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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Anders- Yep! It sure was smokey today!!
Yes, it was/is very smokey here in Republic. We need to build a wall to keep that stuff from pouring over the border.
A big thank you to the firefighters everywhere.
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Hey all, long time no post. Thought I'd take a moment to share/spray about some adventures this summer.
I've been spending more time in Squamish this year than others. So much so that I'm actually spending more time resting than climbing, so I can put the effort in where it matters.
Anyways, at the campground picnic tables one evening, a friend introduced me to this guy Ethan, from California. He was stoked on pretty much everything, and we talked about possibly linking the Grand Wall with Sunset Strip or a similar route.
Monday was going to be the day for our linkup, but Sunday night I wasn't feeling too stoked, and had to be down in the city by the afternoon anyways, so I asked Ethan how he felt about just climbing the Grand, "really really fast". He was down with that plan, so we arranged for a 0700 start the next morning.
The last time I tried to climb the Grand with any sort of speed style was with Luke several years ago. We pitched everything out except for Mercy Me to the base of the Pillar, and went from ground to Bellygood in about 3.25 hours.
With Ethan, we simuled from the ground to the base of the Pillar with me leading, then swapped leads so Ethan led linking the pillar to the base of Perry's, then we pitched out Perry's to Bellygood, with a semi respectable time of 2.5
We knew we could do better, so we decided to go again on Saturday evening.
Saturday came, and I had made other plans with another friend to climb Millennium Falcon. Aside from a long lineup at the base, we made fairly reasonable time, making it back down to the parking lot by 3 in the afternoon. He peaced out back to the city, and I took some time to relax and try to nap.
Ethan and I met up later on to discuss rack and logistics. We brought a single rack up to #3, with an additional #1, and one nut for the crux on the Sword. We also brought a mini traxion for simuling, and I brought a fixe pulley to mitigate rope drag on Mercy Me.
We left the parking lot around 7:15, and upon reaching the base, there was a party on top of the Split Pillar, who we were so worried about passing, we didn't even notice the party on Apron Strings. We asked the belayer on Apron Strings if we could pass them, once he had followed and reached the anchor, and he said it wouldn't be a problem. It ended up not being a problem since they went to the anchor on top of the Flake anyways haha.
I left the ground at about 8 exactly. I placed three pieces of gear in the first pitch of Apron Strings, the mini trax on the anchor, and one piece at the crux on the second pitch. My next piece was the first bolt on Mercy Me, and then the anchor. I placed my pulley just before traversing right, but the rope drag by the time I reached the base of the Pillar was still horrendous. I think the only way to fix that is to use a shorter rope.
We swapped leads again, and when Ethan reached the top of the Pillar, the party we had seen up there before had just brought the second up to the base of Perry's. We yelled at them to ask if it was okay if we passed, but turns out they were setting up a portaledge anyways.
Ethan again linked up to the top of the bolt ladder, but then continued into Perry's, while I ran out of rope so started climbing the Pillar at the same time. Just as I was starting to get some jams in, the rope stopped moving! I climbed up a bit more to get some solid jams, but then spent the next five minutes alternating hands and shaking out, waiting for Ethan to start climbing again. Finally the rope started moving, and I figured he was right in the layback now, so because I didn't want to hose him, I laybacked the majority of the Pillar, since it was faster than jamming.
At the top of the Pillar, I took maybe ten seconds to rest before continuing up the Sword. Ethan had placed a nut at the crux, but he had really sunk it in there, and it was too high for me to get out from the good stance below, so I had to climb a bit higher in order to get it out. By the time I managed to retrieve it, I was so pumped that I couldn't even execute my usual sequence for the crux, so I somehow managed to change my beta on the fly and still send.
I hauled ass up the rest of the pitch, batmanned the boat rope that is currently hanging over the bolt ladder, and then took about a minute to shake out on the jugs near the anchor that the portaledge party was occupying. I seconded Perry's clean, although I have no idea how, since I had been pumped for the last two pitches. Upon reaching the anchor at the top of Perry's where Ethan was belaying me from, I told him, dude, can you please do the last two pitches, I need a rest, I am actually going to die. He said back, nah, you know them better than me, you should do them, so we flipped the rope, I grabbed the gear, and again somehow managed to link to Bellygood without falling.
I had so much rope drag that I placed the micro trax right before the mantle onto Bellygood so I could pull up some slack without worrying about being pulled off backwards when I made the move.
When Ethan reached the anchor, my timer read 1:34. We had shaved almost an hour off our last attempt.
I know the current roped record including the Chimneys is just under an hour, but come on, its Alex Honnold holding that. I like to think that our run is pretty good for mortals, and it's a long way from when I first sent the Grand!
One of my proudest achievements in climbing so far.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Heading toward minimal, Soloclimber. Good progress.
Welcome to Justin! Great photo of Diedre, Mike.
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Haha. It certainly isn't Diedre, either. Appearance-wise.
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Gary
Social climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Man, I've got to get my shoulder in shape so I can climb Diedre. Just about everyone I know has climbed that thing.
Getting on Rambles a few years put my lead head back in a good place.
Squamish is a beautiful place, thanks to all who keep this thread going.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Turtle mountaineering. Has that story been told ? Can it be told as long as JH is alive ? :-D
Some stories are better left untold.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Where is BmacD these days?
Last thing he told me (at the Psyche Ledge gathering two years ago) was that he had to quit posting on ST, and even get rid of his cell phone, because the instant he went online or made a phone call, the Chinese gangs would track him down.
I wasn't quite sure what to make of this, and became even more confused when, a little later, he told Mari to give him a call on his cell phone if she was ever looking for someone to climb with at Squamish.
Maybe someone who has seen him since then can update us.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Aug 11, 2017 - 07:52am PT
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The Apron project is finally done! Thanks to everyone for your patience while I plugged away at it for the last two years. Big thanks to the few gullible friends (George, Stu, Adrian, Toby) who lent a hand here and there.
Long Time No See
5.9, 9p
FA Kris Wild, Paul Sobchak, Sept 2014
The route is open for business. Fixed lines were removed Wednesday Aug 2.
All stations are fixed. Begin on a ledge just right of Start From Scratch ( this is 20m up and left of the start to Calculus Direct.
If you're wondering where it is, it's the gleaming white stripe left of Calculus Crack that can be seen from the International Space Station.
For some reason, the ST photo uploader is claiming that all of my other pictures that are 4.5-5.5 MB are over the 8MB limit. Grrr. Here's a link to the Squamish Climbing FB group if you'd like some other photos and the Topo.
[url="https://www.facebook.com/groups/squamishrockclimbing/http://"]https://www.facebook.com/groups/squamishrockclimbing/http://[/url]
Please get out and give it a try if you're in the area!
Kris
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Aug 11, 2017 - 11:27am PT
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the gleaming white stripe left of Calculus Crack that can be seen from the International Space Station.
No need for evidence, here.
Well done!
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Aug 11, 2017 - 11:33am PT
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Well done, indeed. Looks terrific.
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Aug 25, 2017 - 02:03pm PT
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Got out climbing a few weeks ago for the first time in a while with my brother while he was in town.
We had plans of linking up angles crest and mount haubrich via bicycle and sailboat from Britannia Beach with a bivy.
After spending the day chilling at belays behind the typical Saturday crowd and racing down the squaw trail to our bikes and bivy gear we decided mags burritos was a more tangible goal than biking up the Shannon creek fsr in the dark.
So after Mexican food and a few beers at the brutal pub we returned to the boat for a nights rest.
The following day after a classic breakfast at the mountain burger house we got a hot lap
In on the Smoke Bluff connection then set our sails southbound back to Britannia in some good wind.
Here is little video I scrapped together of our Angels Crest ascent...
https://vimeo.com/229438655
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MH2
Boulder climber
Andy Cairns
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Aug 25, 2017 - 08:10pm PT
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That looks like a foot that WILL take you where you want to go when it is ready again. May that be soon.
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Rolfr
Sport climber
La Quinta and Penticton BC
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Aug 25, 2017 - 08:22pm PT
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This could be the begining of a great new thread " Post your disturbing post op photos"
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Aug 26, 2017 - 06:32am PT
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Ouch Greg that looks serious. Hope it heals up so you can get back to it.
Perry reminded me that the annual Psyche ledge social is coming up on Sept 9th. If there is enough interest I could probably haul up the propane fire pit and BBQ.
So if any is planning on coming out let me know and I will plan accordingly , otherwise it will be Chief and I standing there for 5 minutes agreeing that an annual gathering of some sort did indeed occur.
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 26, 2017 - 03:59pm PT
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Uh, Luke, put down the bong and read it again.
Saturday Sept. 9/17, 17:00-.........
Be careful of toadstools.
I read that as the 17th. I hope that's right cuz that's when I'm showing up.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Aug 26, 2017 - 09:48pm PT
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That looks like Sept 9, 2017 to me....
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Wayno
Big Wall climber
Seattle, WA
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Aug 27, 2017 - 07:54am PT
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I'm so confused.
which is it?
stoopid Americans...
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Aug 27, 2017 - 01:16pm PT
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Kris has it deciphered. It's September 9th. I'll be there or be square. And i might even have some bells on.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Outside the Asylum
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Aug 27, 2017 - 01:37pm PT
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Perhaps we can learn Wayne some Canuckian while he's here.
Canadian: 9/9/17 (in logical, ascending order - as used in most of the world. Even Yanks say "Fourth of July")
Alternative: 2017/09/09 (Descending order - bureaucrabs like this)
Perversely, 9/9/17 will also (in American) be 9/9/17.
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