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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 17, 2015 - 11:17pm PT
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Porteau Slabs? I know nuttink. Unless they are the roadside slabs which Jim Baldwin decided to solo one night, after too many brews. With predictable results.
Meanwhile back at Slab Alley. This is a pic of the 2nd asc, taken by Tricouni. [He and Anders think that it was the 3rd asc.] I got the US army surplus helmet at REI in Seattle, for US $2- and wore it for a while as a joke. My sweater is Royal Navy surplus, probably because the arms were a bit short. Does that army/navy combination make me a Marine?
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Jan 18, 2015 - 08:25am PT
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At least a Marine considering the style is braver than most latter day ascents. How many bolts were there? Here is Tricouni in about the same position as hamie, with Anders ahead, shortly after Anders cleaned up the route.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Jan 18, 2015 - 10:17am PT
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what's the deal with Happy Trails? has it ever been repeated? i can see part of that roof at right in MH2's shot
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Chief
climber
The NW edge of The Hudson Bay
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Jan 18, 2015 - 11:06am PT
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That photo of Slab Alley reminds me of my first visit to Squamish in 1973.
I was fifteen at the time and hitching back to the Island from a work stint in the Peace country and having recently seen the Vertical Desert, had to check out Squamish.
I remember arriving at night, camping by the old locomotive in Stan Clarke Park and having breakfast at Caribou Jack's before trudging over to the Chief.
Somehow I found myself up near Slab Alley and soloing up that obvious ramp to the right in my mountaineering boots and deciding it was a bit too dirty and exposed and retreating.
I then wandered up Psyche Ledge and hiked to the base of the Grand marvelling at the grey wall rising straight out of the forest just like in the beginning of the documentary.
Some Brit was leading Exasperator free and whacking pins to protect it.
I thought that was pretty cool and shared some of the tea I'd brewed at the base with the guys.
Turns out it was Kevin and he let me try the climb on a top rope and I made it to the last little foothold about 30 feet up in my stiff boots.
I carried on to the Island and that summer climbed Albert Edward, joined the Ramblers and did my epic trip across Strathcona to the Golden Hinde with Croft, Simon and DeGroot.
Didn't make it back to Squamish till April of 76 and the rest as they say, is history.
Reflecting back on the forty years since, so am I.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 18, 2015 - 12:50pm PT
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Nice pic, MH2. It provides a great alternate perspective. Also another good tale from Perry.
When Glenn and I did SA it was only the 2nd [3rd?] time that anyone had climbed the Apron. I copied out Baldwin's lengthy [also hand-written] description, which I still have today. The details for the approach take 6 lines, as noone else knew anything about the Apron, and of course there was no trail.
When Anders rehabilitated the route I sent him a photocopy of Jim's original beta. All 15+ lines! The description for this traversing pitch [2nd] lists 2 bolts, and "belay on angle pitons". Only one other bolt is mentioned, on a "rounded ridge", pitch 7. I think that there was a short bolt ladder somewhere, but it is not described as such. Anders added a few more bolts in the interest of improving the line, and overall experience. This was done after considerable consultation with other climbers.
SA is lots of fun, and well worth the time. Today's young guns will likely dispense with the rope, and be up in 20-30 minutes. Others will linger longer, smelling the coffee.
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Stewart
Trad climber
Courtenay, B.C.
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Jan 18, 2015 - 04:24pm PT
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Chief: Ships that pass in the night. We climbed the Hinde in August(?) '73 to grab material for a book we were putting together about Strathcona Park. We headed in through Phillips Creek & came out by Western Mines & didn't meet another soul other than Bob Tustin and some of his pals who were heading out just as we were arriving.
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ajamunro
Social climber
BC
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Jan 24, 2015 - 03:14pm PT
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Hey all!
I've been reading up from the beginning of this thread. I've really enjoyed the stories, the TRs, the photos, and certainly the banter. I think I'm up to February 2013 right now. The time spent reading could of course be spent bettering myself, it is really getting me excited for this up coming season. The stoke, as they say, is high and the list of "must climb in 2015" continues the expand.
Here is my first contribution to this very well-intentioned thread.
Looking forward to the spring! My wife and I have been looking at houses, townhomes and condos in Squamish. I'm pretty gung-ho on the idea, my partner, not as much, but we're working on it.
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Jan 24, 2015 - 04:52pm PT
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That looks like September Song. You'd have been better off with both feet it it...
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Rolfr
Trad climber
La Quinta and Penticton BC
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Jan 25, 2015 - 10:13am PT
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Fun O Rama, named after the 1970's Chek TV , after school cartoon hour. I think September Song was a Joe Turley's route. A lot of the original routes up there have now been re worked, f..ked up and amalgamated into newer squeeze jobs.
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Jan 30, 2015 - 10:48pm PT
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Well this thread just got 750+ posts shorter and that's pretty lame. :-(
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 30, 2015 - 11:25pm PT
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That's really lame indeed!
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 30, 2015 - 11:29pm PT
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Bruce Kay got banned! So they deleted everything he ever posted.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 31, 2015 - 12:10am PT
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Good one, BM. He had over 750 posts just on this thread. How come the total # of posts for this thread did not go down by the same amount? He's probably off in the sunshine, somewhere warm.
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Rolfr
Trad climber
La Quinta and Penticton BC
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Jan 31, 2015 - 06:21pm PT
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WTF Bruce always spoke his mind , has political correctness crept into Super Taco ? Anyone now why. Better yet who ever moderates this site should at the very least supply an explaination!
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jan 31, 2015 - 06:55pm PT
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Lol Andy! I never saw that!! Thanks!
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jan 31, 2015 - 11:02pm PT
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Well, I was wrong a few posts earlier. I thought it was a joke, but BK really has been banned. It's hard to believe. The tired old phrase "sad but true" sums it up.
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Tricouni
Mountain climber
Vancouver
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Jan 31, 2015 - 11:58pm PT
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Bruce was a little over the top on some of his Climate Change posts (less so than a couple of others who weren't banned). And he contributed fine material to other threads. Too bad he's gone.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Also posted on the "other thread".
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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Yes Hamie!!
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