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AP
Trad climber
Calgary
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The talk about Snowpatch Spire brings back memories.
Climbed it in 82 with a guy I met in the hut.
He had a rope, I had gear and we soloed until the headwall and roped up for 3 pitches.
He pulls the rope out of the pack and it is one of the worst pieces of sh*t I have seen with tape over core shots etc. It was good enough for rapping but I am glad we never did the fall test.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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The route beside Calculus is not quite finished yet. I have a bit more work to do before the grand opening, but I will keep everyone posted. With a bit of assistance, I'm hoping to have a bit of a party going for opening day up on Memorial Ledge. (BBQ and refreshments as parties top out!)
I would appreciate if folks refrain from using my fixed lines as a rap route. Some of my intermediate pieces have been unclipped or removed. This makes ascending from below more hazardous as the pieces are used to isolate the rope from edges. Rapping down the gritty lines also chews through your device fast.
If you choose to huck a soloist lap on my ropes, please leave things clipped in as you found them, and walk off instead of rapping them.
Details of the route:
Long Time No See
5.9, 9 pitches (9,9,7,7,2,8,8,7,8)
FA Kris Wild, Paul Sobchauk Sept 2014
Thanks
Kris Wild
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 8, 2017 - 06:48pm PT
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Nice pics Eric! We need to get out soon!!
Thanks for the tale AP! That must have been a been hair raising!
Frostback- Kris has told the tale. I've been keeping tight lipped as to not blow the climb up too much. It's really fun, but it's not ready for the average climber yet, and an ascent would be more fun for those with a little more experience under their belt.
Kris- Thanks for all your hard work!! The route is awesome! I can't wait to climb it clean, and would be happy to join you for some scrubbing if we ever get the right conditions!!
to Kris's point, It would be a crappy rap route. the ropes have knots to pass and it would be way faster just to rap bad pants party. When I've soloed it, I've always walked off.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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The "A" team climbed Long Time, No See on Saturday. As Kris advises, the lower pitches in particular are still a bit scruffy. Almost like mountaineering. Apart from the fixed ropes, that is.
We did the first two pitches as one - more or less. Not 100% sure we were en route. It seemed harder than 5.9, and involves mandatory off width and large cams (#4 & #3). We must have combined two other pitches, as the 5.8 and 5.8 pitches were for us the fourth and fifth. The first 5.8 pitch is rather exciting, and even includes three fixed pitons, perhaps from people who thought they were doing the lower half of Squamish Buttress. The second 5.8 pitch, leading to the north end of Broadway, seemed harder than 5.8.
The upper two pitches are fine, and a nice "add on". They probably more or less coincide with Pioneer, a route climbed by Hamish Mutch and Jim Baldwin in 1962.
As Kris mentions, someone seems to have been monkeying with the ropes and anchors. Please leave them alone!
Overall, a stout adventure, but not ready for prime time quite yet. It'd be a step up from the four crack routes to its right, in terms of difficulty - Calculus, South Arete, Saint Vitus, and Vector.
Note that there is a bolt belay at the end of the first (short) pitch - the bolt belay for Start from Scratch. But otherwise you have to create all the other belays.
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pixel
Trad climber
Squamish, BC
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Jul 24, 2017 - 12:00pm PT
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A week ago we pooled our biggest cams and longest ropes and hiked up to the Cirque of the Uncrackables. Two people stepped up to take on the two most moderate climbs, March of the Kitchen Utensils (5.9) and Bop Till You Drop (10b) (in all innocence, I said to Marc, "You warm up on 10b, right?"). They got their money's worth. Our leader on Bop managed to fight his way up, but the leader on Kitchen Utensils lowered off after he fell at the crux and cut the rope across the edge of the crack. But there was plenty of rope left, so we tied into the other end and tried again, ignoring the little tuft of blue nylon on the edge of the crack.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 24, 2017 - 02:08pm PT
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They got their money's worth.
There should be a note in the guidebook about the fact that climbs in the Cirque of the Uncrackables are not graded on the standard Yosemite Decimal System, but rather on the "MA" system.
That is, March of the Kitchen Utensils is actually 5.9MA. As in "5.9 My Ass!".
Maybe Cobra Crack is reasonably graded 5.14b (I wouldn't know), but everything else...
Go try Boogie til you Puke, and report back. And while 11b might be about right for Scimitar if you're on a toprope, leading it would be a different story.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 24, 2017 - 08:31pm PT
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Nah. I've climbed far more at Index in the last fifteen years than at Squamish, and am used to sandbag grading. It's just weird that that one crag is so out of line with the rest of Squamish, grading-wise. (With the caveat that off-widths are beyond my understanding anyway.)
But then, grading systems are silly. When your hands touch the rock, there are only two grades: either you can get up it, or you can't.
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hamie
Social climber
Thekoots
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Jul 24, 2017 - 11:01pm PT
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Here's another amputated rope, from about 10 days ago. I was rap cleaning a new route, not at Squamish! when I pulled off a small block. Dumb, very dumb. Fortunately I was looking up, and saw it coming. I dived to the right. The rope was not so lucky.
The 6th piece, about 35m, is still up at the crag.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 25, 2017 - 12:44pm PT
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So much rock...
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 27, 2017 - 09:09pm PT
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Anders- Good to hear you enjoyed the route! You think it's harder than St Vitus or Vector though? I don't know about that, but I've only top roped it.
Pixel- Nice work!! Those climbs are so fun! March is the only climb I've ever crossed my elbows to get a good jam in on! Lol! I
Scary about the rope!! I'm glad you guys are ok!
Dave- I found March hard, but I thought it was just because I'm an awfulwidth rookie. It seems like if you had the technique down you could make it feel fairly secure..
But then, grading systems are silly. When your hands touch the rock, there are only two grades: either you can get up it, or you can't.
You said it bud!
Hamie- Scary stuff!! Thank goodness you are in one piece! Time for a new cleaning rope!
Dru- Damn!! Hmmm maybe i could be happy in Powell River.. ;)
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 28, 2017 - 06:28pm PT
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Nice one Frostback! You've got me intrigued as to your identity! I still haven't figured it out!
I wrote this awhile back but I never got around to posting it.
Kyle and I headed up one day after the rain abated and the slabs had just started to dry out. The water was still streaming into the diagonal crack of Rambles, as I started out on simul, but the slab below it was dry, which offered some comfort.
Kyle had taken to soloing Rambles to Banana peel under these conditions, which gave me confidence that the ascent was indeed possible. The Rambles diagonal seemed much longer than usual, and very insecure as I gingerly foot traversed the crack. I avoided the puddles as much as possible and found myself placing a lot more gear than I would normally need.
When the diagonal ended I was awarded with some extremely wet streaks to transfer to the slabs, and I dried my shoes on my shorts and chalked the holds to make the moves feel more secure.
I managed to get on the slabs and made my way up to the final moves when I started running out of draws. I down climbed to retrieve one for the crux, not willing to skip any bolts under these conditions. Once I reached the crux mantle, there was a spring running from the horizontal underneath and I continually greased off the hold with the drenched rubber of my left foot.
I got so frustrated I had to hold the rope for a break since Kyle was still unanchored on the slabs. After a couple more efforts and some beta-encouragement from Kyle, I was extremly tired and frazzled, so I clipped my safety to the draw and regain my composure.
A quick rest made all the difference, and I successfully grabbed the jug and clipped my the final bolt with my cordalette as a draw then continue up to the forested ledge below the start of Banana Peel.
The slab at the start of Banana Peel was extremely insecure and felt greasy to the touch, as I gently padded up it with far more care than usual. There was one more hurdle to this ascent; the steep step onto the slab after I clipped the bolt to enter the upper right groove towards the first belay. I have always chosen this runout path for some reason, preferring the moves over the step up after the horizonal.
The rock was dry, but the black lichen was still slick and I chalked the holds, hoping that I would be able to overcome the wetness once again. My hopes were dashed however after my right foot greased off the slab, and Kyle caught me on a hip belay.
After several more attempts and a few curses, Kyle advised me to take my time, and I stopped to assess the situation. A sober second though led me to tension traverse to the right and I finally managed to gain the groove, and pad very timidly up to the upper horizontal crack. Normally I follow the groove all the way to the right, but after spotting some more of that dark lichen over there, I decided for a more straight up approach was more prudent. By the time I reached the upper horizontal, I was more gripped than I can ever remember being on bpeel, and the relief was overwhelming when I finally sunk my fingers into the crack.
The rest of the ascent was fairly straight forward, the ramp below the crux was predictably wet, but I tipped toed by on the glacial polish.
Bpeel.. Slippery when wet..
We flew up the final pitches and sent boomstick with no delays.
The apron in late april. Can't beat it!
Then we climbed the first pitch of the buttress and hung a rope from the second belay on one of Kyle's projects.
Not a bad view from the base of the buttress..
Overall a fantastic spring ascent, pushing the boundaries of possibility as always..
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Jul 28, 2017 - 08:13pm PT
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Nice one Frostback! You've got me intrigued as to your identity! I still haven't figured it out!
Can you think of a regular Squamish poster whose avatar disappeared about the time Frostback showed up?
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Jul 29, 2017 - 08:28am PT
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Can you think of a regular Squamish poster whose avatar disappeared about the time Frostback showed up?
Yes. C'mon Mike you should be able t' figure this one out. Look at the political postings.
Who is hungry? lol.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 29, 2017 - 09:31am PT
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Ha! You can tell I haven't had time to follow supertopo lately!! Lol
The Foodeater has been missing though.. ;)
Hi Greg! :)
We need to do a get together soon!! Psyche Ledge is coming up!!
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Jul 29, 2017 - 09:43am PT
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I surely hope I can make psyche ledge this year. I miss it.
Mike, I'm up in the Okanogan. Wait, that would be down and over for you guys.
Come by for a visit if you have time. I know you are busy with that tax stuff but I would gladly pay you to wash my windows. It would at least cover your costs.
Open invitation for any of my "frosty" friends to the north. There is some cragging near here and fishing too. I will send my contact info to Big Mike.
Cheers, all.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Jul 31, 2017 - 03:20pm PT
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Thanks Mike, for reminding us all about how pleasant the Chief's climate in the good months is, once you elevate yourself out of the stagnant air of the parking lot.
Thanks Jim! I hope you are on the mend!!
Wayno- I can't wait buddy!! Hopefully soon!!
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Oplopanax
Mountain climber
The Deep Woods
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Jul 31, 2017 - 04:14pm PT
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Why frostback and not foodeater?
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 1, 2017 - 05:22pm PT
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Jim- I loved your 29 palms tale!! Thanks.
Greg- Thanks for the origin story! The funny thing is that is exactly what Farouk called me here! Hence my avatar!
Anders- Yep! It sure was smokey today!! I had a chance to take some special visitors on a tour of the Apron!
Thisjustin on Diedre 5.8
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 1, 2017 - 07:13pm PT
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Lol! Ya it was definetly a bit greasy Greg!! Super fun though and quiet too!!
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