Squamish Photos and Stories

Grand Wall with Hamish was always a blast. We did the route often in the 80's, got it wired pretty good.

Rack:

1 x 1.5 friend
1 x #4 RP
3 X wired stoppers
6 x 1" nylon slings
20 x Carabiners

As in photo below we start Apron Strings Hamish leading. Plug in 1.5 friend 15 feet above belay. Hamish runs it out to the Apron Strings crux where he places #4 RP. When rope pays out completely I put on the day pack and start climbing. By the time I am at the # 4 RP crux, we had figured Hamish was clipping the first bolt on Merci Me, so we were "safe". Simul climb to base of Spilt Pillar if traverse was dry, otherwise belay traverse.

Spilt Pillar - not enough gear on rack for me to lead this pitch - Hamish leads split pillar, 1.5 friend goes in at the bottom, clip two rusty bolts near the fist section. Then Stopper goes into the flake wedged 3/4 way up.

Sword pitch - not enough gear on rack for me to lead this pitch defer to Hamish.

Bolt ladder - my lead, combine slings into etriers type deal, use stoppers for looping over hangerless bolts. Hamish follows bolt ladder, batmans haul line & stepping on bolt hangers. No jumars

Flats to last pitch - simu-climb if dry.

Last pitch - not enough gear on rack for me to safely lead, defer to Hamish. 1.5 friend at start of undercling - run it out to Dance platform

approximate time to Dance - 75 to 95 minutes - Hamish would know our best time. But it was never about making the fastest time, more about having it go smoothly. Often this was a spontaneous decision to climb Grand after a day of cragging

I was just lucky to be along for the ride ....