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RyanD
climber
Squamish
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Mar 18, 2012 - 03:53pm PT
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We were always convinced we'd put up a classic, but as the decades pass by, maybe we were exaggerating. Perhaps in the future; the best part of it is these routes will last forever.
Hamish, just because a climb isn't gang banged by the masses every saturday doesn't make it un-classic. IMO many of the climbs you have mentioned up thread are in fact very classic- classic test pieces actually. Routes with a reputation that were put up in a bold, adventurous style. Maybe not accessible for everyone but much prouder of a tick i would say to do a classic test piece as opposed to a trade route classic. Trade route will be fun & beautiful but you will remember the whimpering you did on the test piece for the rest of your days regardless of the grade often making for a richer experience. I've always wondered about Senate Seat, rad that it was an onsight FA. The headwall cracks look beautiful, nice line for sure. Might have to give it a flail this spring.
Kris, i have climbed many of your routes & appreciate the generous approach you have to new routing with intentions for others. It is unique & creative & i think you have found a good balance of cleaning/bolting tactics on your routes. I don't believe that every new route needs to be done in this style but it is really cool that we have a selection of climbs like this amongst the other new route styles around here. Really looking forward to getting on Polaris this summer as well, saw a TR on CC.com & it looks like a stellar climb!
Thanks so much to everyone who scrubs in Squamish and has/does put up new routes!
Ok it has stopped raining, c'mon wind!!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 18, 2012 - 06:24pm PT
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Kris, that's an interesting story about the origin of the UE. When I do the "comfortized" routes, I avoid using any of the bolts except those that are necessary. Helps me keep a clean conscience, plus of course I have an affinity for tree and shrub anchors. And if these routes are a "product", I may be part of the target market - has been or never was, usually OK up to mid 5.10. So don't place any extra bolts for me.
It would be interesting to hear Jeremy's thoughts about this, forsooth. He tends to be rather forthright.
I haven't created many new routes, or restored many old ones. But in doing so, my goal was to climb a bit of rock in as good style as I could, allowing for the environment. I hoped that others might enjoy the climbs, and certainly didn't want to make a mess or do them in poor style. So some have been truly onsight, some rappel cleaned but then led, etc. And I've mostly resisted later pressure to dumb down those climbs.
And here's a photo from the summit of Austerity, of the Blackfriars. So called because the Dominicans were popularly known as the black friars, as they wear black habits. (Another order were the white friars.) The peak looks a bit like two monks, with cowled hoods.
The east side of the peaks in the Adamants is quite alpine, but the west side, in particular the Austerity-Blackfriars cirque, has some quite large rock faces. It's about two days hike from the trailhead.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Mar 18, 2012 - 09:10pm PT
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Lots of room for both styles. And a few others, as well. No matter who you are, there will always be climbs that, even though they were originally done in faultless ground-up style, are so far beyond you that all you can do is marvel. And applaud. Likewise, even if you're the hardest of the hardmen at whatever style, there will be routes originally done in gumby style that are just so much fun that you love them anyway.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 18, 2012 - 11:44pm PT
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So there I was, on an exposed ledge just below the top of the Ironman, in the dark. (No headlamps or flashlights.) Leif, Henry and Ric had rappelled first. We used both ropes - one 3/8" x 150', the other 1/4" x 300' - for the rappel. Which meant that it was the 1/4" rope through the rappel slings. Given that there was a knot joining the ropes about 75' below the anchors, a carabiner brake wasn't possible. They'd gone with a sling and carabiner, to separate the ropes, but it hadn't worked. The ropes were thoroughly twisted, and wouldn't budge. Which was a bit of a problem, in that we had a glacier to cross. Plus, of course, it was a bit windy, so communications weren't very good.
Based on crevasse rescue practice (photo upthread), I thought I could work it out. After lots of shouting, I started to rappel, with a carabiner and sling to hold the ropes apart. I was all set for prusiking. When I got to the knot, I of course couldn't get past it. So I put the prusiks on the ropes, through an improvised chest harness, and on my feet. Stood up, got off rappel, got the carabiner past the knot, reversed the process, and slid the rest of the way. Leif was waiting to field me, a few m below - it was icy, and he'd put on his crampons and climbed up, worried of course that I'd make a mistake. Once I was down, the ropes pulled. We got back to Fairy Meadows in the wee hours, with a waning moon shining on the roof for the last bit down the moraine.
The Ironman rappel is also notorious for eating ropes. We were lucky that time, but not in 1999.
Early experiences teach well - knowing basic prusiking, and being able to put it in action at awkward times, has been very handy.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Mar 19, 2012 - 01:33am PT
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I think Robin B said it well when speaking about seldom done, hard and committing routes.
" sometimes you have to leave future generations with some thing to aspire to"
Hamish sure has put up some classics to shoot for!
Anyone have any stories about the first ascent of Dream On? Who led the crux pitch?
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Mar 19, 2012 - 03:21am PT
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Nice story Mike. UE was my second ascent to the top of the Chief after the Butt Face, and I did it with a guy I had met a couple weeks earlier on the Apron. Got an early start, and we topped out before two. That was also the day I climbed Slab Alley..... Wow I was green back then. Not saying I have a boatload of experience now, but I was still super new.
Now, I know Luke forbade us from telling stories about each other, but your mention of an epic reminded me of mine and Eric's first (and for me only) time up Angels Crest.
I think this was around late July/early August maybe? We set out fairly early, in order to give us the time to locate the base of the climb and the pitches after that, as we knew it involved some route finding.
We got on the trail just off MFSR. I still don't know if it was the right trail or not, but it didn't exactly lead us in the direction we wanted to go. We decided that up towards the Chief was the best way to go, trail or not, so away we went. Then we came back down. Then up again. This was to set the tone for the rest of the day.
After around two hours of being lost, we finally got the base of AC. Fourth classed the first pitch or two, got to Angel Crack, Eric led that nicely. I followed fairly easily, although it was my first time climbing at that level with a pack, which threw me off a bit. My turn to lead the .10c face (which didn't feel like .10c) and it was a little damp, but no biggy. I got through the cruxy section alright, placed a cam in the nice slot, stemmed out right on the big nub, and BAM. Foot pops, down I go. I believe that was my first fall on a cam. Stoked on that one.
Up the next little area without too much difficulty, until the pitch that in the book says to go right at the juggy flakes. We missed that part, instead choosing to take the .10d left variation (there's a picture of it in the early pages of this thread). Neither of us had climbed at that level before, much less onsight, which resulted in our french freeing the entire pitch. That took some time, and was depressing to say the least.
We went smoothly for a little while after that, save for me getting a cam stuck on the next .10 pitch, and working it out myself to save Eric the trouble. A little bit lost on the pitch that is next to the offwidth there, but we made it work. We also got a little lost at the base of the Acrophobes.
All went smoothly until the second last pitch. By this point, we were both so tired and bummed out, that all we wanted to do was get to the top, and then get down. Eric took a fair while to get up that pitch pulling on gear, and I followed suite. I think I used like only two or three free moves and the rest was that lovely frenchy technique.
I got the stupid chimney, and took my sweet time figuring out the best way to swing myself into space after belly crawling through there. I then pulled on gear for most of the rest of the pitch, bitching the entire way.
By the time Eric was up, it was around 9 PM. We got lost on the way down, and ended rapping down in between second and first peak. I still don't know where the tourist trail goes there. Luckily Eric had two headlamps, as I hadn't thought to brought mine.
By the time we got down, it was almost 11. Got home at midnight. First epic, and one that has deterred me from wanting to give Angels another shot. Anyone want to go it with me this summer sometime?
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hamish f
Social climber
squamish
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Mar 19, 2012 - 10:30am PT
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Oh you guys are hillarious! I enjoy reading your stories a lot.
Don't think you're alone on the bushwacking-off-trail ordeals under the north walls; everyone made those same mistakes. All those trails look the same, especially from the logging road.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Mar 19, 2012 - 10:51am PT
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Awesome!!! Ha Ha! I've done that route probably 20 times and walked the trail two or three times that much, but I still second guess where it starts sometimes. It's pretty common to dive into the trees, only to find the that's not the one you were looking for.
The recent addition of the signs definitely help. A slightly earlier version of them was spearheaded by a friend of mine who was involved in the rescue attempt after Ben DeMenche's accident below the Sheriff's Badge. In the rush to get back up there and try to help, the wrong trails were taken several times, eating up precious minutes. The outcome would not have changed, but it highlighted a problem for rescue attempts in the future. When there are half a dozen nearly identical little trails ducking into the jungle within a kilometer, you need to be able to tell them apart when time is of the essence.
Interesting Barley quote there Rolf. Some days it feels like there may not be a single pitch under 5.12 left to develop by the time he gets too old to hold a brush.
K
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Mar 19, 2012 - 11:20am PT
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Another short story from this past summer..... Most of the people who frequent SC will know this one, but for the enjoyment of our American friends.
I think it was my second time going up the Butt Face...... I met some guys who invited me to join them on their first trip up it..... I didn't have any of my stuff with me, so I made up a harness out of webbing.
At the first pitch of the Buttress route, it was jammed all to hell with three or four parties in front of us, so we just chilled out. Sonnie Trotter comes along with a bro to throw another bolt in at the Butt Face crux, so we just chatted with him for a bit while waiting. Super nice guy. He liked my harness.
Anyways, we see this big ass helicopter coming along, and we weren't sure what the deal with it was, but it headed towards the North Walls and we forgot about it.
Found out later that what had happened was a BASE jumper went off of second peak somewhere and got blown back into the trees along Angels Crest. Someone else saw this happen and called Squamish SAR to give him a hand. That was the chopper we were watching.
They got over to him, and he refused their help, saying he'd figure it out on his own. Apparently, he got down from the trees, made his way up to the top of second peak, and called SAR back to tell them he was okay, and he'd be back in a couple days to get his chute.
How's that for gnarly?
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Mar 19, 2012 - 11:33am PT
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Super rad ass, getting yourself out of what you got yourself into is the number one rule.
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Big Mike
Trad climber
BC
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Topic Author's Reply - Mar 19, 2012 - 12:16pm PT
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Nice story nathan. :) I of course have a similar tale of bushwacking under the north walls on my first angels ride. We even had a buddy with us who had been there before! I'll tell that little ditty later.
The new signs certainly were nice. Eric I wanna hear about the screamer incident ;)
it sounds like you are missing the second half of that killer 10a second to last pitch of angels. Straight up! Keep the pump away to make it to the top and there's a super sweet ledge with a bolt belay.
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Rolfr
Social climber
North Vancouver BC
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Mar 19, 2012 - 12:44pm PT
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Last summer, sitting on the deck of the pub in Squamish, we watched some very ballsy young dude , ride his mountain bike down the exposed exit slab off Broadway.
I think George H was there filming, or as backup, to call 911 if the kid missed the turn off before the Mobius variation, and some realy big air.
Everyone in the pub was on their feet watching, a real nail biter!
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 19, 2012 - 01:01pm PT
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P'terodactyls were nesting on the Chief when I first climbed there. It was a Lost World, full of Lost Boys (and Girls). The primeval feeling under the north walls is really something.
Tami: As I was quite unathletic, and the triathlon wasn't invented until long after 1972, no connection.
Several jumpers at Squamish have now been saved by trees, when they were blown into the wall.
The silly stunts ("look at me, everybody!!") that a few insist on performing get rather tiresome. (Like riding a bicycle down the Apron.)
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TheSoloClimber
Trad climber
Vancouver
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Mar 19, 2012 - 04:34pm PT
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we watched some very ballsy young dude , ride his mountain bike down the exposed exit slab off Broadway.
I met that guy..... we were walking off the Apron together and he was telling me about riding his bike down it for a magazine shoot. Reasonably good climber as well.
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Mighty Hiker
climber
Vancouver, B.C.
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Mar 19, 2012 - 04:35pm PT
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Well, by that time there were the lost boys, Tami, and the lightweights, aka the lost girls. Daryl was social director, and kept careful track of us.
Simon tells a story about rescuing a parachutist sometime in the early 1980s, IIRC from Lay Lady Ledge. They had to climb El Cap Tower, then rappel down. Is that the same 'rescue' as yours, Jim?
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Mar 20, 2012 - 12:12am PT
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Ahhh, those days where everything goes wrong are the best ones to reminisce about, providing you live through them! Thanks for the grins.
At least you climbed on dry rock today. I got VERY dirty making mud pies at the Papoose.
K
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hamish f
Social climber
squamish
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Mar 20, 2012 - 12:38pm PT
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I know it's not Squamish, but check out "The Shining" route by Sonnie Trotter and Tommy Caldwell. Bolted on lead; these guys have some serious skills. Just while we're on the topic of saving stuff for future generations...
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thekidcormier
Gym climber
squamish, b.c.
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Mar 20, 2012 - 12:57pm PT
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Hamish did you put that bolt of senate seat in on lead? or did peder put it in for you?
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hamish f
Social climber
squamish
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Mar 20, 2012 - 02:13pm PT
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No no no, Peder scrubbed the pitch. I drilled the bolt on lead. It was relatively easy. I think there was a ledge there or something. It's about ten or fifteen feet above that bolt where it gets tough.
The whole gist of my little blurb about senate seat was getting your buddy to clean a new pitch for you, thereby fascilitating your true climbing experience of starting at the bottom.
This was in response to Anders stating that ground-up climbing in Squamish is pretty much dead.
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Scrubber
climber
Straight outta Squampton
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Mar 20, 2012 - 04:55pm PT
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I'll drill on lead if it's even slightly clean and not too hard for me. So who's gonna' scrub me a pitch?
Hamish! I'm calling you out of retirement to clean me a pitch after I handed you and Greg Heatwave on a silver platter :) (kidding of course...)
K
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