After about a 5 hour drive across the border and through the endless urbania of Vancouver, we finally arrived at the star destination of our trip – Squamish B.C.! :)
Quinn at the parking area for the Squamish Chief, his first view of the 2000’ wall of fine granite!
We got a pretty nice campsite at the local RV/campground that was spacious and had some nice views of the Howe Sound. Now, if we could only convince all the other campers they DON’T need a campfire if it’s 70 degrees we would be even happier ;-)
Our first climb at Squamish was a nice 5 pitch 5.9 called Snake on the Apron. Here is Quinn making the first moves off the ground.
One of the thin corner pitches on Snake. Cool and continuous climbing on small features.
Belay selfie at the top of Snake. The town of Squamish is in the background.
Quinn coming up the very classic crack climb “Exasperator”, maybe the best 5.10c thin crack climb at the Chief.
Another shot looking down Exasperator.
The crux second pitch of “Peasant’s Route”, a really nice 5 pitch 5.10c with lots of thin and technical corner climbing.
Looking up at the madhouse on the Split Pillar on the Grand Wall. We were very happy to have Peasant’s Route all to ourselves.
Belay selfie.
Quinn leading the 3rd pitch of Peasant’s Route – another cool thin corner crux.
Me leading the last pitch of Peasant’s Route. More cool thin corner climbing followed by an interesting arête section higher up.
The view of the very industrial Howe Sound in Squamish. A large logging operation keeps your climbing day filled with lots of industrial noise ;-) Really unlike any other major climbing area that I’ve been to – an interesting mix of wild and urban in the same corridor.
Rapping down Peasant’s Route into the forest below. The forest is so thick that it takes your eyes a few minutes to adjust to the relative darkness after being up on the cliff.
Another really fun thin crack route called Arrowroot, very nice 5.10b
Next door to Arrowroot is a 2 pitch route called Rutabega, this is the 5.10b first pitch. Good stuff :)
Squamish is land of the van! There are so many van rigs roaming around the cliffs and town, this one had a very creative paint job eh?
The Howe Sound Brewery is just a few minutes from the climbing areas and makes for a fine post climbing beer and grub destination.
A fine Hefeweisen at Howe Sound – yum! An excellent anti-inflammatory ;-)
Downtown Squamish view.
A panorama composite of the entire Squamish Chief massif – more than a mile wide and almost half a mile high – that’s a lot of granite!
The 800’ Shannon Falls, across from our campground – nice view eh?
Our campground entrance with the Squamish Chief in the background.
Fun road sign in B.C. Too bad the locals all drive like maniacs on the coastal highway, so much for saving gas, eh? ;-)
A fun rest day activity is to watch the kite boarders on the Howe Sound, very entertaining!
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