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The $8000 Squamish Route


dberdinka

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It was responsible for lots of crap all over Millenium Falcon, Rutageba, etc last year. Evidently there have been some issues as well with other route development higher up, bumping into a new route that follow more natural/(quality?) line. The guy spearheading the project seems friendly and courteous. Something that seemed rather odd to me was in the discussion of the route it states "Pitch 4 - This pitch starts with a large and very helpful tree that provides a route up what would otherwise be a section that is stiffer than the climb is supposed to be."

 

I think any climb is "supposed to be" as difficult as it takes to climb up the rock. Otherwise you are engineering a climb/route to fit a predetermined level of difficulty.

 

If you only climb 5.7, is climbing to the top of the Chief on a 10+ pitch route really on your tick-list? Perhaps it is, but I'd guess that most folks with their sights set that high probably have technical abilities that will make this route seem like a mundane or pedestrian dirty jungle.

Edited by Blake
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If you only climb 5.7, is climbing to the top of the Chief really on your tick-list?

 

umm ya..have you ever seen the traffic on The buttress, UE or Upper Echelon

 

It was responsible for lots of crap all over Millenium Falcon, Rutageba,

 

Yup and he came back and cleaned them up I climbed on or around those routes a few times last year

 

the only real problem with this route is that it lies in the falcon closure and may not get the traffic it needs to keep it clean..then again there are alot of 5.7 climbers that this will appeal too, so we will see

 

 

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If you only climb 5.7, is climbing to the top of the Chief on a 10+ pitch route really on your tick-list? Perhaps it is, but I'd guess that most folks with their sights set that high probably have technical abilities that will make this route seem like a mundane or pedestrian dirty jungle.

Well, witness the popularity of all the sub-9 routes on the Apron, and of the Butress (which by pulling on gear can be climbed by almost all by the newest leader, and for parts of it is quite jungle-like). Europa is not a step up or down really from the 9s on the Apron, nor the Buttress. What it may do is help spread everyone around a little more and keep down crowding.

 

Also, one of my favourite routes of all time is the W ridge of Pigeon, and it is "only" 5.4. I love it and it is always on my tick list even though it is well below my abilities. Europa may be the same to many other people. Topping out on the chief or any large formation is usually fun for all but the most jaded uber-climber.

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Pitch 4 - This pitch starts with a large and very helpful tree that provides a route up what would otherwise be a section that is stiffer than the climb is supposed to be."

 

Ya like climbing trees in squamish is so unheard of..like the tree on tantalus wall to over come the roof, or the old start to angels crest..

 

I would rather see big cedar trees stay and get rid of the bush

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I'm surprised nobody's jumped on the bolt ladder on the 6th pitch. Apparently the slab under the crack goes at 10c or so but I'm not sure that anyone has freed it yet.

 

It's hard to imagine good climbing coming out of something called Crap Crags. If it isn't nice it will be hard to keep the Europa name attached. I just hope the monumental effort involved is worthwhile and that it doesn't turn into a White Elephant.

 

Jeff must have felt that once the project was started that it must be completed. I hope he gets some of the $6000 back. There's no way I would ever take out a loan to clean up a route but to each his own...

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I thought about mentioning that right off the bat but thought it a worthless endeavor into the land of spray.

 

The Grand has a bolt ladder on it yet it goes free. Right or wrong, it is what it is, right. So I figured since the route isn't finished and since I've not been on it I'd reserve comments and/or assumptions until it was finished.

 

My gut feeling is that it's sort of lame to put up such a new route and toss in a bolt ladder unless its grade 5.whatever... but thats subjective to how hard you climb and to what level you feel a bolt ladder is justified. If it is truly a 5.7 then I probably shouldn't belittle the ladder even if 10c, as you say, is about as easy as a 7 anyway for me.

 

So I'm going to continue to leave this one sit and pass judgement on it after I get on the route and see for myself.

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Crap Crags was a fine adventure route. The trees made for consistent shady belays on a sunny exposure, the 5.7+ grade was fair compared to WA Pass or Snow Ck Wall, but not consistent with Smoke Bluffs grading. I think it is misguided to think that trees need to be removed en masse to create or improve a route.

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Ive heard good things about Crap Crags from folks who have climbed it..sounds like a grand adventure

Adventures... make you late for dinner. -Bilbo Baggins

:)

 

I only know a couple of people that headed up there and they turned back quickly. I'll give it a go at some point. I'd hate to see all that effort put to waste and I guess it's the most logical line with the goal of an easy climb up the Chief.

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Looks like a great line with plenty of natural stuff to tie off! I think Canadians just have a different mindset somewhat. I remember being up there in the 80's right after they'd drilled the 1-2" diameter holes that huge Columbia (?) Boulder to manufacture an entire 40 foot route on an otherwise overhanging featureless boulder face. Then they'd taken 2 x 4's and run them out over the top and covered it with plastic to keep it dry, and then they rap bolted it:-)!

 

Then they put out a guest book where you could sign in and put who you were, where you were from, and what your comments were. Invariably all the Americans had comments that ranged from "this sucks you dickheads" to "How could you do this as this sucks very big you dickheads" or comments generally along those lines, while almost all of the Canadians were supportive and had positive comments. Sort of a precursor to the OJ thing where it seemed like most blacks thought he was innocent while most whites thought he was guilty.

 

Nice to see they are only cleaning vegetation out here, thats a massive effort for sure - good luck with it!

 

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