Squamish 7.30.11

BRC was headed to Squamish for their third weekend outing, so we tagged along to hang out with the cool BRC kids and get some climbing in ourselves. One doesn't really need an excuse to head up to Squamish anyways for climbing. Aaron and I loaded Vinni up and took off for Canada after work on Friday. We were camping at the Klahanie campground near Shannon Falls in Squamish. We set up camp that night and I soon went to sleep as Aaron enjoyed a few beers with some of the BRC-ers. The plan was to climb Banana Peel on the Apron with Sara on Saturday. A couple teams from the BRC would also be heading up the route so we wanted to get started before them. I woke up early as I didn't sleep very well and started get ready – sunscreen, a little breakfast, and some beta. I of course left all of my beta printed out at home – an unfortunate general trend.

There were several BRC teams climbing on the Apron that day so we headed in with 4 other teams, winding our way up to the start of the route with some fun scrambling in keens to warm up for the climb. Aaron was planning on taking a weekend mostly off and taking pictures so he started up with us before he headed to Smoke Bluffs to hang out with those groups for the morning. Sara lead the first pitch, a good long section of unprotectable slab until you reach a crack traversing the face. She reached the crack and started the traverse. Also occupying the crack were several trees so Sara didn't place any gear as she went, rather, we relied on the rope slinging around the trees in the event that she would fall. It was a fairly easy walk across near the bottom of the face so we weren't worried.

Sara traversing across the face in the crack, trailing the rope behind her uphhill of the trees

She cruised across for a while until she had about 15 or 20 feet of rope left, and set up an anchor by slinging a tree. I was up next, crawling up the slabby face – getting my first introduction to |The Apron, and getting a taste of the rock I would be climbing for the next 7 pitches. Close behind me was Matt, leading Nate up Banana Peel, who was followed by Joe leading Tim up as well.

I stepped over Sara and lead the second pitch, a continuation of the traverse on the crack to more solid ground. The third pitch started with a stem off of a tree to get back on the slabby face, so I went for a while until I found what looked like well used trees for stemming, and a good island of trees just up for anchors. I set up an anchor (i.e. slung a tree) and Sara followed on the traverse. Deciding to keep my small pack, she quickly started leading out the third pitch, stemming off of the tree, making her way up to the island of trees and setting up another anchor – another slung tree.

The island of trees we used as our belay station between pitches 3 and 4, as viewed from the top of the fourth pitch

We had gone through three pitches and had yet to actually place any protection. It was interesting trying to route find, looking for the worn 'white' paths up the rock face as clues and looking ahead for specific groups of trees for our next belay spot. The stem off of the tree for the third pitch was interesting to say the least – a little unnerving transferring your weight from the tree onto a slab face with no hand holds to speak of.

I got up to Sara, we surveyed the area, and found the only bolt of the whole climb which helps protect the crux of the climb on the fourth pitch, a 5.7. I started out, traversing across a slabby face (again), trying to make my way to the bolt. There were no hand holds and I made slow progress over, trying to make sure I was steady on my feet. There was no where to place protection until I reached that bolt so I was run out over from Sara on a slabby face – a fall would mean a great cheese grating sliding fun adventure back down to the start of the third pitch. I felt my balance/stability go and stood up – taking my hands off the rock, somehow regaining my purchase, to continue a few more paces to the bolt. After clipping the bolt Sara and I laughed at my almost slip and I cheered, hands above my head, with victory as I was finally on belay. The crux bulging slab section had a few nicely placed chiseled holds to help me gain that, before finding myself in a crack. I finally placed the first pieces of protection on the climb – on the fourth pitch above the crux. I worked my way up a corner crack, to another traversy crack to what I thought were the trees of my next belay. I reached them, set up an anchor, and belayed Sara up. Apparently we had started a little too far climbers right from the third pitch, making the start of the fourth pitch more difficult than we needed. Lessons learned. I took the pack from Sara, transferred the gear, and she started leading the fifth pitch up a series of flakes and another crack.

Sara's gear on the 5th pitch, a system of flakes and a crack

She slung a couple of the flakes, a tree, and placed her first pieces of pro of the day, before setting up the first and only gear anchor of the climb in a corner crack system.

Sara's gear anchor at the belay station between pitches 5 and 6

The sixth pitch was also rated 5.7 and after just a little encouragement, Sara decided to lead that as well. A guy climbing with two following (a father and son possibly) happened up to our little gear anchor. He was cruising up The Apron, wandering around in approach shoes, following no route in particular. He was clearly well above our climbing level, but was really nice and offered some navigation to Sara as she lead the sixth pitch. A traverse back climbers right followed some large flakes that allowed Sara to place some more gear, before heading back climbers left to some trees for the anchor.

We transferred the gear back and I lead the seventh pitch, following another system of flakes up to a rather large rock. To say the least, we ran Banana Peel out like champs.

Leading the 7th pitch, placing my first piece of gear on the pitch

I placed a few pieces in the flake system and got to experience the runnels which seemed like they'd be great little steps up the face – deceiving little features. I was at the end of my rope at the large rock and noticed there was a slot so I slung part of it with my cordelette and belayed Sara up. Sara lead/walked up the eighth and final pitch, again placing no gear (although she briefly considered it). She reached Broadway, the ledge/walkway of trees at the top and set up an anchor – again, slung a tree. She started belaying me up but I was walking up the final pitch too fast so she took the rope out of her belay device and hip belayed me to try and make it quicker. We successfully climbed Banana Peel!

Boomstick Crack, a rather large, thin airy flake climb, was just above us. Matt had suggested climbing it so we ventured over to check out the start and decided to do it. I lead the first pitch on the airy flake, a 5.7.

Placing gear on the first pitch of Boomstick Crack

It was wide and I was glad we had as much big gear as we did – a #3, 2 #2s, and 2 #1s. The thin flake was interesting to climb up along and I tried to spread out (i.e. run out) my big gear as best as possible. I definitely felt the most exposure of the day while on that thin flake and was glad when I finally reached a tree in the crack system to set up anchor from. I had run out of large gear and was more than happy to sling a tree – my favorite piece of protection anyways. Sara followed, grabbed the gear, and lead the second pitch. We found the rappel rings, set it up, and rappelled back down to Broadway with Matt and Nate who had also climbed Boomstick Crack. The traverse across Broadway from the bottom of the rappel was a little airy and we used the rope to help walk our way over. After that it was a walk off. We climbed/hiked down a bit until we were down in the trees, then put our shoes on for the rest of the hike down. We were back down in the parking lot around noon. Not a bad morning – 10 pitches of climbing!

Coming down from Broadway, heading for the trail in the trees to take us back to the parking lot

After some discussion and driving to see what was available, we headed to Smoke Bluffs for some afternoon cragging. Aaron, Sara, and I hung out in the parking lot for a bit enjoying lunch and a couple of beers since we weren't actually BRC-ers for the weekend. We eventually wandered up the trail and found Matt, Nate, Joe, and Tim near the Neat and Cool area. They had a few ropes up and Nate and Tim were getting some practice with mock leading. Aaron decided he'd try leading a couple of cracks in the area so I followed him up the left-unnamed crack of the split crack.

Aaron checking out the start of the crack before leading it - the left side of the unnamed crack - while Tim mock leads the crack next to him

Afterwards he encouraged me to climb it, but I wasn't sure so I top roped it again, looked for hand placements. Although the route was unrated/unnamed in our guide book, we guessed it was a 5.8, mostly because it lacked the nice rest stops I was accustomed to on 5.7s. After some debating and the second top rope of it, I decided to lead it. It was challenging for me and I almost left a carabiner of nuts hanging off of the one I placed in the crack, but managed to nab it before having to move up. I was excited for my climb, my first 5.8 lead (I'm going to claim it as such at least).

The gear from my lead up the 5.8 left side crack, while Aaron checks out the right side crack

Aaron lead the other crack as well, before we headed back down the trail a little to try top roping a 5.11a finger corner crack, Kangaroo Corner. I wasn't going to climb it but after watching Aaron go up, I wanted to give it a go. My small fingers helped me do a lie back up most of it. That, coupled with a friendly belay from Brandon, soon found me at the top of the route. A fun little top rope problem to end the day.

Trying my hand at climbing the 5.11a Kangaroo Corner

After a long day of climbing we headed to the Howe Sound brewery for some delicious dinner and beer (mmm, King Heffy). After that we hit the hay, ready for another day of cragging. However, mother nature had other ideas and rained down most of Saturday night. We woke up to a break in the rain but very wet surroundings. After some breakfast at the White Spot, we ventured over to Smoke Bluffs to check out the rock – although I was figuring we wouldn't be climbing for the day. We walked up the path, amazed to see lots of slugs along the way. The rain had brought them out.

A slug bouldering alongside the trail

Matt returned with reports of wet rock and gave the students an option to find some climbing partners or head home. We decided to head home with a stop at MEC – Canada's version of REI. It didn't open until 11AM so we had a little time to waste. I had just been up to Vancouver with my Mom and we had been to the Lynn Canyon Suspension bridge so I suggested that as a fun activity to take up some of our time. Sara had lots of fun bouncing on the bridge, while her and Aaron hopped from step to step along the nice wooden path.

Matt, Sara, and Aaron on the Lynn Canyon Suspension Bridge

We stopped by MEC, and headed for home. After a good hour wait at the border, we stopped for some ice cream at DQ and made our way back to Seattle. After two attempts at climbing in Squamish this year I've gotten one day in (thanks to rain) – luckily that one day was worth 14 pitches and a lot of fun!

View Banana Peel and Boomstick Crack 7.30.11 in a larger map Map for this adventure

Climbing in the Squamish area

Our climb on Banana Peel and Boomstick Crack on the Apron of Big Chief