marc_leclerc

Pink... I just got owned! Way to keep the Rick Rollin'

If this was a couple months ago I would have said yes for sure!

Pretty much... the Cacodeamon boulder still has some REALLY good routes, like 'Dreamcatcher', 'Bravado' and 'Permanent Waves' well away from the fucked up glued on holds. Such an eyesore!

Dishman is the uberfucked crag where Hugh Jass put bolts 3 feet apart and chipped + placed plastic holds all over Dane's old route because they were too hard and scary for all the pansy ass bitches who wanted to climb them.

Go to the cement pad on the way to the Cricus/Big Show area and loof left up the talus slope. You will see the big alcove where the route is. Hike up through the talus to get there..... bring a couple #4 camalots.

Thanks! I remember that too! Like you said, the Sword it easy for the tall! Just reach the massive jugs in behind the slopers!

Zombie Roof is fun, My Little Pony in Chek is good and stays dry! The Punisher in Murrin sounds alright too!

LOTS of wires.... I used WAY more nuts than cams. Some good routes! Lion's Chair, Sunshine Dihedral, Moonshine Dihedral, Karate Crack, Rising Expectations....

Pics are up now! Thanks!

Trip: Squamish - The Free Grand, 5.13b Date: 10/5/2010 Trip Report: The Grand Wall in Squamish is easily one of my favourite routes, steep exposed granite, beautiful crack systems, great climbing! But as most of you know, there are two bolt ladders involved, one to get to the Split Pillar and one to get from The Sword to Perry's Layback. Every time I got to the top of the second bolt ladder I would stare down the crux slab and dream of climbing it, inching my way along that desparately thin sloping ramp. A couple days ago I finally got the chance to try, my friend Paul Cordy suggested we go try the 'Underfling', the continuation of the Sword corner that leads to the base of the crux slab. From there I could try the slab, and if necessary pull on the bolts to at least get to the top of the wall. We hiked to the start of 'Merci Me' and simul climbed to the belay below the first short bolt ladder, just below the Split Pillar. Above us was the first 'free variation' the 12b boulder problem to the start of the pillar. I took the lead and started up 'The Left Side' corner, clipped the bolt out right and managed to magic my way over to the base of the Pillar via some weird double gaston moves and a bit of a sideways leap. Psyched to have onsighted the first hard section, I put in a directional and belayed Paul to the base of the Pillar. Paul lead up the pillar and I then went for the 45 meter link up of 'The Sword' into the 'Underfling' finishing with a cruxy mantle to a hands free stance at the start of the slab. This link makes for a forearm burning pitch of 5.13a enduro laybacking! I made it to the second bolt of the Underfling before taking a hang, then I took one more hang before pulling the mantle. Paul followed in similar style and I started psyching up for the 5.13b slab above. The slab went well, I just missed the onsight! I fell just as I was stepping over the belay ledge, then I did the move second try. Paul pulled on some bolts to get across then we raced up to bellygood ledge and walked off as it started raining! I was happy with the day, but vowed to return very soon for the send! My chance came quickly! I took one rest day and teamed up with my friend Jason Kruk to try the route again. We started nice and early to ensure I would have good temps for the send and decided to take the 'Apron Strings' approach, just so it would feel nice and complete. I took along 12 draws, a single set of cams to #3 camalot and two wires, one for the start of 'The Left Side' and one for 'The Sword'. Jason led the first pitch of 'Apron Strings' and I led up to the base of 'Merci Me'. This route was such a great warm up and like all of the Grand Wall it is such a joy to climb! We quickly cruised along to the first crux, which I managed to dispatch quite easily after onsighting it two days earlier. Instead of stopping I just continued up the Pillar, laybacking and jamming the beautiful crack, stopping along the way to place 3 cams. Jason followed quickly followed, obviously enjoying this incredible pitch just as much as I did, then it was business time. I was quite worried about the next pitch, the 'Sword + Underling' link as I had found it quite hard and pumpy the last time I had tried. I cruised up the Sword, another incredible pitch and was pleased to have climbed it very efficiently, I still felt completely fresh as I clipped the chains at the end of that pitch and started into the Underfling. Just as I started into the crux of the Underfling, my feet suddenly slipped out on some grit and I fell off! I lowered back down to the ledge 1/3 of the way up the Sword, the original belay ledge used for the free ascent anyhow, and went for it again. Just like before I felt great as I clipped the chains and started into 'The Underfling', this time I placed my feet well and pulled through the rest of the hard laybacking. I felt like I was climbing very well, and was hardly pumped at all when I reached the final kneebar rest before the crux mantle. I fully took the kneebar 'no hands rest' in the middle of the wall, it was just too airy and exposed not to! Then I got psyched and went for the mantle. I went back into the layback, got my right foot SUPER high onto a good hold near my hands, scrunched into a tiny ball, then fired for the crimp out right and stood up. As I clipped the anchor I let out a big, 'WHOOP', I was very psyched to have sent the pitch that I had been the most concerned about! Jason followed quite well, resting on the rope just once and nailing the mantle perfectly with my beta! Now I just had to get across the 13b slab and it would basically be a done deal! My friend Chris had rapped in from bellygood ledge to shoot the slab, so when he was ready I started up. I felt pretty good through the beginning, a little shaky on the highstep in the middle, then I crimped hard on some tiny crystals, did an intricate step through onto a miniscule crystal smear and slowly leaned out left. My foot crept onto the belay ledge, and I slowly rocked over pulling on the tiny crystals to stay in balance! I pulled onto the ledge, clipped the chains' and let out another, WHOOP'! I was so psyched to have sent the slab crux first try of the day, second try ever! Jason did such a great job following the pitch, he JUST slipped at the very end, and he had not been on it for at least a couple years! Jason grabbed the draws and led off up 'Perry's Layback' skipping several bolts along the way, then I led the nice slab through 'The Flats'. Jason cruised up the excellent final flake pitch to bellygood ledge and I cruised up with a huge smile on my face! I had certainly not expected to free the Grand Wall this year, I had never even considered it much, with all my other project I am working on the Chief. But I am very glad to have done it, it is such a beautiful and classic route! I am also really thankful that Jason agreed to come out and climb it with me, would not have happened other wise! Thanks man! Now for some pics of that slab Just starting across, using two thumb gastons to get my feet established on the rail. At the second bolt, just before a strange cruxy highstep. Doing a weird balancy move, involving pushing and pulling hard on crystals to prevent me from teetering backwards while standing up. Hard slab requires much focus! Jason following the slab! Super exposed and exciting! Jason cruises along the awesome Perry's Layback' Jason on the last pitch, the Sail Flake, 5.10c. This jusg haul makes you feel like Peter Croft every time! Gear Notes: 12 draws, one set of cams, one small offset wire, one medium stopper. Approach Notes: Super easy walk....

Nice RuMR! Thats awesome ^ Maybe I will put up a couple free grand pics tomorrow

Rock - no unless I am taking beginners out Ice/mixed- Always Alpine - Ususally Aiding - Always

Yeah that was fun! I was a bit above the chalk on the arete, good belayers keep you off the deck Great shots from Europe Jmace! Looks like you had a rad trip!

Sweet pics guy! Good stuff to look at while it rains in Squampton!

My friend snapped this of me the other day and I really, really like it... I have sent the route You guys have any recent climbing pics you are psyched on?

Nice one Seth! Looks rad! So Bruce soloed this on-sight, and did it in winter, but bailed on me because following 'Yukon Gold' was too hard?!?!?!? Nick did the Eigerwand in a day in winter, he is a beast!

Yes, this is at Murrin. The route is not really very bouldery.... it climbs like a sport climb, with multiple cruxes and not many rests once you leave the flake at the start of the difficulties. Such a RAD route!

Oh... and background story. The dude who decked was Will Stanhope... i guess someone else's gear was in the route and he didn't clip it for some reason.. and from what he told me it sounds like he was goofing off a bit skipping holds and stuff as he was 'just warming up'.

Adamsbud.... I meant the pin ripped. I was using the bomber cam as a reference point for the location of the pin. I just climbed this a few more times over the last couple months and the 0# TCU where the bolt would potentially have gone is textbook perfect.

I wish I had pics of Hazel on this to post.... but these pics are from an attempt a month ago. When me and Hazel sent no cameras were present. Nice photoshop fenderfour!

I personally don't support gay marriage... but being a dick to someone because they are gay is totally wrong. I have no problem with the people, I just choose not to agree with or partake in their lifestyle.

Trip: Squamish - - Sixty-Nine Date: 8/23/2010 Trip Report: I fiddle with a small cam with my left hand and squeeze the life out of a juggy meathook on the edge of the crack with my right. Finally the cam goes into the slot just right and I clip and charge into the final crux. I hit the two side by side locks, then bring my left foot into a high awkward jam, fire my right hand to a tiny crimp gaston and try to lock it off while I reach my left into a shallow mono fingerlock far above. I hit the mono and kick my foot out right to stand up and latch the jug that marks the end of the difficulties, but I am pumped and my finger is slipping out of the mono. I go for it with all I have but it isn't enough... I peel out of the mono and launch into the air for thirty feet before my small cam catches my fall. Dangling at the end of my rope I look back and notice the large crowd of spectators that has developed in the Murrin parking lot. I quickly pull back up to the cam and easily fire the moves that just spit me off and climb the runout slab to the top of the wall. Even though I still have not sent, I can only think to myself, "I love rock climbing"! Sixty-Nine was originally climbed in 1969 as an A3 aid route and it was not until the year 2000 that local hardman Andrew Boyd, with his friend Mike Mott freed the the line at 5.13c. At the time it was easily one of the hardest traditional routes in North America. Mike Mott was unfortunately killed in a horrible plane crash shortly after the FFA and a memorial to him can be found at the base of the route. Sixty-Nine is a line that would attract any climber. A long, perfect, lightning bolt shaped crack that splits a slightly overhung face of impeccable rock. The climbing is sustained, the flow is amazing and the gear is bomber despite being fairly spaced. I first decided to try the line in early July, spending some time giving it a top rope burn to decipher the moves and figure out the gear. I returned the next day to try and lead it. The route starts with some easy climbing up to the twenty foot mark where you place your first peices, then a short powerful section pulling up to good holds and an easy flake. The climb really begins above the flake where you climb fifteen feet or so of beautiful 5.11 face then place a small wire and start the crux. From a good edge you match on some shallow locks, get a high left foot, then layback slopers in the offset crack for a few moves before reaching a good hold. You fire in a small cam then I did a hard lock off on a crimp gaston then crossed the the 'pencil sharpener' a mono in the crack from which you crank to a good flat ledge and the climbing eases to runout 5.11. Over the course of a couple days I attempted to lead the route 4 times, one hanging it twice after falling on the last hard moves. I was feeling really close.. then my shoes blew out. I resorted to sport climbing in tight shoes for a while while saving up for new rock shoes until my sponsor 'Westcomb Outerwear' gave me a prototype shoe 'Five Ten' had made for them! Even then I let 'Sixty-Nine' sit for a while. My friend Mason and american rock star Alex Honnold both sent 'Sixty-Nine' and we talked about it quite a bit, which helped re-stoke me for the route. I also sent another project of mine called 'Bruce Lee Vs the Kiss Army' in the Smoke Bluffs, a cool bouldery 5.13R that had not been repeated yet. But I got a message from my friend Hazel that she wanted to send 'Sixty-Nine' so after a rain shower ended yesterday evening we headed over and both gave it a try. She fell from the first crux and came down, and I fell at the first crux then got the one hang yet again. We decided to come back in the morning with better conditions and try again. So this morning I hitched a ride to Murrin with a friend and met Hazel and her boyfriend will at the base of the route. Hazel fell at the second crux this time then finished the route, then I did the exact same. Will left for work but we both wanted one more try! Then Hazel just tied back in and sent! Made the route look like total piss! Probably the first girl to ever send the route too! Needless to say I was pretty inspired so I tied back in and went for it. I pulled the sloper crux and it felt easy and I was not even pumped. So I slammed in the cam and just like that pulled the second crux and cruised up the slab to the top! For some reason the route felt almost easy! Now I have to finish my route I am trying to free on the North Walls which is awesome! Including a 5.13+ roof crack and a 12+/13- runout face pitch (the A5 Dyke!!!) but I am STOKED to have sent 'Sixty-Nine', a route that a few months ago would have seemed so unnatainable! Hope you enjoy the pics, sorry to ramble to much about a one pitch route! First powerful moves.... Some rather delightful climbing before the crux... Entering the first crux... First crux... Good times! The only way I managed to do the second crux! Everyone else does it 'VERY' differently! Just for fun... here's my buddy Steve 'Manboy' Townshend pulling the first crux. Gear Notes: Small wires and cams... one 2 inch cam for the flake. Gear is good but quite long falls are possible. Approach Notes: Walk across the highway... can't miss it!

The walk off is SOOOOOOOOOOOOOO easy. It was like a 25 minute downhill trail. I don't know why in the world you would rap.

Oh poor Jason, I saw Jason the day after this.... but had no idea about his little epic the day before! Yes, Will's comment is absolutely priceless. No way it's going to be a year before he gets bugged about this one!

goodness gracious... looks what I found! http://squamishclimbing.com/squamish_climbing_bb/viewtopic.php?t=2842&postdays=0&postorder=asc&start=30 With all the time spent on this daddy ^ you could have freed this route long ago! No worried though, I just found my own FFA project to work on, and it is good as gold.