Recommended approach to Star Chek

[woeisme]

Marc Bourdon's new Squamish Select is très cool and stokes my climbing ambitions. However, I was troubled by the recommended approach to the popular Star Chek. The suggestion was to hike down to the top of the route and then rappel to the base. Although this may seem the most "efficient" way it's not, in my opinion, the safest, especially for climbers below. As anyone who has climbed this scenic classic knows the area at the top of the climb is full of loose gravel that can cascade down the cliff. Also, its difficult to know if others are already on the climb until you have thrown your rope and committed to the rappel. Although the book warns to be careful all it takes is one rock to ding a noggin to make for a very bad day. And as we all know not all climbers wear helmets and not all have mastered their rappel etiquette.

I think the hike to the base of Star Chek via the information sign parking area is preferable. As well as being an interesting, scenic hike, it gives a good view of the route traffic on Galaxy Buttress and allows your climbing party to wait in safety while other climbers scramble up Star Chek.

[Dru]

If the water's high crossing that loose scree pile to the base without an ice axe is a quick way to die.

I've done both ways a bunch and the rap in is faster and much safer.

[BlahMatt]

I made a post a while back on how to find and approach star chek

https://productforums.google.com/forum/ ... jHreVV2dYJ

You can download the attachment and open in google earth for a view of it (even though it is pretty straightforward). I said to bring 2 ropes for some reason.. I'm not sure why I said that .

Anyway, I agree with Dru. Rap in using the bolts to climber's left of the route. You won't be on top of climbers.

Cheers,

-Matt Hoffmann

[psi4ce]

I dunno, I've done the hike approach twice, and for me, it barely registered a 2 out of 10 on the Sketchy Scale (and believe me, my Sketchometer is a very sensitive instrument).

However, the plentiful loose rock on the top of the route definitely registers a 3 out of 10 on the Sketchy Scale...

Take good care in any case!

[mcfly]

I too was a bit surprised at the approach description in the new book. I have always hiked to the base with no concerns. The person that showed me the route long ago told me that rapping that route to get to the start was bad form and I believe that they were correct.

[Dru]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvbedPCvYn4
High water

[c-plus]

nothing wrong with rapping in as long as you do use the standard "check for climbers below before tossing the rope" technique......

[Anders Ourom]

Whichever way you approach, it is non-trivial. Not a comfortable 5.8/5.9. At least one experienced climber has been seriously hurt on the scramble down.

And a helmet is a darn good idea on the approach and route, however you get to it.

[Axilla]

Helmet, definitely a good idea.

Just climbed it the first time today after work. What a neat place.

Somewhere in the middle (5.7 pitch?) the first and second bolts are probably about 20 ft apart. Just before reaching the second bolt, I heard something hum passed my head. I turned to see a sharp baseball sized rock bounce a couple of times off of the arete into the river. It must have come within 3 ft of my head. That would have hurt....

There was a party of 4 in front of us, belaying off of the upper bolts. The placement of these bolts really confuses me. They are 20 ft from the top of the last pitch over all loose rock. We were showered with pebbles while they finished. We used the first tree as a belay. Were we missing something? Are those really the Star Chek bolts?

The hike in is beautiful, and there is an obvious path that leads you to both a rap station and a fixed static line leading to the base of the climb. My partner tried to take a short cut and cross the scree down low. I managed to convince him that it was a bad idea after he spent a minute or two trying to find something worth standing on. Thankfully he hiked up 20m and came down using the line. Even the water levels now, you'd be worked over pretty good if you fell in there.

My opinion is that hiking in is the right thing to do. I don't know if there is always so much loose rock at the top of the route, but today you could not possibly walk to the edge to use the standard "check for climbers below before tossing the rope" without knocking off loose rocks in the process.

Maybe a few of us should get together on a rainy day and push whatever loose rocks off we can into the river. There are still lots above, but it would probably make the area a lot safer if it was done once a year.

[PhillT]

I think it should be noted that if you rap on the anchors climbers left of star chek, there are no permanent rap rings. The first station is just bolts. you place your own biners and rap off of them and then snag them when you get back to the top. The second station is a bit of cord through two bolts and a rap ring. Its fine, but it wont last too long as dozens of parties a day rap on it. If someone has a bit of chain I'm sure it would be appreciated by everyone on route. you can get down with a single 60 in two raps, but watch your ends on the second rap, if you dont veer left you have some easy 5th class downclimbing to get to the fixed line. Use the fixed line to get to the start of the climb! the gully is incredibly loose and way steeper than it looks at first! I also recommend NOT using the top bolts set way back at the very top as an anchor for the final pitch. as you pull up rope for your second, you will inevitably send good sized rock down on them and everyone below. Sling the tree on the more or less direct line with the bolts and keep everyone's head safe!