Is Squamish Soft?

[jonny2vests]

Well, as I say, it started spitting when I was mid runout, thankfully it didn't really get going, but I think it would be pretty easy to fall of it if it had.

[Lurch]

Hey Johnny did it make it way more exciting?? that's the point. Welcome To Squamish man! Have you done Snake yet?

[jonny2vests]

Hey Johnny did it make it way more exciting??

Yeah, I think there is such a thing as too exciting. Not done Snake.

[Lurch]

Snake was the first time I understood what the word "Spicy" means in climbing. Better have your headgame correct for that one.

Edit to add photo

Kyle on Snake 5.9

Luke Cormier Photo

[natsdad]

Hey J2V:

Yes, I agree that Snake is classic, old-school Squamish slab w/ "keep your head together" runouts. (Thanks for another excellent photo, Lurch.) So is Sparrow - another spicy 5.9 from 1970, bolted (sparsely, as they say in Squamish) by hand, on lead. I just climbed it again a month ago and was feeling the distance between bolts/pro.

Enjoy!

Steve

[jonny2vests]

Snake was the first time I understood what the word "Spicy" means in climbing.

That photo makes it look ok I think. Its got holds and gear below him with the promise of some above. Its not like I found Banana Peel 'hard' psychologically or physically, its just a bit ironic that I have now lived in two of the greatest places in the world for slab climbing, and I don't care for it I guess I prefer hard work to ballet dancing.

[Brendan]

I guess I prefer hard work to ballet dancing.

Not if being a ballerino(sp?) means getting this:

[jipstyle]

Snake was the first time I understood what the word "Spicy" means in climbing.

That photo makes it look ok I think. Its got holds and gear below him with the promise of some above. Its not like I found Banana Peel 'hard' psychologically or physically, its just a bit ironic that I have now lived in two of the greatest places in the world for slab climbing, and I don't care for it I guess I prefer hard work to ballet dancing.

I agree about the slab climbing .. but that photo is not from the spicy section. At least, not as I remember it.

Of course, fear changes our perceptions. I'm pretty sure that the run out was close to 200m long and it was near vertical. On glass. In the rain. Chased by a bear.

[Cloudraker]

Anyone here ever climbed Allegria? At 11b it seemed soft to me seeing that I'm pretty much a 5.8 climber

I think despite whether or not the grades are soft, Squamish rock has decent friction, has an abundance of finger to hand cracks, not a lot of polish and not much in the way of wide or flaring cracks. So being solid 5.9 in Squamish doesn't necessarily translate well to a lot of other areas. You can get your a$% handed to you on a route like After Six in Yosemite. And something like the NEB of Middle Cathedral can be a downright horror show*.

*observations based on personal experience

[Lurch]

but that photo is not from the spicy section. At least, not as I remember it.

You are right Jipstyle. The spicy bit for me is short little dyke getting to the second belay... Everything else is just a little runout, but there is always pro where you need it. Even the spicy bit has pro at your feet but I wouldn't want to fall there!

[Lurch]

As far as the slab thing goes you would be best to embrace it rather than avoid it, because you run into it on alot of climbs around here at some point!

[jipstyle]

but that photo is not from the spicy section. At least, not as I remember it.

You are right Jipstyle. The spicy bit for me is short little dyke getting to the second belay... Everything else is just a little runout, but there is always pro where you need it. Even the spicy bit has pro at your feet but I wouldn't want to fall there!

That's the section where you trend up and left on an unprotected (easy) slab and need to get up a small bulge to reach the belay?

I remember it rather well. I think it was my introduction to Squamish leading on gear. It was .. interesting.

[jonny2vests]

That's the section where you trend up and left on an unprotected (easy) slab and need to get up a small bulge to reach the belay?

I remember it rather well. I think it was my introduction to Squamish leading on gear. It was .. interesting.

Does it feel spookier than Merci Me?

[jipstyle]

That's the section where you trend up and left on an unprotected (easy) slab and need to get up a small bulge to reach the belay?

I remember it rather well. I think it was my introduction to Squamish leading on gear. It was .. interesting.

Does it feel spookier than Merci Me?

No .. not nearly as bad as that, I don't think. You're moving along a dyke, so you have positive edges .. for me, that makes all the difference because I'm not comfortable on slab. From what you've said, I imagine that you'll have a similar experience.

[hafilax]

I know someone who got off-route on the dyke traverse of Snake, fell and broke his heels on the slab below.