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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 1, 2012 - 12:28am PT
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The inspiration for this list comes from an enjoyment of doing climbs that are of historical significance or trying routes that were put up by total badass mutant legends so that you can see where you stand & share their vision firsthand. I have always been drawn to climbs that were first done by those that inspire me, it's great how a climbers route or expression can keep teaching lessons to others for many years to follow.
For this first list I wanted to pick 11 routes that are graded 5.11. I also wanted them to be done by 3 prolific Squamish climbers from what I'd like to call the golden era of Squamish Freeclimbing, I wanted these climbers to have different styles as well in order to get a more diverse list. The climbers I chose were Perry Beckham, Jim Sandford & Peter Croft. I also wanted all of these routes to be single pitch to distill the list a bit, a few like Astrologger & Kashmir are a bit out of the way & both are on the chief, but still can be reached from the ground so technically single pitch.
I'm hoping that some of the OG Squamish contingent here or any other climbers who have ever climbed these routes or may have a recommend of a climb that is not on my list that meets the criteria will chime in, I think one of these prolific mutants also resides on this site so Chief, maybe u could point me towards a few gems that I may not be aware of please (or stay away from ;-)
I think it will be a fun project to eventually complete all of these climbs & while I'm aware that not all of these pitches are uber classics I also don't care, it's more about the who/when they were put up & more of a historical pursuit & lesson.
Here we go in no particular order, I also provided an alternate route choice for each ascensionist to account for any shutdown factor which may be likely to occur in pursuit of this project. 3 of the routes I have already completed- 1 since the conception of this list. The other 2 are alternates.
Sandford
1. Kashmir- upper apron
2. And metal for all- Nightmare
3. Power windows- Bluffs
4. Sudden impact- Bluffs
Alternate - Food Frenzy- Petrifying wall
Croft
5. Crime of the century- Bluffs
6. Horrors- Milkmans wall
7. Red nails- oooooowwwweeeeyy- Bluffs
8. Claim jumper- Nightmare
Alternate- Yorkshire Gripper- Bluffs
Beckham
9. Air BC direct- Petrifying wall
10. Astrologger- Chief, North walls
11. Block & Tackle- Sugarloaf
Alternate- no name rd.- Petrifying wall.
Has anyone done all of these?? I'd love to hear what u guys think, thanks in advance. I'll try & find some pics of some of these pitches & post em up later, if anyone has pics of any of these pitches it would be amazing if you could share them.
Anyone care to join me on what will likely be a humbling quest that could take quite some time??
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Well you got crime last week!!
I vote you must take a pic of every send.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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from what I'd like to call the golden era of Squamish Freeclimbing
There was another "golden era" before that, and you should at least consider putting Clean Crack on your list.
Yeah, I know, I know, it's probably illegal to climb it now, but if you let that stop you... well, if a little bit of legal line-crossing is a problem then you might as well just go to the gym and see how many "5.11s" you can tick.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2012 - 01:29am PT
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Good points for sure Ghost. The crux of this list was finding routes just by these 3 dudes who IMO all had different styles & strengths but collectively left a slew of badass routes as a legacy for today's climbers to test themselves on. There were many, many other climbers who put up badass routes during this era & the one preceding for sure but my focus was more on the individuals that climbed the routes than the routes themselves so I'm not necessarily looking for the 5 star pitch, just the pitch that the 5 star climber envisioned. Cheers.
Edit- would be awesome if you had a list of 11- 11s of your own to post from what u would consider to be that golden era that I may not be as aware of as I originally thought. I'd love to see someone else's version of the list I'm trying to make!
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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would be awesome if you had a list of 11- 11s of your own to post from what u would consider to be that golden era that I may not be as aware of as I originally thought.
Since I think the "golden era of Squamish climbing" began with the first climbing at Squamish and is still going full throttle today, I'm probably not going to be much help.
But if you're looking for some insight into the best routes climbed by the folks you mention, why not ask them? Peter's moved away, but Perry and Jim are still in Squamish, and they are both wonderful guys who will probably be more than happy to talk to you about what they consider their best climbs (at whatever grade).
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bmacd
Trad climber
100% Canadian
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Sentry Box has been downgraded to .11d
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Yosemite has had several "golden eras" of climbing. The 1930s. The 1950s & 1960s. The 1970s. And so on. They may be having another one. Oddly, the most recent such period tends to be referred to as "the" golden age by those involved. The "golden age" is an ancient theme of history, which you can read about in Herodotus.
Whether Squamish has had "a" golden era, lasting ever since climbing started there, or several golden eras, is an interesting question of historiography. There are perhaps two significant inflection points, one about 1972 - 73, the other in the mid 1980s, and perhaps others. Teleology and climbing don't mix well, as climbing doesn't always develop in a linear fashion, notwithstanding underlying social, economic and other trends. Still, overall there have steadily been more climbs, more climbers, and more difficult climbs. So I'd tend to agree with Dave.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2012 - 02:04am PT
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Ok I'll rephrase it then- instead of golden era of freeclimbing as I so ignorantly called it in my uneducated state- lets say the era when freeclimbing was taken to the next level in Squamish aka 1980s & the people who took it there- namely these 3 dudes. Better??
Edit- my original title for this "era" only stems from the evidence that climbing ability, climbers, equipment, & consequently the climbs themselves all seemed to be taken to another level during the period of time when most of these routes were done, that & the fact that I feel the 3 climbers whose routes I chose were on the forefront of that "trend".
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Ryan,
I'm uncomfortable with the legend thing and coming at this question from a different angle and trying to think of the most well known 5.11 single pitch routes established pre 1990 that come to mind. Murrin seems to be home to a bunch.
Golden Eras are hard to pin down.
There are WAY MORE Crag Betty's now than when these routes went up and that's pretty golden!
Edit, Here's 35; trying to pick the top 11 will take some work and be a matter of some dispute.
No Name Rd 11b (Beckham)
DOA 11c (Croft)
Elastic Man (Howe)
Pleasant Pheasant 11a (Beckham)
Air BC 11c (Howe)
Burnin Down the Couch 11d (Lane)
Block and Tackle 11b (Beckham)
Thriller off the Void 11b (Lane)
Brunser Overhang 11a (Loeks)
El Indio 11c (McLane)
Horrors of Ivan 11c (Croft)
Hypertension 11a (Nicol)
Grandaddy 11c (Croft)
Perspective 11a (Loeks)
Hellfire Wall 11c (McLane)
Hungry Wolf 11b (Atkinson,Hart)
Never Say Never 11b (Hart, Hollwill, Shackleton)
Clean Crack 11b (Weinstein?)
Movin to Montana P1 11d (Beckham)
Knacker Cracker 11a (Croft)
Backwoods BeeBop 11b (Beckham)
The Scimitar 11b (Swedin, Bibler)
Boogie til You Puke 11b (Flavelle, Lane)
Astrologger 11b (Beckham)
Kashmir 11c (Sandford)
Werewolves of London 11a (Croft)
Partners in Crime 11a (Atkinson, Ourom))
Crime of the Century (Croft)
Power Windows 11a (Sandford)
Jangling Ball Wall 11a (Flavelle)
Short People 11b (Croft, Barley)
Yorkshire Gripper 11b (Croft)
Kangaroo Corner 11a (Croft Knight)
True Love 11d (Hart)
Turbocharger 11c (McLane)
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2012 - 06:02am PT
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Perry,
Awesome, thanks for the reply. I must say I appreciate your angle here. I also understand your discomfort with the legend status, not my intention:-) Anyhow perhaps I need to give this some thought, my initial list may obviously contain some less than classic routes, or lesser known routes- however I wasn't really looking for classic routes. I was looking for routes done by who I think are 3 of the more active climbers of this period but who all had their own unique styles when it came to new routing. In the quest to develop as a climber my thought was if I take these 3 & focus on climbing a bunch of their routes as one project that I would learn something, or hopefully a lot of things.
The list you post is definitely the definitive 5.11 challenge master list, have you done all of those? I notice that you did not include air BC or block & tackle which were on my list above, I see air BC came later but block & tackle was in 82, u don't think it's worthy? Cutting my list down to just the eighties seems wise, thanks again.
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Perry; how do you feel being labeled an 'OG' - original gangster- ??
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Perry. You derserve that status for your excellent contributions to the community if not just for your climbing efforts. Thanks to all the og's here who have lifted us up onto their shoulders, with your inspirational tales and feats.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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I think the qualifier was quality single pitch 11's.
The reason there aren't more, especially on the Chief is because you you generally have to climb a pitch or so of lichen covered murk to get to the good stuff.
Murrin and the Bluffs are the exception because of angle. aspect and or decimation of forest cover.
A list of the 11 most recommended single pitch 11's would be interesting.
Marc's hit a good number of them in his Select Guide.
Ryan,
Haven't done:
Boogie Till You Puke (yet)
Kashmir (yet)
Power Windows (Classic SB featureless wasteland)
True Love (Never going to happen, there's no f*#king holds)
As far as the rest of that stuff goes;
Legend's a big hat to hand out and an even bigger one to wear.
Sutton and Burton, Hatten and Weinstein, Croft and Fraser come to mind.
Definitely some legends in the making.
JCH and I have been referred to as "Spry Pioneers", that works.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Sudden Impact has lost some of it's original sustained climbing since Jim and I first did it, Robin Barley has added three new route on that sweet little bluff and frigged up the long continuous top section of delicate slab climbing.
I think one of Jim’s long lost classics and rarely climbed single pitch is Diamonds and Dust, a 12A incipient crack beside Seasoned in the Sun. Worth a rescrub.
I am surprised you didn't include Will Stanhope in your list of climbers, a later day version of Croft with the same ethical style and boldness of that generation.
Try his direct finish to Power Windows, straight up from the crack with only faith and skill for your pro!
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Rolf,
Good points.
My list was by no means complete or the last word and that goes for the I climbs I mentioned too.
Sonnie, Andrew, Will and Jason are pulling off legendary feats that will definitely earn them legend status although for now, we must be careful with cranial elasticity and strained headbands.
You're somewhat of a legend yourself along with Barley, Flavelle, Lane, Mighty, Woz, Forager, Death Fall Steve and many others.
Like I said, that's a big hat to be throwing around and it can quickly look like a namedropping schmoozefest.
Let's not go there.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Partners in Crime - Randy, with me belaying. (Peter was never involved.)
Clean Crack - not sure who first led it after the upper crack started to get cleaned out in 1976/77. Not Eric - he'd moved away by then.
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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I assume you're offering corrections on FA info because both are on the list.
We could thrash FA details ad nauseum particularly if we continue an editorial tradition of including belayers, previous attempters, aid ascents, bystanders, their dogs and those who looked at or thought about climbing the routes or had carnal knowledge with the rope gun.
Starts to look like the usual picking flyshit out of pepper.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 1, 2012 - 02:01pm PT
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Some good ideas for sure here, strawline was on my list originally Bruce but got yanked due to not being a single pitch(cant walk up to the base), im gonna rethink that though- i remember someone posted a photo of Andy Burnham on it on the Squam thread way back & it looks awesome! Diamonds in the dust?? I'll have to check that one out Rolfr thanks for the recommend:-) maybe a pitch for the 12- 12's single pitch challenge list if I ever make it thru the 11's :-)
Perry I'm with you on True Love, what a pretty climb but........l think Big Mike could do it, might take some work but I have a theory he's built for it.
I like your idea Luke, keep adding on, u meant 10 Weinstein 10s10s tho right??
I guess it's easy to toss the legend handle around loosely when looking back-and forward, many talented climbers have came up around here & continue to do so, if I could edit the title of the thread I'd call it "Squamish way honed single pitch challenge" to reduce what seems to be a misconception that the challenge needs to be made entirely of classic routes & originally climbed by men who could walk on water. That said I like Luke's idea & nobody's stopping anyone from making their own challenge under their own criteria. I'd love to see more actually. Thanks for the responses guys, this gives me something to get psyched on while the heavens unleash.
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MH2
climber
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Good list Ryan. I like to think climbs have a little of the FA personality. True or not, your list of climbs isn't one I've seen before.
Red Nails - tried and failed
Kashmir, Food Frenzy, And Metal for All - haven't tried
Suggestion for other climbs - Wankulator (10d and '93 by Perry) but very good per metre
Sudden Impact - did that shortly after Rolf told me about it. Went past it recently and couldn't recognize it.
Its fun to look back but there have been a few changes. Spry pioneers become legends or vice versa.
True Love hasn't faded, though.
Funny coincidence: Perhaps inspired by meeting you guys and Sandra under Crime, when Robert and I went back there the next day I did my first ever lead of it. I'd been waiting to get good enough.
The best definition of The Golden Age of Climbing, hinted at above, is: the years just before you started climbing
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