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[TR] Squamish various - several 1/20/2010


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Trip: Squamish various - several

 

Date: 1/20/2010

 

Trip Report:

Just for the stoke, I have some fond memories of Squamish climbing.

 

Taking my son there where he was old enough to drink in BC but not in the US. We watched World Cup soccer, drank beer, and then he led every pitch of Diedre the next day. We only had to wait an hour or so at the base!

 

Climbed Angels Crest and took about 50 pictures before discovering on the summit that there was no film in the camera.

 

I did some guided climbing with Jim Sandford, which was phenomenal. I climbed with him 5 days after he established the first 5.14 in Canada at Chek. I did the Grand Wall and Cruel Shoes among other climbs with him. We did Centerfold and at the base two dudes were asking for beta and wondering whether the advice was good. I walked to my pack and showed them the cover photo of Jim on the guidebook. Enough said.

 

After Cruel Shoes, we are back at the parking lot and nobody recognizes Jim as one of the top rock climbers in N. America but are all grouped around two hot chicks who did the climb just before us. Ha!

 

I saw the photo of the Split Pillar on the cover of Mountain magazine in the 80's I believe and I made it a goal to get on it. After following through (first the Pillar and then Grand Wall a couple of years later) I went into town and saw a poster of the Pillar in a bookstore. I asked the staff if they had one for sale. No, but they did call guidebook author Kevin McClane and gave me the phone to find out if he had any. No, out of print. They ended up giving me the one they had on the wall. You just gotta love small towns...

 

Bellygood: easy but lots of exposure and not a good place for a misstep.

 

Climbing at Smoke Bluffs before all of the houses crowded the area.

 

Doing BC style A0 which makes total sense when you get so much good climbing otherwise. Like Klahanie Crack where you get gorgeous 5.7 jamming but use a tree root to reach the anchors without stressing. And Spit Pillar/Grand Wall where a couple of bolt ladders access some of the best climbing on granite.

 

My only complaint is the lack of an IPA at the Howe Sound Brewery (at least then).

 

 

 

 

Edited by matt_warfield
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You're in luck when you return then; there are now 3 (sort of) IPAs at the Brew Pub...

 

Devil's Elbow India Pale Ale, named after a grade 4 rapid on the Elaho

 

Total Eclipse of the Hop; Imperial IPA - haven't had this one yet. 8%, and limited time, part of their John Mitchell series, apparently.

 

And the sort of...

 

Pumpkin Eater Imperial Pumpkin Ale - also 8%, also limited, apparently also John Mitchell series, but this one's a yearly deal, and it's goooood.

 

Come on back to town sometime!

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