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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Did three of these big paint-on-rock graffiti today - considerable logistics, time and effort required. Although I think I've got it figured out (thanks, dirtineye!), I also experimented with other techniques. The paint kills the lichens that underlie it, so once the paint is gone, there's a cleaned patch that takes a while to blend in. Still, maybe an improvement on what was there. While at work, Aislinn and Luke came by, which was nice. Luke had just finished a solo of a climb on the north walls.
Saw some other friends, plus gazillions of happy hikers, and picked up the usual bagful of garbage on the way down - including an ATC and a busted cell phone, a first, found below the south summit, on its west side. The phone is missing its battery pack - something that comes off the back, anyway. A fairly dumb smart phone.
It was fun talking with all the hikers about what I was doing, and this and that. No one seemed to mind it being busy, some needed information, and one even gave me an excellent ginger cookie! And I didn't once use the seven-letter "G" word.
The number of hikers remind me that a real need at the Chief is for more hiking trails. In particular, a good trail up the old mountaineers' route to the saddle between the Chief and Slhanay, then around the back and linking up to the existing trails. Lots of room for parking and stuff at the old gravel pit at the Slhanay end, would make a nice loop trail, plus an option when the Chief trail needs to be closed.
Naturally, I had coffee with Big Jim and The Bear before starting work. Interrupted by some obnoxious person I've never met before, but such is life. (Not one of the accountant-bikers, though.)
Monday: blueberry picking!
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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Aislinn is such a good fiance. Hauling down Luke's bags of wall junk like a boss.
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this just in
climber
north fork
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MH, what did you use to get the graffiti off? I got a place where kids thought it would be cool to spray paint some rock, really stupid.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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The magic stuff is called Removall. It was originally made in Vancouver, but maybe is now made elsewhere? There may be two or three varieties. It comes in a plastic bucket, much like an ice cream tub - four litres for about $45, which is enough to do a lot. (It's allegedly biodegradable, too.)
Anyway, you need Removall, a good stiff scrub brush, lots of water, and incidental things such as work clothes, something to protect your eyes, lunch, something to read, etc. Removall is a cheerful orange paste. The system:
1. Daub it on the painted area. (It sticks quite well, and I just use the scrub brush.)
2. Wait patiently at least 30 minutes, better still more. Until it seems to have entirely dried up and disappeared.
3. Rinse and scrub like mad, rinse some more. Lots of water needed - I carried 15 litres to the top of the Chief today, to get the one that was up high, unusually so. Plus serious elbow grease.
4. Reapply, and repeat steps 2 and 3.
Two to three applications usually do it. Each pass takes 80 - 90% of what's there, so at the end there's 1 - 2%, usually in crevices and niches. That's a realistic goal.
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this just in
climber
north fork
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Thanks a lot, lucky it's by a creek so water will be readily available. Thanks again.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Anders, what a legend. You enjoy your blueberries tomorrow, you deserve a bountiful harvest!
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Thanks for the hard work anders.
My climb actually was up tantalus wall, strange brew its called, it starts with cannabis wall then follows a bit of breakfast run but meanders around the A3+ Sutton and Burton pitch via some cracks on the free route midnight run.
What a spectacular linr. Mad props to Stanhope for freeing cannabis wall! BALLS! And shout out to Boyd and Sharp for adding the final 5 pitches.
Does any one know if Cwall has had a 2nd free ascent?
After an afternoon of sleep I'm now on my way down to northvan to celebrate laborday with a 15 hour overnight shift painting transformers!
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Fish Boy
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Nice Luke. You do realize that you're solo doesn't count cos Ais carried your stuff down?
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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What the heck is happening in front of the Chief? Is there a fire?
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 3, 2012 - 10:03pm PT
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dunno, heard something about that... I left town early today after we did Sickle via Straight Up to execute a couple quick passes. SPICY!
Sickle could use a little scrub love. I was having lots of fun, running things out a bit, and sticking steadfastly to the original fa line. I took a dirty exit at the top and quickly realized I was off-route, but tried to make a go of it anyways.
I weighted my left foot on some crunchy moss and reached for the tree branch as my savior, but lost it, went over a roll, got flipped and slid on my shoulder a bit before I knocked my naked melon on the rock.
Got up pretty quickly and managed to polish off the route, but not without scaring Sandra pretty good.
Went to Squamish general for my first time to get the old noggin x-rayed and got a clean bill of health.
Needless to say I will be buying a new helmet as I hate how sweaty I get in my old one which is why I refuse to wear it most of the time.
That being said, Sickle is really fun! Just take the RIGHT finish!
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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I actually went to Squamish on Saturday. First time there since May actually. We had a bit of a clusterf*#k getting started since Hoser was supposed to come with us but had some girl keeping him in bed, and he was supposed to bring the rack.
Anyways we managed to climb Hairpin. I had done the first pitch 6 or 7 years ago and then retreated due to rain. This is a fun route. I liked it a lot better than Papoose 1, maybe because you get to bypass that horrible flaring slot chimney on Papoose 1, but still do most of the cool traverse above the chimney.
We missed the traverse back to the last pitch and kept going all the way left on 5.6 ground to the top of Hanging gardens, then walked down. Good times.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 4, 2012 - 12:30am PT
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Thanks Tami. Sandra is all over it. I am not allowed any pain meds and am supposed to stay off the ladders tomorrow. Good news is the pain is minimal and has been getting better so far but i will be weary.
Dru- Good to hear you hit Hairpin. That second 10a pitch is one of my favorites!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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According to onlookers, the fire is taking place on the top of a small mountain behind Totem Hall and firefighters seem to be having some difficulty accessing the blaze. http://www.squamishchief.com/article/20120903/SQUAMISH0101/120909993/-1/squamish/fire-burning-behind-totem-hall
This suggests a fire on the knoll west of Totem Hall.
Not many blueberries were found today, but it appears there should be a goodly number in a few weeks. Time spent in reconnaisance is never wasted.
As with jstan, I only mention the little public works projects I undertake at and around the Chief to illustrate that anyone can make a difference, and perhaps to encourage others.
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Nice Luke. You do realize that you're solo doesn't count cos Ais carried your stuff down?
We're a team anyways.
But does this mean she's got big wall babe status? ;)
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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An inquisitive and not at all frightened deer seen during the blueberry hunt today. Only 15 m away.
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Darwin
Trad climber
Seattle, WA
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Where do you all camp, if you're not driving back to e.g. Vancouver?
OK I don't expect to get the best bivvy ever, just some OK campgrounds. Times have changed since the Olympics, right?
Thanks,
Darwin
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Sep 4, 2012 - 01:57am PT
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The chief campground is a pretty good option, http://www.env.gov.bc.ca/bcparks/explore/parkpgs/stawamus/
If your looking for dirtbag style, there are lots of logging roads around...
Cool Pic Anders! Thanks for all your hard work. I hope you had a bountiful harvest!
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Relic
Social climber
Vancouver, BC
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Aren't there a lot of ripe blackberries around? There a gazillions ready to be picked around where I work in Vancouver, Marpole area. Make blackberry pie instead.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Blackberries abound. Ate way too many in the bluffs the other day, now I know what the bears feel like. Ughhhh I'll probably go back for breakfast.
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Fish Boy
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Yes Luke, you get big wall babe status.
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