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Trip: Vancouver Island, BC - Date: 2/1/2008 Trip Report: A few people have requested some more trip reports from Vancouver Island, so I thought I'd put together something with info about the top climbing areas. I hope this fits within the criteria for a trip report. So on this map I've marked the 3 main cragging areas with colored dots. Red = Horne Lake Crags (Limestone) Black = Crest Creek Crags (Basalt) Purple = Comox Lake Crags (Basalt) I'll start from the top and tell you a bit of information and beta for each place. 1. Horne Lake Horne Lake is a limestone mecca. Closest to the Nanaimo ferry terminal, so popular with some of the mainland crowd. Before I go too far into detail I'd like to add that the access here is very touchy. The official status of the area in the past is closed, however, in the last couple years there have been no issues. Nevertheless, please keep the noise down, park respectfully, and no camping. Horne Lake has climbing from Mid 5.10's to 5.14c at the moment. The Ampitheatre has fixed draws on almost all routes. There are also numerous single and multi-pitch routes on the surrounding faces. (You can donate to the bolt fund at the climbing gym in Nanaimo) The Area is developed by a few individuals from both the north and south island. Thanks for their efforts! This is the main climbing area at Horne, including the Ampitheatre. Climbing in the Ampitheatre: (This was Feb. 1st by the way) 2. Comox Lake Comox Lake is Basalt, located at the east end of Comox Lake. Nearest town is Cumberland (mid island). The development has been done mostly by the Waters Brothers and numerous other locals. Many Thanks! (Guidebooks can be bought from the local gear shop, and the bolt fund is there also) There is everything from 5.5s to 5.12's. Trad, Aid, Sport, and even some bouldering... A couple pictures: Some multi-pitch above the lake Pop Goes My Weasel (5.11c) 3. Crest Creek Crags Crest Crags is one of the most developed climbing areas in B.C. This is all thanks to the Heathens Mountaineering Club. Their countless hours of labor haven't gone un-noticed. Crest Creek Crags (locally referred to "Crest") has a multitude of routes, on many high quality walls spread around a dip in the Gold River highway. The Basalt here is of very high quality and the amazing cleaning has produced many memorable routes. Trad, Aid, Sport, solo circuits, and even some bouldering(if you look hard) is to be found. Grades from 5.4 to 5.12, A0 to A3+. Topos can be bought at the climbing gym in Campbell River (north island) All proceeds go towards route maintenance and new-routing. Picture Time! Thrashing in the warm and wet on an aid route Easily one of the most beautiful places in B.C. Hope you enjoyed that. That was just 3 places on the island. Other places include: Nanaimo River Morton Lake Nomash Slab & Many More! Drop me a message if you'd like more information or some route beta. Cheers!

Trip: Squamish, BC - Ultimate Everything Date: 6/26/2009 Trip Report: Another trip from summer 09' Lee and I left town at 5pm, June 26th bound for the Horseshoe Bay ferry. Caught the 7pm ferry, landing us in the grand wall parking lot for a 10:30pm bivy. Saturday saw us in the smoke bluffs climbing the Smoke Bluff Connection, Penny Lane, and at Octopus Garden. Started to sprinkle rain, who would’ve thought? Sunday was more cragging as the rock dried out from the previous evening’s downpour. Spent Sunday evening getting gear together for Ultimate Everything the following morning. Mission: Link Diedre (5.8) to Ultimate Everything (5.10b) for 19 or so pitches. We wanted to get done early enough to catch the ferry back to the island. Monday morning: 5am – Up early to beat any possible crowds on Diedre. 5:30am (or so) – First pitch of Diedre, thankfully we were first on the route (I love Mondays!) Didn’t keep much of a time check from then on. Finished Diedre up pretty quick. Did the traverse left at the top, climbed a random 1 bolt moss-fest to gain the upper ledges, hiked up and hit the base of Ultimate Everything. Route went smooth, giving us a top-out time of 1:43pm. Had a casual lunch before heading down the backside trail and walking back to the car. On the drive to the ferry my legs started to cramp, probably the result of that energy drink for breakfast, but whatever, I’m 18, therefore unstoppable. And to top off a great weekend we managed to score the ferry line with the cutest cashier! Time for some pictures: Lee on a .10b in smoke bluffs. Diedre pitch 6 First bolt of Ultimate Everything Pitch 3 of Ultimate Everything Nice wet traverse pitch Lee seconding the final .10b traverse Wicked day! Gear Notes: Cams to 3" 60m Rope Approach Notes: Apron parking lot to base.

Trip: Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, B.C. - Black Knight (FA) Date: 8/21/2009 Trip Report: A climb from summer 09' Mission: To climb Paupers Buttress, 300m 5.7, or put up something new. Paupers Buttress is on the Queens Face, next to Kings Peak. Located in Strathcona Provincial Park, Vancouver Island, British Columbia. Left after work Friday, August 21st. Drove to the Kings Peak trailhead. Got to the trailhead about 6pm, and got to the lower meadow around 7:30pm. Beautiful weather, with the exception of a faint Smokey smell, complements of forest fires to the South-East. Set up camp, had dinner, and prepped out gear for the following morning, which according to the weather reports, was going to be balmy. August 22nd, 5am: Up for breakfast and last minute gear checks. 5:30am: Hiking to upper meadow, then took the gully towards the hikers ridge, then about 2/3's of the way up, you cut up a short 15' rock band, and your on the lower moraine. This saves from needless 3rd class up the foot of the moraine. Handrailed the ramparts (on the right) and made our way to the toe of the glacier. 7:00am: Roped up for the short crossing. Global warming stole about 50 feet of glacier since last summer. Quite disappointing. 7:45am: Base of buttress, now all we had to do was to choose which corner system we wanted to take. We chose the furthest one, roped up and set off. Heres a breakdown of the pitches: P1: (5.9) Head up the corner, when it ends, traverse right, and belay from small corner (small gear in belay) P2: Head right and up small grassy gully, making an exposed hop onto the arete on the right. Continue straight up. Belay from tree. P3: Continue up grassy broken 4/5th class and belay from one of many trees. P4: Head straight up. # 2 Camalot in horizontal just off the belay, then up right on small step. Continue up and build belay in small "half-moon" flake. P5: Go up steep 12ft. high wall directly above belay. Head up, trending left, away from obvious arete on the right. Top-out on the huge ledge. Belay by slinging massive block on ledge. P6: Go right for exposed and loose traverse through huge gully. Go right and up 10' wall (red camalot) and go right, and belay from horn. Should still be able to see last belay. P7: Go straight up, small pro. 30m pitch, to gear belay. P8: Up to right facing corner. Pull on top of arete on the left. a 6" offwidth awaits you. I placed 2 chockstones in crack to help. Climb this, and climb a ramp leading left on good rock. Grey alien finger crack, follow that to the summit! On the route at 8am and at the summit around 2pm. And I'll try to include some pictures. Lower meadow Campsite Last minute business before getting on the glacier. Paupers Buttress (in the middle) Looking towards the arete and some other routes A glance down Kings Peak from mid-route Looking down from the summit Good day! Smoke blurred view of Colonel Foster (7000') Overall, super good trip. Lots more to come! Gear Notes: Rack: 1 set Aliens .75 -> 2 Camalots 1 set offset stoppers 1 set Superlight rocks 12 extendable draws Handfull of misc. Pins & hammer 60m rope & 8mm tagline Approach Notes: 2.5 to 3 hours to lower meadow. Approx. 1.5 to base.

Wow, 1250.00 and its not even a bomber-cut

My partner had his car busted into last night. We recovered everything except a mountain hardware South Col 90L. This was stolen from Kamloops, BC. But it may end up in/around Vancouver.

It happens all the time. Don't worry about it. Climb on!

I'm just curious, when you say two sets of ladders/etriers, do you mean 4 total, of is this a set of ladders like pants come in pairs?

What color was the haulbag? Where was this stolen from?