Beginner areas at Squamish?

[Alyosha]

I have two separate questions, really.

 

First, what areas/routes in Squamish would you recommend for a first sport lead?

 

Second, what areas/routes would you recommend for easy(5.6-ish) trad, preferably multi-pitch?

 

(The person looking to do the first sport lead is different from the person looking to do easy trad).

 

Thanks

[Dru]

first sport lead. your best bet is a little crag called jug slab in the smoke bluffs near the parking lot with four short well bolted routes in the 5.6-5.8 range.

 

there are few multipitch trad 5.6's around but you could climb banana peel (one move 5.7) or calculus crack (one move 5.8) or diedre (several pitches well protected 5.7) if you want to do some trad multipitches. of the three diedre is immensely busy and slightly polished, calculus has a 2 pitch tree/bush approach and one gear anchor to build, and banana peel does have one runout pitch. none of them are even remotely difficult though.

[stinkyclimber]

To be fair though, although Calc Crack isn't hard, it is a wide crack, and to someone starting out, it will feel scary and insecure (it's the crack to the right of St. Vitus, right?). I'd stick with B Peel, Diedre like Dru suggests. What about that retro-cleaned route on the north Apron - the South Arete (the one left of St. Vitus)? It sure looks low angled, and I think it has new belay bolts and all that shit.

[chucK]

What about Raven's Castle? I guess it's not multipitch, but it's got some exposure . Aren't there good 5.7 trad and bolted pitches up there?

 

I know I'm falling into that old trap of upping the requested grade, but hell it's Squamish, 5.7 = ~ 5.4 elsewhere .

 

And Calculus Crack is climber's left of St. Vitus. That would be my first recommendation if you can pull on gear at the 5.8 place (i dunno, never done it).

 

If you're novice climbers though beware that Calculus Crack could end up being quite the epic for you. It's: 1. at your limit, 2. long, 3. crowded, 4. sorta tricky to find the descent.

 

But you probably won't die, and it'd be a hell of an adventure. Get an early start and a bring a headlamp!

[fern]

the wide crack right of St. Vitus is Vector. The wide crack left of St. Vitus is South Arete. Neither are 'beginner' really. The hand crack at the far left is Calculus Crack and requires at least 1 gear belay at a semi hanging stance, and possibly 1 or 2 more depending on how you pitch it out to the top and how long your rope is.

 

also MY opinion is if you are a slow n00b to traddy multipitches you should spend a bunch of time in the Smoke Bluffs linking up as many pitches as you can fit in a day and practicing gears and anchors. There are not many sub 5.8 multipitch routes and everybody wants to do them. You shouldn't be trying to figure out skills that are not specific to multipitch climbs in the middle of a multipitch climb and clogging up the route for everyone. Figure them out on the ground so you can cruise the long routes when you step up. Unless you are the asshole who drives slow in the passing lane This rant is not directed at Alyosha who I know nothing about. Also anybody should feel free to climb whatever they want regardless of my opinion, I am not the boss of you.

[Dru]

south arete is harder than calculus and also wide to start off with. the wide section on calc is only 5.6 and low angle with solid foot jams the whole way. you just need your hands for balance.

[stinkyclimber]

Oops - I got Vector mixed up with Calculus, and South Arete mixed up with Calc. It was Calc I was thinking was a good bet (like Dru said). Sorry for the confusion...never question or doubt a Dru.

 

I second Fern's recommendation (about the Bluffs...although the passing lane thing is annoying too).

[Dru]

a good crag for beginners that is not the smoke bluffs is the Sugarloaf area at Murrin Park. there are several 5.4's, a 5.6, two 5.7s, two 5.8s and a 5.9 all within about 50m. if you can find it withhout top ropers in situ leading all of these back to back will give you just as much climbing as a short apron multipitch and probably more gear placements.

[Dru]

chuck IMHO Raven's Castle is not worth hiking up the backside trail to get to. its Ok to finish off the day after climbing the Squamish buttress by climbing there. remember you can and should climb Talking Crack preferably free solo and barefoot or in flip flops to wow the summit crowds

[PaulB]

First, what areas/routes in Squamish would you recommend for a first sport lead?

Isn't there a short wall up at Cal-Chek (I forget the name, but I think you walk by it on the way to Penalty Box) that has some short & easy sport routes?

[Dru]

yes but i wouldn't go all the way to cal-chek just to climb there. however, yes if you are up in the area there is a crag at cal-chek with several 15-20m sport routes in the 5.6 to 5.9 range. its the first one you come to on the main trail.

[Bluff]

It isnt multi-pitch ... but Cat Crack (5.6) at Neat and Cool sucks up gear like no tomorrow and is pretty easy. The 7 (or is it 8?) to the left is a good one too, and definitely soft for that rating.

[stinkyclimber]

Yes, but the crux on those routes is dodging the top-ropes,and/or waiting in line. That adds to the grade.

[DeeJay]

what did you find out about Squamish?

 

I'm planning on climbing this weekend if you are game..

 

DJ

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