cowpoke
climber
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Topic Author's Original Post - Jun 5, 2008 - 11:34am PT
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…and sent me to Squamish.
She insisted I go: “You ogle Supertopo every morning, but haven’t been on a climbing trip in a year. Email Jeremy, find out where he is climbing next week, and buy a plane ticket.”
With Jeremy home in Vancouver, I was soon flying over the land of the Kingsburys' lonely dental floss and headed to Squamish for the first time.
After driving to Squamish, we “basecamped” with Jer’s close friends, Kelly and Katy (thanks so much guys! you were wonderfully gracious hosts! can’t wait to hear the paddle-cirque TR)
Now a conspirator in the plan to help me climb away the residual stress from the last year, “What grade do you want to climb, and for how many pitches?” Jeremy asked. Not sure I’ve heard sweeter words than that.
For starters, the answer was the Ultimate Everything Linkup of the Apron and second summit of the Chief. We did the route as 18 pitches, linking 3 different slab climbs up the Apron and then up the UE. Most of the climbing was in the 5.8 to 5.9 range, with a couple harder moves on the last pitch – a perfect introduction to the Chief. The “official” linkup discussed in the guide combines things a bit differently, but climbing around crowds gave us a variant of similar difficulty and 5-star quality.
The rough location of the line we took:
Jeremy – on the 1st and then 2nd pitches – arguing that fingers are superfluous when paddling up slab:
Being a Saturday with beautiful weather, the Chief was busy. One of the many other parties on the Apron that day:
Some views from belays on the Apron.
Jeremy on the short walk to hook up with the 10-pitch Ultimate Everything proper.
Nearly every pitch on the UE ends at a large tree ledge, giving the route a discontinuous, but laid back feel.
View from one of the belays of the queue on Squamish Buttress:
same feature...zoomed out a bit:
And, Jeremy topping out.
After the first day, things got wetter.
Making time for early morning (I was still on Boston time) walks in the rainforest,
Each day, the cliffs dried up late enough to chase away the crowds, but early enough for lots more climbing. The classic finger crack Exasperator was one of the trip highlights for me.
It was a bit moist at the start, but all clear from there. Some folks combine these two pitches, but even with perfect beta (thanks, Jer!) I got my money’s worth breaking it up into two leads.
Frantically slotting a nut on pitch 2:
A rest...
and racing for the handjams above…notice the blur from my lightning-fast speed-climbing technique (inspired by numb fingers).
Jer at the base of another gem, Arrowroot.
And, climbing.
Jer also took me on a tour of Smoke Bluffs. A great collection of cliffs in Kelly’s and Katy’s neighborhood (literally), with dozens of outstanding 1-pitch routes.
A shot that gives you a sense of their neighborhood.
Here is a shot of part of Penny Lane cliff. On the left, is a Peter Croft – Tami Knight masterpiece and on the right is Penny Lane, a super-fun 5.9.
And, Jer on a sweet flake climb (forget the name, sorry!).
Not surprisingly, I came home with this smile still plastered on my face,
and she let me back in the house…for now. Thanks for the splendid time, Jer.
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Jaybro
Social climber
The West
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Yow! I could do with a good booting!
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scuffy b
climber
watching the flytrap
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Lovely.
Just freakin lovely.
Those are some nice looking climbs up there.
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Second-to-last shot is of Quarryman, a 5.8 in the Bluffs.
D
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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wow, those are some sweet looking climbs!
Getting me laughing over here with the Kingsbury comment...pretty nice view flying over the Big Sky though
Thanks for posting up!
Cheers
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cowpoke
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2008 - 11:47am PT
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Quarryman! That's it! Thanks, Ghost...and the 10+ slab on the left is sweet (and tricky) too. a suprisingly rich concentration of high-quality routes packed into those bluffs, with cute trails taking you everywhere with ease.
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Tami
Social climber
Vancouver, Canada
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SKOOKUM PIX!!! Cowpoke many many thanks. A story about the Arrowroot pic -
You are in the exact spot that I was once when I thought I was gonna die. It was January ( around 30 yrs ago ) & I was hangin' in slings from a number 7 stopper. We were there cleaning the route with wire brush and old ice axe. Peter was below on a hip belay, bored, when there was an almighty crrraaaaack and boom from above. I looked up to see Volkswagon sized ice hunks amidst the thousands of tons of ice hurtling my way. The frozen plastered weepage of the upper wall had warmed just enough entirely cut loose. I looked down at Peter to see him sprint behind a huge cedar ( at least he kept me on belay !!!) and then I flattened myself into a pancake and shoved my nose into the crack above the stopper and exhaled hoping for the best...
But most of the ice was absorbed above by the brush & tree ledges of Crap Crags. Just a few ice bombs made it to the ground. I recall well the taste afterwards I had in my mouth; it felt like I'd been suckin' pennies.
And your pic of Penny Lane- Anders did the FA of that . He posts here as Mighty Hiker. He also cleaned and put an anchor at the top of the "route to the left" , called "Crime of the Century". Peter and I poached the FFA from him ;-D
Cheers, Tami
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cowpoke
climber
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Topic Author's Reply - Jun 5, 2008 - 12:18pm PT
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yeehah!! I was hoping I might pull out a story from you with that pic, Tami -- thanks!!! You guys did an amazing job developing the area...it was a dream come true to walk in those woods for few days.
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mojede
Trad climber
Butte, America
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Looks like you had a great time. Squamish is a fun place to go for a get-away--glad to hear that you got away.
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TKingsbury
Trad climber
MT
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I forgot to say that this TR does not have 'too many pics'...
It's great! More pics the better, plus you had alot of ground you needed to show off. Right on!
Awesome story too Tami! Hair raising for sure!
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Cowpoke, very good stuff. My wife is kinda the same way, she knows when I'm jonesin' to climb and insists I go out.
Those routes look kick ass! I gotta get there sometime. Glad you had a good time.
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piquaclimber
Trad climber
Durango
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Very fun!
I need to get up there one of these years.
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Matt
Trad climber
primordial soup
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nice!
(watch out for that foot behind the rope stuff)
who wants to have some vegan bbq's up there in september?
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divad
Trad climber
wmass
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Some nice cracks there.
Thanks
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Watusi
Social climber
Newport, OR
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Very Cool!!!
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Mike.
climber
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That's cool!
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caughtinside
Social climber
Davis, CA
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Terrific TR! I love the ones where I can feel the stoke, and see it in the faces of the climbers!
thanks for posting!
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Great rip report and pics,
Thanks,
Glad you got kicked out onto the rock!
Zander
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