olyclimber Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Trip: Squamish - Angel Crest Date: 8/11/2007 Trip Report: Jeff and I went up to Squamish last weekend. Rolled into town Friday at about 11pm, went to the bar. They have this glassed off smoking section, and there was a couple of older women playing pulltabs. What drew our eyes there (among a few other things happening there) was a HUGE pile of "pulled" tabs. I'm talking like maybe a foot or two tall, mounded up against the glass. It was unreal. One of the women was furiously pulling tabs like a mad woman. Around 1am, her friend goes to get up, and then starts weebling and wobbling, and down she fell. We notified the wait staff, and eventually there were about 5 or so people trying to help the woman get up. Meanwhile, her friend doesn't even pause...she is still furiously going at the pulltabs. She even gets up and goes and gets a few more sheets out of the machine. All the while, 5 people struggled to get her friend off the floor. She still wasn't when we left around 1/2 hour later. We got a late start the next day, and a bit hung over we picked the wrong trail for Angel Crest and marched up it. It ended about 50 feet from the road, but Jeff just charged on and I scurried along after him. Way up in the woods I came across this strange "staff" with rotting clothes on it (a hat too?) and sticks pointing out of the top. It seemed like an native american thing. Anyway, I didn't disturb it, but scurried on and eventually getting to the base of the route around noon. Its a pretty fun climb, and even continued to feature the native american theme. We meet some cc.comers for a squamish pubclub Saturday night. Squamish reminded me of my beloved Index, but much, much bigger. The rock is just as good and the village below (but bigger) with the train wailing away as it passed through town. Sadly we didn't do the aweful width pictured down in the pics...we didn't bring bigger gear. Jeff was truly bummed about it. But there is tons of awesome climbing on this route, especially the next to last pitch and the acrophobe traverse. Approach Notes: Go uphill till you reach the rock, then figure out where you are and go to your route. Or, alternatively, just get on the right trail. Quote
ZimZam Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 That's some mighty purdy rock they got there. What's the deal with the totem? Oh, nice pics Oly. Quote
olyclimber Posted August 16, 2007 Author Posted August 16, 2007 I'm not sure what the deal is with the totem pole. It is about 3/4 of the way up the route, just before the Acrophobe traverse. It is beautifully carved, and must have been a small project to get it up there. It looks pretty heavy to be yarding up that far. I think it must be new as of this year, as Kurt said he climbed this route a year or two ago and it wasn't there then. Quote
olyclimber Posted August 16, 2007 Author Posted August 16, 2007 RE: the staff in the first picture....I seem to remember watching a TV program a long time ago that talked about a ritual or ceremony where they drug something up into on to the hill side. The "hat-like" thing on it actually sort of looks like a fin on a orca or salmon. Perhaps someone on the board can comment further or tell me that I'm off mark. Quote
Slesse Climber Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Nice TR and pics...I need to go get me some of that Quote
G-spotter Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 you can read all about the installation of the scrotum pole on matt maddaloni's blog Quote
G-spotter Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 ps fern has climbed that offwidth thump thump thump Quote
fern Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 5.11- face climbing on either side. Protect with big green gear of whatever brand you like. No anchor at top ... just loose moss. I didn't lead it. Quote
Slesse Climber Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 you can read all about the installation of the scrotum pole on matt maddaloni's blog Thats seriously arrogant. I expect the totem-poling thread will be as bad as the bolting thread. I just hope nobody dies when it gets trundled. Quote
blueserac Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 (edited) Hey folks, these pics and trip report really get me homesick...my goodness, do I miss being able to run up those nice lines at the end of the day...or through it with my kids... That is a intriguing welcome figure. Where is it located, and who placed it? It is not a Native American thing as pointed out, as we are Canadian up here; and in Squamish, it is a Sko-mish thing. I have seen those before while at work paddling on the west coast, it looks like a stick a "shaker" or "dancer" may utilize in daily dealings. In all cases, be reverent to the land for giving us such wonderfully enjoyable lines to climb that both feed us and nourish our intrigue. Edited August 16, 2007 by blueserac Quote
olyclimber Posted August 16, 2007 Author Posted August 16, 2007 not "Native-American". How about if I say "Native-North American" Quote
Sherri Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Missed you folks at the Brew pub Saturday night. I stopped by around 9pm but didn't know anyone there well enough to recognize them as a cc.comer, so I didn't hang out for long. Would have been cool to hear about your climb firsthand...the photos are beautiful! Quote
olyclimber Posted August 16, 2007 Author Posted August 16, 2007 you can read all about the installation of the scrotum pole on matt maddaloni's blog Ah...he rapped in with it! Cheater! Quote
kevbone Posted August 16, 2007 Posted August 16, 2007 Great pictures......I have always wanted to climb that route. Quote
G-spotter Posted August 17, 2007 Posted August 17, 2007 you can read all about the installation of the scrotum pole on matt maddaloni's blog Ah...he rapped in with it! Cheater! hum... they free soloed out - you got Hanzeled out. who cheated? Quote
EWolfe Posted August 17, 2007 Posted August 17, 2007 I think it's cool. Only people who climb will see this wonderful totem. I am sorry I missed it on my (earlier) ascents - it would have been a nice infusion of exclusivity. May future parties choose to see that. Quote
DirtyHarry Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Nice Porter. Kat and I did that last year and had a blast. More of a social event, with all the parties on it, but really fun. No scrotum pole then, but the real conversation should be focusing on why Hansel is hanging that poor rubber chicken from his pack anyway. Quote
Manifest Posted August 18, 2007 Posted August 18, 2007 Truly a great climb. Can't say I had a favorite pitch, but that last one was super awesome. Quote
G-spotter Posted August 19, 2007 Posted August 19, 2007 I was so thirsty the last time i climbed this route, that when I found a slug crawling on my chalkbag on the second-last ledge, i started chewing on it. Quote
Blake Posted August 20, 2007 Posted August 20, 2007 Earlier that day, Matt Maddaloni and a friend climbed University Wall, Northern Lights, Freeway, and Angel's Crest in a day! Quote
David Trippett Posted August 20, 2007 Posted August 20, 2007 they skipped the Crest...Matts arms were cramping too badly after leading ~30 pitches Quote
olyclimber Posted August 20, 2007 Author Posted August 20, 2007 Damn. Thats one way to get strong. Quote
G-spotter Posted August 22, 2007 Posted August 22, 2007 climbing Stairway to Heaven, the Buttress, Angels Crest and NN Arete in a day is the same deal for non-5.11 climbers Quote
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