Lost or Long Forgotten climbs

[squamish climber]

Stewart Hughes wrote about some new routes at a new crag that he put up in an earlier post near Gonzales Creek just south of Shannon Falls. Coincidentally, I happened to be leafing through the old Jim Campbell guide (1985) and came across some climbs that intrigued me at the time and I had thought were forgotten, some have even been lost.

One of the climbs that I thought had retreated into obscurity was Snakes and Ladders (5.11a) and Too Much Effort (5.10b) at Gonzales Rock. These are just below the climbs Stewart had put up. Anyway I would be interested in knowing if these climbs have seen recent ascents.

Here is the topo for Gonzales Rock:


Here is another climb that seems to have slipped into obscurity. This is Petgill Wall. Who has climbed here?


Here is a climb that is probably lost for good. Hot Cherry Bendover 5.11b a four star climb in the Smoke Bluffs. The climb was on private property and at some point closed. Here is the topo from Campbell's guide HCB is E. Who remembers this climb?

[J Mace]

Hot Cherry was my favourite climb forever, until that A$%^#@ planted a huge tree at its base then put up the fence, goof. THere were others climbs right that were good too

Petgill wall has seen climbers in the last few years, a friend of mine went in there a few years ago. I cant remember the story but Dru will.

[BlahMatt]

I climbed Petgill earlier this year. Definitely growing in a bit but, still fun.

[squamish climber]

Mace do you have any pictures of HCB when it was open?

And Matt, I'd really like to see what the Petgill Wall looks like. Can you post any pictures?

thanks
Dave

[BlahMatt]

I don't think we brought a camera that day.

A quick search online found only this picture:

[BlahMatt]

I knew that looked familiar. That is Pet Wall .

Flight of the Challenger.

Sorry, couldn't even find pics online!

[Anders Ourom]

Petgill Wall and Petrifying Wall are two quite different things.

[Dru]

Snakes and Ladders got rescrubbed and the bolts upgraded 5 or 6 years ago. Not sure I remember who did the renovation, maybe Kai or Colin Moorhead?

Too Much Effort is fully overgrown and almost completely back to natural state ie. munge jungle.

There's a nice new crag just off the highway at Gonzales, not sure of the details but you can see it from the road.

The original climb of Petgill Wall came in from the top. I tried twice to get to it from the base, neither time successfully although I did make it both times as far as the unclimbed crag below Petgill Wall . Lots and lots of rock up there but not the easiest place to get to to do new outes and about an hour of hiking above the highway. I mean the Valley of Shaddai is way more accessible than that and so are the North Walls.

Matt did you come in from the top or from below?

[BlahMatt]

Dru, I came in from the top. Left some gear to rap off of and picked it up on the way back up.

Definitely lots of cool looking rock up there but, out of the way.

[squamish climber]

Thanks Matt and Dru for the replies.

So Dru, this new crag you're referencing at Gonzales Creek is it the same crag Stewart Hughes is developing mentioned up thread?

And speaking of the Valley of Shaddai -- are the climbs there at risk of getting mossed over? There's some great climbs across the grades but I get a feeling not many people go up there. People are lazy I guess, plus the lack of a profile in the newer guides may keep this area relatively unknown.

Matt, what is the 5.8 chimmney and the tunnel like on Petgill Wall? Anything similar to Sunshine Chimmney at the Bulletheads? How well flagged was the trail?

[BlahMatt]

The chimney to tunnel part is not difficult. Maybe a bit harder than the chimney on Angel's Crest (last pitch). I've never done Sunshine Chimney.

The trail is flagged well but, narrow at parts. As long as you find the start of it, it's easy to follow.

[scrubber]

The reno of Snakes and Ladders was done by Chris Joseph and various partners. They added an alternate pitch too.

I think that picture from the Petrifying Wall looks to be the route "The Wrong Stuff", not the Challenger.

Obscure routes? How about Green Thumb, Caramba Crags, Zodiac Wall or Northwest Passage?

Kris

[Dru]

The new crag I mention is not the new crag Stewart mentions which it sounds like is up the hill near The Talisman.

Speaking of which, the Talisman is probably the most obscure cliff in Squamish.

[swskier]

One of the climbs that I thought had retreated into obscurity was Snakes and Ladders (5.11a) and Too Much Effort (5.10b) at Gonzales Rock. These are just below the climbs Stewart had put up. Anyway I would be interested in knowing if these climbs have seen recent ascents.

Here is the topo for Gonzales Rock:

Does anyone know of any climbs to the left of Snakes and Ladders? The wall seems to go on a ways with lots of things to do...? (Aside from Too Much Effort)

The second two pitches of Snakes and ladders are starting to get mossed over and Too Much Effort is all but completely filled in. It was cool to poke around though.

[KellyP]

Conventional Lighting Hot Cherry is definitely one of my favorites! But I dont think I would ever go there again.finger lakes realty partnerswedding photographer in atlanta