[TR] Squamish - Milk Road 5/15/2010

[hafilax]

Trip: Squamish - Milk Road

 

Date: 5/15/2010

 

Trip Report:

Sorry no pictures.

 

Milk Road Topo

Description with photos on squamishclimbing. Also has a longer pitch-by-pitch TR by yours-truely.

 

Haven't seen any mention of Jeremy Frimer's new variation to Milk Run which he has dubbed Milk Road so I thought I'd spread the love around and give a brief TR from last weekend.

 

Three of us decided to get on some rock last Saturday and the first suggestion was Milk Run. Seemed doable at 8 pitches of 10d A0 (11d). I knew it would be a bit much for me given that I haven't really climbed even indoors in 3 months or outside since last fall. But I also knew that my much stronger partners could haul my sorry ass up there if necessary.

 

The climbing is really fun if you're capable. It wasn't too tricky gaining the main dihedral with a few aid moves. The leader needs good route-finding skills but it's all there. The main dihedral of Milk Run is incredible. Lieback fingers for 20m with lots of rests for one pitch and then the money pitch with 40m of full on steep liebacks. I got the easy pitches but took a pretty long fall from the topout of the 10b pitch which rattled me for the rest of the day. Managed to onsight the ramp though. ;-)

 

The new climbing goes up the Crescent ramp and then a chimney variation that meets up with the face cracks above the High Octane roof. There is then a thin dyke walk to bring you to the top.

 

One quick note on the topo (if it hasn't been updated). The Crescent Tower pitch is closer to 50m from the bottom of the chain.

 

I think the climbing is of great quality and variety. We felt it was harder overall than the Grand although that might just be the rust. I'd like to put in some endurance training miles and then get back on this one and the Grand wall. Hopefully it will see lots of traffic and stay clean. SO GET ON IT!

 

Gear Notes:

Full rack from nuts to #4 C4 with lots of finger sized cams. We brought a triple set including TCUs and C3s.

 

2 ropes needed to retreat.

 

Approach Notes:

See topo. We walked right up to it.

[dberdinka]

Jermey put some serious work into cleaning that thing up. The crux pitch of Milk Run definitely seems a bit more stout than the Sword to me, but then again both have never anything but really hard.

[marc_leclerc]

The crux pitch of Milk Run definitely seems a bit more stout than the Sword to me

 

I have heard the crux of Milk Run is pretty sustained fomr some good climbers! The Sword is incredibly easy for 11a, makes sense that Milk Road would feel harder than the Grand Sounds awesome!

[hafilax]

It's 10c in the same way the Split Pillar is 5.9.

[marc_leclerc]

It's 10c in the same way the Split Pillar is 5.9.

 

Don't you love 'sustained' difficulties!

[jmace]

Most agree there really is no move harder than 5.9 on the pillar and everyone I have talked to including Jer say no move harder than 10b for the milk run corner...

 

Its May I think everything feels hard, The Grand has a couple 5.11 pitches.

 

Where the road only has one 10d pitch, once it dries out I look forward to giving it a go.

[hafilax]

Grading the endurance is always tricky. I mentally bump my expectations down when the word 'pumpy' shows up in the description.