Squamish on Memorial Day Weekend

[TrogdortheBurninator]

PLanning to go to squamish for the first time this weekend. Had a few general questions about the area. Was planning to camp at the Chief campground, and am wondering how early we should plan to arrive at the CG to actually get a good spot. Also, are there better campgrounds than this, or is it the best option. Regarding routes, my fiance/partner prefers user friendly single pitch routes (read: nice flat large unexposed belays). I prefer crack climbs, although she prefers some face climbing as well. I'd like to hit shannon falls, as well as some of the other classic easy/moderate cracks, but would appreciate any advice on crags/routes that offer interesting moderate face climbing (TR ok) in the vicinity of the classics. If anyone else will be up there and is looking for a partner to climb something longer (Diedre or something) on Sun or Mon morning, PM me and maybe we could hook up.

 

Jason

[Drederek]

Today would be a good day to get a site but if you're set up to sleep in your vehicle its no prob anytime. You pretty much described the smoke bluffs for a place to climb. Don't miss the pool a few kliks north of the smoke bluff parking lot on Loggers Lane. Its cheap and amazing. There is also some more expensive camping there if you don't find a spot at the chief and the free stuff looks too grim for ya. Have a ball!

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Do we have any chance at all if we show up Sat morning? How much is the private CG, is it nice, and does it fill up easily? Are there other "nicer" provinicial campgrounds within a few miles of squamish?

[chucK]

If you've got the cash ($$$), the Howe Sound Inn (and Brewery) is pretty sweet as a hotel, and may be worth it for you. Especially if you can get one of the Chief-view rooms. The food is not the greatest, but it's better than most places in Squamish I've been to.

 

And Shannon Falls fits your description pretty well too, but not near as many climbs to choose from as the Smoke Bluffs.

[Bill_Simpkins]

There are some nice spots to throw down a sleeping bag on top of the Upper Malamute.

[matt_warfield]

It is definitely worth doing Klahanie Crack at Shannon Falls, but it sounds like Smoke Bluffs fills your bill otherwise. You can get quite a few nice leads and TR's of neighboring harder routes. I would stay off Diedre on a holiday weekend. Go look at the thread on crowds at Outer Space and multiply it for Diedre.

[chelle]

Are you still able to park a vehicle on 99 by the upper malamute?

 

The campground at the leisure center on Loggers Lane is CD$16/night. I think it is nice, because there is grass and tables, and most times the chemical toilets are better than the pit ones at the chief. We usually split the fee between 6 people so it is still cheap. It's pretty much a grassy loop with every 20 feet or so a "site".

 

You used to be able to drive a ways up the road next to the Apron parking lot and find a free spot to sleep, but with all the construction I understand that this is pretty much guaranteed to either result in no sleep or a very early morning wake up call because of the truck traffic.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Are the unofficial sites OK to pitch a tent and setup camp, or is it pretty much necessary to be as discrete as possible?

[chelle]

As for climbs...

 

I haven't done Diedre, but Calculus Crack is one of my favorite multi pitch climbs and if you like wide cracks give Vector a go. There is also Rock On and all the stuff in the Bluffs for one pitch fun, both cracks and face climbs.

 

Have a blast.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Also, how bad is the holiday effect given that its a US holiday?

[chelle]

Could be crowded, could be empty. I've seen both situations on the 4th of July. The weather here is going to be pretty good here at home, so my guess is it won't be any worse than any other weekend.

[Rad]

Dierdre is a lovely, moderate, multipitch crack climb with good pro.

 

It is a little greasy at the crux due to high traffic, which brings me to the next point: If you plan to do it expect big crowds and long waits. (See threads about slow climbers on outer space for illustration.)

 

One way to avoid the crowds is to go do it in the mid- to late afternoon. A lot of people go after hitting starbucks for breakfast, so they should have mostly cleared off the early pitches by mid-afternoon. The route goes fast, and the days are long now so you should be fine with a late start.

 

I second the pool suggestion. Good way to get clean and relax.

[Winter]

The weather look awesome this weekend! We'll be up there as well. The wife likes the private campground better then the walk-up, so we'll probably be down by the river. Its pretty nice and not that expensive - hot showers - running water - good compromise.

[Dru]

Canada is instituting a new fee for American climbers this weekend. Please PM me $5 if you plan to climb in Canada.

[eric8]

i know a lot of people going up there. Its going to be busy probably best to go climb elsewhere this weekend.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Dru, maybe I can Paypal you, please just send me your login and password and I will direct transfer the $5

[Dru]

I will have my Nigerian banker send that info to you right away!

[Winter]

You can have five of these.

 

[TrogdortheBurninator]

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[TrogdortheBurninator]

BTW, if anyone has any real responses left, I appreciate all the input. Spray is also welcome (as is the response of Eric8 which might be either).

[Dru]

OK

 

1) For free camping, DON'T just pitch a tent or assume you can sleep in your truck in the Smoke Bluffs or Apron parking lot even if you see other ppl doing it. You aren't supposed to and if it becomes a problem the resulting crackdown will be bad for everybody. tHere are all sorts of free camping sites available. You can camp for free anywhere on Crown land. The problem is finding it. Highway pullouts do not count. The closest sites to downtown Squamish are about 10km up the Mamquam road (the one that starts at the Apron), past the power project.

 

2) For pay camping, good non-chief options are at Cat Lake, Alice Lakes, or any one of various privately run campgrounds. Or, stay in one of the hostels.

 

3) Climbing Diedre on this weekend will be a traffic jam. It will take 3 hours to climb one pitch and passing will be impossible because of 10 climbers at each belay. You should climb Banana Peel or Calculus Crack instead because they will still be crowded but only half as crowded. If you want to climb Diedre, put your headlamp on and start at sundown.

 

3) You should check out Octopus' Garden, Funarama, Murrin Park, Seal Cove, Campground Wall, Easter Island and Chek for your climbing needs.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Is there a need for double rope rappels on many of the single pitch climbs in the bluffs etc, or would a single 70m suffice?

[Blake]

Is there a need for double rope rappels on many of the single pitch climbs in the bluffs etc, or would a single 70m suffice?

 

The smoke bluffs don't require double rope raps. I thought diedre was fun, but not as amazing as people make it out to be. Some generic slabs, and 3 fairly short pitches of solid finger/hand sized cracks. You wont need anything more than a set of nuts, and a few .75"-1.5" cams/tricams/hexes. It shouldn't take very long, and I'd also suggest starting at maybe 6pm or so. Make sure you know how to get there and how to get off the top of the Apron. A headlamp would be wise but probably not needed.

[Dru]

Is there a need for double rope rappels on many of the single pitch climbs in the bluffs etc, or would a single 70m suffice?

 

a single 50m will suffice so you can cut off 20m of your rope and leave it in Washington!

 

also you should walk off everything in the Bluffs. rapping off is for tourists and bumblies.

 

you will need at least a 60m and a diagonal rap to get off of klahanie crack. either that or be able to downclimb 5.2 from the end of your raprope to the ground.

[Blake]

be able to downclimb 5.2 from the end of your raprope to the ground.

 

Thread Creap: Is 4th class, 5.0, 5.1, 5.2, 5.3 basically all the same? I never even see pitches listed below 5.4, and I don't think I could really tell the difference.