb.

Finally it was our turn, and I waited for the party ahead of us to get to the belay before I started out. The first moves were a touch tricky with a seeping corner where I wanted to place a foot. Eventually I succumbed to putting a foot in the wet corner to make the crux move of the pitch and continue up. There was then a move leaving the crack to traverse the slab to where the crack continues and up I went to a tree belay. (The party ahead of us was currently occupying both bolted anchors. ) I brought Sabrina up in time for her to head up the next pitch behind their second.

The next pitch was a 5.8 corner that was a little compressed, but offered great climbing and good pro opportunities. I found it a little rough on my right foot as I continuously wedged it into the corner/crack. But it was a nice pitch. I got the next pitch which followed some cracks up to a heady move right before the next belay. Gear was good until that point, but sort of disappeared in the last ten feet or so. I made the moves and brought Sabrina up.

The next pitch(4) is where the route gets its name. It is the Skywalker Traverse. One of the bolts at the belay actually says "May the Force be with You." It is a really easy, somewhat exposed traverse. It is slabby and can be done with counter pressure with hands in the crack at the base of the wall above it, but I walked it for the most part with my hand on the wall.

The final pitch was a short easy bolted slab that I ran up and brought Sabrina to the top. This route was an excellent warm up for us, and a pretty nice route for the grade.

We walked off and headed to the Klahanie Crack area. There was of course a line for that route as well and we waited for a couple to get off of Dirty Dickie before we attempted to climb it. Sabrina led it and I followed, finding the wide section near the top to be the crux. We rapped, and then Klahanie Crack was available. Sabrina racked up for it, and headed off on the sharp end. She was placing a lot of gear due to it being late in the day and her energy level. This caused concern about having enough gear to finish the pitch. Her feet were sore from jamming the crack and she hung a few times to cool them off. Once at the top she brought me up and we rapped. With our feet worn out, we did not even bother with Cardu Crack. Maybe next time. A cool soak of our feet in Shannon Creek did the trick before we returned to our camp site.

Day 2:
We had big ambitions of climbing a new route, the North Face variation of Squamish Buttress, aka Squamish Buttface. Our approach climb was to be Snake on the apron. Definitely not the fastest way up to the South Gully, but one we thought capable of doing. The alarm went off at 5am and we both felt a little tired from the previous day to wake up at that point. So we slept in until about 6am. It was at least a few more hours before we were able to leave the campground and walk to the base of the route.

Even though the first pitch is 5th class, it appears the guide book either wants you to scramble the pitch, or simply does not count it in the pitch total. We roped up for it and ended up climbing two short pitches to reach the ledge where Snake starts. Since I led the approach pitches, Sabrina took the lead on the first pitch, which starts the right facing corner climbing. Before she left, we discussed if she would do the unprotected 5.7 traverse or head up to the tree leaving me to the traverse. She told me she might, but would probably end up at the tree. Which is where she ended the pitch and brought me up to. I led out for the 5.7 traverse, and was not happy with the lack of protection. I was able to sling a horn, but botching the moves on the traverse would have led to a decent pendulum. I balked numerous times attempting the traverse high until I somehow noticed a really good foot hold low and down climbed a few moves to make the traverse from there. Once on the low path, I made quick work of the traverse and was at the bolts on the other side, bringing Sabrina in.

The next pitch was lightly protected 5.9 traverse, so I got that one too. It started out on easy ledges and ramps to a good sized ledge with a not so good sized bush. There are two variations that follow: one that continues left on a unprotected slabby traverse of a dyke, or another that heads up a slab with a 2" corner moving left once you gain some ledges. Both options were 5.9. I placed a cam at my feet and went left. There was a large hand pocket about two thirds of the way, but I couldn't reach it and came back. I looked up. It appeared promising. There was a small pocket in the corner where I got at least three lobes of a blue alien. I was going up. By placing the cam I negated the first hand hold on that section but made do with what I got until I got the second hand hold and kept it until I could reach the ledges above. On safer ground, I slung a horn and headed to the belay tree. I brought Sabrina up as she thanked me for leading the sketchy slab.

Sabrina got the next pitch and headed up the long right facing corner. There was a steeper section early on, but the crux came close to the next bolted anchor. I quickly followed as Daryl and Luke from the previous day were now on our tails. I offered them to pass at the next belay, but Daryl was only about a quarter up the pitch when I arrived at Sabrina's location. So I quickly headed out thinking we could stay ahead of them. This was proving true as I dispatched the first half of the pitch quickly. There were few pro opportunities, which kept me moving quickly. The lay backing of the corner was a touch strenuous, and moving kept it more manageable. Then I came up on the crux. There were some thin moves up a flake before gaining a ledge at the base of a large wall. A traverse back right overcomes the wall, but not without going through the crux first.

I got to the ledge and slung some roots. Moving further, I removed the sling and placed it on the tree in the middle of the traverse. For some reason I had my feet really high and they were getting tired. I placed a cam in a pocket a few feet from the tree. I tried to move right, but couldn't figure out the moves. My feet were getting tired. I hung. My foot slipped while hanging. There was a patch of slick damp rock from a seep and my foot must have got in it. I dried it a bit. I attempted again. No luck, I was hanging again. But this time I dropped my feet. All I have to do is climb it like a slab, and not rely on my hands so much I thought. I tried again. But it still couldn't make the move. Then I finally shortened the draw on the cam and was able to make the move and zip around the corner to the next belay. I brought Sabrina up and she quickly moved on to the final 5.7 pitch and then we scrambled up to Broadway for a lunch.

During our lunch break we discussed our slowness and tiredness. We also discussed which route we should take to reach Squamish Buttress. There were four people lined up at Memorial Crack and we had moved slow to this point. It was later in the day than we wanted, and I offered a suggestion to Sabrina that we head down and perhaps try another route on the apron and shoot for Squamish Buttress the following day. On the way down we were once again fairly slow and chatted a bit with other Seattle climbers on the trail. We then chatted a bit with Luke and Daryl before heading down. It was now 4:30pm and I recommended to Sabrina we call it a day.

Day 3:
We awoke tired again, but we were motivated and got out of the tent quicker and started our day. We left the campground at least an hour earlier than the previous day and hoped to do Diedre as our apron route. Upon arriving at Diedre, there was one party climbing and another waiting. We opted to take Banana Peel to the top as it also would deposit us at the base of Boomstick Crack. Sabrina led up to the crack and started the traverse. When the rope ran out, I simul climbed until I reached her at the base of the first real pitch. She led again which gave me the crux pitch of the route. I almost passed the bolt on the way to a .10b bolt before Sabrina caught me and directed me in the right path. I went through the crux moves, and brought Sabrina up. We danced up the rest of the pitches and took a snack break on Broadway before tackling Boomstick Crack.

Sabrina balked at the opening crux moves, but I wouldn't succumb to her pleas of leading it. She got the moves and made quick work of the rest of the pitch. I climbed up to her and dispatched the remaining bit before untying in the woods. We kept our rock shoes on and scrambled up to the base of Squamish Buttress. We stopped for a bit in the forest to have lunch and then arrived at the base.

I took the first lead. But we allowed a quicker team to go first before I left the ground. That was pretty much the last we saw of them. The opening moves of the first pitch are easy gaining a roof, but then there are some thin moves to a bolt, and then even thinner moves above the bolt, the crux of the pitch. I took a bit to unlock the moves and then I was on my way. I combined the first two pitches and it got progressively easier as I went. However the protection opportunities were pretty scarce most of the way. I arrived at a tree belay and Sabrina soon joined me. She ran up around the corner to the next bit, and I followed. I set a belay and she led the next two pitches as one. These pitches were awkward bits with a few pro opportunities to protect them.

Once arriving at the belay, I poked around the corner to find the start of the North Face Variation. I found it, and Sabrina joined me. It was steeper than I imagined, but was completely doable by our party. I wanted to lead this 5.9 pitch as I wasn't too excited about the other one. But I often get spooked by steep climbing and had to work myself up to it. I took the rack and led off. A few pieces up and I was pumping and down climbed back to the base. I looked at the moves again and gave it another go. An adjustment of my top piece and my mindset, and I was higher and placing another piece. A few moves later I placed another piece and then it was up to a bolt. From the ground it looked as though the climbing got easier at the bolts, by this was untrue. A few moves leftward the climbing eased a bit and I gained the ledge. The remaining portion of the pitch was awesomely exposed climbing up steps on the ledge. It was amazing how quickly the gully floor dropped away after the short steep section. I belayed Sabrina up enjoying Ravens flying below me and the tops of trees down in the South Gully.

Since she was leading the next 5.9 pitch, I led the short bit to the tree and brought her over. I laughed when I saw the gaping maw that was the next pitch. She joined me and was startled by the look of it. She expressed her concern about leading it. I told her I would if she wanted me to. She did. We reflaked the rope and I headed off. This was supposedly the last 5th class pitch before reaching the top, but it was a considerable looking obstacle between us and the easier ground. I placed a nut and made the mantle move into the bottom of the scoop. I got a small suspect cam in between flakes near my feet and then entered the hole to place a blue alien in the back. I made a few moves and then placed a cam higher. I climbed back down as I was getting pumped and not unlocking the problem. I went up again with a better strategy and got higher, placing yet another cam in the deep back. I found a pocket in the back for a finger and I used holds on the arete with my right hand and foot. But trying to chimney the moves was proving difficult for me at best.

Was I in too deep? Were my long legs not suitable for the size of the crack? I felt I had to succeed as to not spend the night on the ledge. I moved up and was able to place the #1 cam listed on the topo. I was now in reach of the flake on the wall and grabbed it with my left hand. Now I had to turn my hip toward the wall. What to do with my right hand? I grabbed the draw, adjusted my feet and then grabbed the top of the flake and pulled myself up into an awkward stance on the next ledge. From there I placed a cam before continuing to a tree belay. Sabrina had no issues climbing the pitch and joined me on the ledge where we tried to figure out where the scramble ledges were supposed to go. Nothing looked like ropeless terrain to us, so Sabrina led out on the pitches at least attached to the mountain. Zig-zaging up the ledges she couldn't place any pro and stopped at tree. I came up and for some reason left without the rack on a perfectly protectable ramp that led to 2nd/3rd class terrain.

Once Sabrina joined me we put away the rope. A short 3rd class scramble got us to some easy slabs where we stopped to enjoy the view and have some snacks. Now the task was to find the tourist trail down. We poked around on slabs a bit before attaining the trail. Sabrina led us onto an exposed trail that went down a needly ramp. I didn't want to go and told her I thought the best way to go down was to go up. I liked a short gully heading up and went back to climb it. She reluctantly followed. Near the top of the gully was some third class moves with some rebar in the rock via ferrata style. After topping out of the gully we were on the summit area and I proceeded to the top while Sabrina scouted the descent.


It was nice to finally be on the summit and in direct sun for the first time all day. We chatted a bit with a "reporter" who said she was interviewing Sonnie Trotter about the route. Then it was off down the trail. The trail down was enjoyable. Plenty of stairs, a few ladders and chains and some nice trees. The most beautiful thing about it is that it deposited us right at camp, and our car so we could drink fluids and start making dinner.

This was a great trip. We didn't accomplish as much as we were hoping, but what we did accomplish was great fun. I was glad to be out on what may be my only multi day trip of the year.

The rest of the pics are here.

Squamish - 10.2-3.10

I finally got someone to go to Squamish with me this year. The weather was looking good for what I am sure may be the last weekend that I would attempt to go up there. Matt Jillson was game and we opted for a plan of heading up casually on Saturday morning and staying until Sunday evening. While I had big dreams of climbing on the Apron Saturday and Sunday after talking to Matt in the car we opted for a day of single pitch cragging on Saturday and to get some multipitch action in on Sunday on the Apron.

It was interesting to see the improvements of the Sea to Sky Highway. Although there did not seem to be many. But we did notice the signs were now in English and Salish, to which Matt said Squamish has a seven in it. Indeed it does.

When we arrived we set up our tent at the Chief camp ground. And, like last year there were no envelopes, so we couldn't pay, even though I actually had the ten Canadian Dollars needed. We opted to check out Murrin Park as our first destination, and hit the Sugarloaf area to warm up. There are some easy four star routes there, and since we both didn't sleep well, we wanted to warm up easy. When we arrived at the cliff, ropes were on most routes, but no one was in sight. I led Little Spark first which was a wide crack followed by super easy blocky steps near the top. We found a group getting instructed up top, and walked off for our next route.

Matt led Lieback Crack, a three star 5.7 which we both awkwardly liebacked higher up. It didn't feel right the way I did it, but I could not figure out another way to do it. We watched a pair climb it on top rope later, but neither really did any liebacking on it.

I then led Magnet, another four star 5.4. This route was really easy, but really fun. After we both climbed that we set the rope up above Power Smart a fun 5.8 slab that didn't look like it protected well. (And our top rope laps convinced us of it.) After that we opted to head to Smoke Bluffs to see what we could find.

At Smoke Bluffs we ran into Bram and his friend going to climb Split Beaver, a difficult .10b offwidth. We headed to Neat and Cool in an attempt to climb Cat Crack. However, the Neat and Cool crag was overcrowded, and probably an instructional group as is typical of Smoke Bluffs on weekends. We looked through the book and found Laughing Crack which is above Zombie Roof. Since it had a fixed line to reach, we figured not too many people go up to climb it. Upon climbing the fifth class rock with a chain, we reached the route to find another party just packing up. We geared up for the route and Matt led it. This was an awesome five star crack route that had a nice position and was a joy to climb. (Except for the pain it inflicted on my feet as I jammed the smallish crack.) We rapped off and then climbed down the chain to find another objective.

Over at Penny Lane, we found Quarryman, another five star route. It was later in the day, and I wasn't feeling too much like leading, so Matt once again led. He climbed it well, and brought me up. This route was noticeably harder than the previous route and had some interesting moves exiting a corner and going around another to finish with a crack. We briefly toproped Popeye and the Raven, a .10d slab before calling it a day and putting our sights on tomorrow.

At dinner we made a plan to wake around 6am to be climbing by 7am on Sunday. We expected this to be a good time for the light to be on the rock. When we awoke at 6am, we snoozed twice to 6:30 and then decided to stay in until 7, as it was still dark and damp outside. We figured we needed some sunlight to dry the rock out a bit. After our multiple snoozes, we awoke at 7 to a very cloudy damp day. We prepped for our climb and eventually headed off toward the Apron, walking from the campground.

Everything around us was wet, and this was more apparent on the trail up where some of the rocky scramble sections were dripping. We arrived at the base just as the second of a two man rope team left the ground to start the first pitch of Over the Rainbow. We spied the route, and decided to stick with our original intent of climbing Sparrow. We geared up and Matt led off. The first pitch had only four pieces of pro in around 40m of climbing, including a traverse over somewhat easier slabs. I followed and headed up the second pitch which had some run out before a cam could be placed and then up to a bolt. A bit above the bolt was what I felt was the crux of the pitch. A short steep bulge that required careful footwork to get atop of. After that I wandered the slabs eventually reaching the belay tree. I brought Matt up, slipping at the crux. I belayed him down the next very short pitch to a tree, and followed shortly afterward.

By now we were feeling wetness in the air. We were in a cloud, and it appeared to be getting wetter. From the belay we could see what almost looked like rain on the pitch above us. It was a fine mist surely getting the rock wet. Matt set out and chalked his shoes in hopes of drying them out from standing in wet needles and mud from the short down climb. He climbed a crack and then set out on a short slab. I followed, but the rock got more wet by the time I arrived at the slab, and I slipped. I slipped again just hanging on the rope. I dried my feet and quickly scampered to the ledge. We made a quick gear change, and I started out on the next pitch.

I continued on the ledge before slinging a tree at the base of a line of bolts. The first bolt was ten feet or more up on a slab that was now quite damp. My first moves on the slab were slippery. I had a foot slip out just standing on the lower angle portion of it. I couldn't imagine reaching the first bolt. I kept drying my shoes on my pant legs. I chalked my hands, but they became wet when contacting the rock. I tried to wipe away the wetness on the holds, but it didn't help. Then I got the idea to hit my chalk sock on the holds I was going to use to dry them off, and perhaps keep them dry. After every move, I'd take the chalk out and chalk more holds. Mostly this was an issue for my feet, as my hands did not need as much friction to keep me on the rock. I eventually made the first clip, but the rock was so wet I could not continue up a friction slab. I hung. I discussed with Matt what he thought. I watched him rub his foot on the slab below him, and he said he could not do better. He wondered if I could aid through the section. I couldn't, but thought I could attempt to stand on a bolt and then clip the next (about eight feet apart.) But there was a big stretch of lower angle terrain that did not appear to have bolts, how would I reach it? Plus there were two more pitches of 5.8 slabs above the 5.9 slab I was attempting to climb. Finishing was looking impossible. I thought about waiting out the clouds, but who knew what would happen? I finally conceded to being lowered and climbing back to Matt. [After looking at the guide book Sunday night, I realized I was trying to climb the a .10b pitch from "One Scoop" that was wet, and that the 5.9 was a less bolted route to the right. Not sure I could have got up that either.]

We discussed the option of rappelling, but it did not appeal to us. Especially considering we would have to retrace the Apron approach trail. Matt asked if there was another route we could get on, perhaps Banana Peel? I looked at our topo, and sure enough Banana Peel shared the ledge we were on. And the remaining pitches were mostly 5.4 with a small bit of 5.7, much easier to climb in the wet. I led out through some trees and bushes and connected with Banana Peel in about fifteen feet. I continued on the Banana Peel's fifth pitch. We swung leads from there on easier ground before reaching Broadway, when the rain started in earnest.

We scrambled off Broadway to the woods and donned our approach shoes for the hike out. The dense canopy kept it a bit less rainy in the woods, but the two locations with fixed lines on the hike out were super slippery and a bit sketchy. We eventually came back out to the trail unscathed.

We did a little poking around to find Dreamcatcher. It is almost in a cave surrounded by boulders as big as houses. There was a climber working on it and we watched a bit before scrambling back out of the area and onto the trail for our drive home.

This was a fun trip, although not as productive as I would have liked. We did get in some four and five star routes and did make it to Broadway even if we had to finish on a route I had done before. Matt and I discussed trying to get the rest of our crew to come up for a long weekend and really have fun.

My pics are here.

Four Days in Squamish 05.20-24.09

This long weekend was to be Julie's last climbing weekend with me until some possible return trips in June. Four days in Squamish to send her off on her bike trip proper. Julie had already rode to Vancouver, and I was to pick her up Thursday morning and we would head to Squamish and leave some time on Sunday.

Day 1:
I picked Julie up in Vancouver around 9am and we headed to Squamish. The goal was to climb Diedre (5.8), a four star route that sees lots of traffic. Hitting it on Thursday would hopefully mean less traffic. Once arriving in Squamish, due to the highway construction, we had some difficulty finding the Apron parking lot. Once there we adopted the Squamish climbing style. (Harness/gear up at car. Bring only what you will be climbing with. Leave nothing at the base.) This is partially due to the fact you do not return to the base of the climbs, but also because Squamish is known for having high theft rates. Which means you may lose whatever you left at the base of a climb. We had minor difficulty finding the trail. It is obvious, and leaves the parking lot uphill right at the outhouse. After a short trail hike, there is some 3rd class rock and tree scrambling to make it to the base. There was already one rope from a party of four on the route. Their second rope allowed us to start the route before them, and their first rope allowed us to start the second pitch before them. They were a nice group from Switzerland. Although their leader has been living in a log cabin in the Yukon for the last 15 years. I led the first pitch which had about 30' of slab before any protection (slinging a tree.) Then it followed grooves and seems over the rock. Some of which was seriously glacier polished and slick as glass. Other areas seemed to have slippery quartz in them as well, but the overall adhesiveness of the rock was great. Julie got to lead the second pitch which was a traverse with no protection. I arrived at her location, and it was time to tackle the dihedral that gives the route its name.

I got the lead and proceeded to make my way up. The pitch felt easier than 5.8, but did not offer the best opportunities for placing gear because the lack of really good rests and the difficult gear placement at times. The crux of the pitch is probably about a third of the way up where you must negotiate a small step in the slab. The rest of the pitch was pretty straightforward lie back technique. Once I belayed Julie to the top of the pitch, she offered the next pitch for me to lead. She said she could feel her legs had not fully recovered from the bike ride to Vancouver and would feel better if I led the pitch. I wasn't mentally prepared to, but I stepped up to the challenge. I was a little sketched with the opening moves because my shoes had gotten dirty/wet at the belay stance, and this set a tone of not fully trusting my feet for the pitch. This second pitch of the dihedral felt harder, but may not have been. I placed lots of gear, and finally made it to the next bolted belay. (All belays on Diedre are bolted.)

After I brought Julie up, she geared up for the last of the dihedral pitches. After some slabby moves to get back into it, she was on her way and soon bringing me up. This pitch had easier climbing and the angle reduced a bit. It did seem significantly more difficult to place gear on though. I led out on the last lower angle pitch which had very little for protection. This combined with the fact that there was wetness and conifer needles on it gave me little assurance. Once at the final moves (the crux of the climb) there was a piton to clip. I clipped it and gingerly tried to step on clean dry rock until I was stemming over a wet seep. I placed a cam and hesitated about the next moves. I told Julie to watch me as the moves were sketchy. Fortunately, I made a few moves and was able to grab the tree that you need to pull you into the trees and onto Broadway Ledge. I brought Julie up and we celebrated. We then led south to find the walk off. After taking a look at the slab walk off, we opted to go straight for the forest. There were a few bits of 3rd class down climbing to reach the woods, but not too bad. Then it is a trail to boulders near the highway.

Day 2:
We had the lofty goal of attempting to climb to the summit of the Chief using the Banana Peel, Boomstick Crack, Ultimate Everything link up.

We didn't leave the campground as early as we would have liked to due to some confusion on our parts. We walked from the campground to the base of Banana Peel, which is the same start as Deidre. There were already parties on Diedre, and we were the first to head toward Banana Peel. Julie led the same unprotected start to the tree and then belayed me across the long crack traverse to the base of Banana Peel. Our 60m rope didn't quite reach and I had to give Julie a short belay another 30' or so the the start. I then led the next short pitch which is a stem off of a tree to gain the slab, and then about 20' of unprotected 5.4 slab to a tree belay. I brought Julie up to this point and another party was catching us. I told her we should let them go by. When their first climber reached our belay we let him know that we would let them pass as them appeared to be moving faster. After chatting with him a bit we realized that it was Miles and Liz Smart. They proceeded to move on up and out of our sight in a few pitches.

Julie got to lead the next crux pitch which was like three cruxes in one. First there is some run out slab to a bolt at the initial bulge crux on the slab. After passing that, you make another cruxy move from the slab to a steeper flake. After topping the flake, there are some cruxy moves to gain a small crystal ledge that you traverse to the belay. I'm not sure which Julie found hardest (as she was leading) but I definitely felt the moves onto the traverse were the hardest for me. After that pitch, I had a short non memorable pitch to a gear belay. Then Julie led out on a wandering, lightly protected pitch up the slab. This ended at a tree belay and I got to lead the next pitch on an interesting water drainage feature on the slab. It ended a short ways up a flake. Julie led out the final pitch on the flake to lower angle slabs and then Broadway Ledge. We ate lunch and started to grasp the next leg which was Boomstick Crack.

Boomstick Crack is actually a thin, sharp, long, horizontal flake that starts getting more vertical about 30' into the climb. Most of the early gear is suspect as it may knock the flake off, or blow out the rock. And because your feet are only about 6-8' off Broadway, you will hit the ground even if the pro does hold. I got the first lead on this which was some interesting moves to gain the top of the flake. Once there I set about trying to place gear in the flake near my feet. (Even due to the ground fall potential, I still placed gear.) After two pieces at my feet, I was able to get a nut on an old 1/4" stud for protection. After a few more pieces near my feet, the flake angled up and I gained cracks on the face where I finally got in protection that would hold a fall and keep me off the ground. By this time, I was into a hand crack with little gear left to fit it. So I ran it out to a tree belay and brought Julie up. Julie continued on the second pitch into the trees.

We made a decision at that time that it was not feasible for us to continue on The Ultimate Everything. It was ten more pitches, and most of them were at 5.9. So we decided to rappel back to Broadway, and walk off.

After the walk off, we decide to drive over to the Smoke Bluffs crags and do some routes over there. After Julie led Burgers and Fries (a 5.7 crack), we top-roped Peaches and Cream (5.10a/b.) Then we found the Clean Starts cracks at the far end of the Neat and Clean wall. We top-roped a few cracks over there and then headed back to camp.

Day 3:
We set our sights on Calculus Crack (5.8). We figured it being Saturday that it would see less traffic than the routes we did earlier in the week. We were wrong. The first two pitches of the route are shared with numerous other routes on the north end of the Apron. The one guidebook describes these pitches as "vertical jungle." With the amazing growth rates in the area, and the typical Squamish "tree ladders" through steep forest, we did not know what to expect. We arrived at the base behind a party of three that was gearing up. They offered to let us pass, but we figured we did not want anyone behind us, so we gave them the route first. Shortly, our decision didn't matter as a party of two women showed up behind us.

We waited a while before one of the slow followers fell and struggled with the opening moves. Then I was hot on her trail following through the initial crack and then through the trees. The first pitch then goes up another short crack and more pulling on tree roots to gain the next belay. I brought Julie up and we did a short scramble through the woods to the start of the second pitch. Both of the earlier party's followers struggled with the crux (5.8) of this section which was moving leftward from a fist crack to some steeper thin finger cracks past a bulge. Once they were through, Julie led out and stopped. Her head wasn't in this lead, and she backed off and asked me if I would lead it. I wasn't enthusiastic about it, but I'd give it a go. I got up to the difficult part and realized how hard it was to place gear from a slightly awkward stance. I down climbed to the base and racked my green and yellow aliens for quick insertion. I then climbed back to the crux area and was able to place the yellow alien. I then made a move or two up, where I had an nice ledge hold for my hands. The crack above peters out and there are not very good holds as it is shallow. I placed another cam higher, eliminating any hope I had of using the higher crack for my hands. I then noticed an escape to a crack farther left. So with a long stretch left, I was able to gain easier ground and head up through the forest again. I brought Julie up to a belay at a tree, just shy of the bolted belay for the next pitch.

Julie led out on the next pitch which was a dirty twin crack system. One side was off width, while the other provided nice dirt steps and small trees to sling. She then had to wait for the earlier team to leave the belay ledge before proceeding. She didn't have enough big gear left for her to set up a proper anchor to bring me up, so we waited. During this time, the two women caught us as well as another party of a man and a woman. After a long wait the two women opted to climb St. Vitus, while the man and woman were joined by another rope of their friends. I finally left the belay and arrived at Julie's gear belay at the base of a steepish finger crack. (4th pitch.)

I took the lead and placed lots of gear in the initial section. The face was a bit slippery for feet, and being a finger crack, the crack too small for my feet. After about 20' or so, the angle eases and I continued up to where the two followers of the previous rope were just leaving the belay. This pitch felt like the hardest pitch I led all weekend. The initial section was sustained climbing which took precise foot placements on my part. The jams in the crack were great. And the crack took gear really well. From this pitch alone, I feel that Calculus Crack should be given another star.

After bringing Julie up she continued in the crack through another steep section before the angle really eased and she was able to belay me up. Turns out she stopped a bit short of a bolted belay, so I quickly made my way over there and she led off on the final pitch wandering around the slabs to the trees. We ate lunch, and proceeded to determine which way we would descend. There are supposed to be four single rope rappels into the South Gully from the top, but we found no suitable anchor, nor rap slings to mark where that would take place, so we opted to scramble up an off width (gully in the books) to gain Broadway Ledge and traverse off the Apron like we had the two previous days.

After returning to the car, we went over to the Upper Malamute crag and top-roped some difficult 5.9 routes on the Stooges Slab. After that, it was time for dinner and camp.

Day 4:
Neither of us were up to multi pitch climbing at this point and we found that Murrin Park would be a good destination for us with easily accessible top-roping and routes in ranges we wanted to climb. However, when we got there, there was a $3 charge for parking that could only be paid with coins. I had no Canadian currency on me, and Julie did not have enough Loonies. So we went back to Smoke Bluffs again. We made it there and then wandered around trying to find the Fatty Bolger slabs. Once there, I led "David's" which was a scary two bolt 5.6. Julie got up to lead on it and decided to lower after the first bolt. I then led the next climb Stepladder and we set up a top rope. Julie top-roped that climb and then we top-roped the other two routes there. (Moominland & Hamish's) We left that slab just as another larger party from Seattle showed up. We hiked around trying to find something to climb and eventually climbed Christa' Revenge (5.7) an interesting crack system on the Fern Gully wall. I led it and belayed Julie up from the top. After the walk off, it was time to head to Vancouver to drop Julie off and have dinner before driving back to Seattle.

This was by far my favorite and most productive cragging trip ever. Julie and I climbed about 35 pitches in four days. Many of which were quality routes. It was a great introduction to Squamish, and I already cannot wait to go back! I really feel like I am climbing well, and that made the trip even more enjoyable. I am slightly bummed we could not find some harder single pitch routes to climb, but being we were usually tired (mentally and physically) by the time we hit the single pitch routes, that is probably for the better. On another note, it was great spending a block of time with my good friend Julie before her bike trip is in full swing.

My pics are here.
Julie's pics are here.
Julie's awesome helmet video from Banana Peel.