Star Chek

[XXXX]

Here's what CASBC had to say:

B. THE GORGE - CHEAKAMUS CANYON

This area, which includes Galaxy Buttress and StarChek, as well as the Leaning Tower of Pizza and Gotham City, was affected by highway construction work in 2003 - 04. (See Whistler Rockclimbs, pages 61 - 67.) That led to involved negotiations. Restoration work by the Ministry of Transportation is nearly complete, including a new trail to the base, and much scaling. Climbs are open, including StarChek.

Parking: The only legal parking for this area is the large signed pullout on the southbound side, north of the Gorge. It is illegal for northbound traffic to turn directly into this parking area; if driving from Squamish, proceed further north several hundred metres, where you can safely turn around at the new salt shed.

Trail/Access: There is a good new trail down from the parking area to the start of StarChek. StarChek can now only be approached via this trail, due to unstable rock, parking limitations, and the potential for conflicts between rappellers and climbers. The new exit from StarChek is via a cleaned out groove, to the right, and once back on the highway it's not a long walk back to the parking area.

Miscellaneous: New signs will be placed to provide information and directions for users of this area. Please heed them! Some re-bolting is in progress, including anchors on Star Chek and other routes.

Source: Squamish Access Society

We hiked down the new trail on Saturday. It is well made but ends 50m from the base of Star Chek. From the trail end to the climb is still the same loose dirt and talus traverse with raging river below.

One other party on the route rapped in from the top, but there is still quite a bit of loose rock near the first chains which you can dislodge while pulling your rope.

The first hanger is missing on the first pitch off the talus. You could place a small nut nearby but since this is known as a sport climb I don't think anyone ever brings gear.

The last hanger on the route is really loose and spinning. I hand tightened it but it neds someone with a wrench to give it a good crank.

[ras]

Has anyone been here recently?

I tried to find this place last Sunday, with no luck. I forgot my guidebook, unfortunately, but I found two pullouts. One has a big sign with logos from various businesses in the area. I followed one distinct trail down from it to the creek that comes from under the highway, and then the trail kindof petered out, or does it follow the mostly dry creek down the rock?

Didn't seem the right place.

There is a second pull-out a few minutes south (by vehicle). No trails seemed to come from there at all, and it didn't look like there was any obvious trail over the slide area below.

I'll probably try again after work this week, and I'd appreciate any suggestions on markers, cairns, which pullout to use, etc.

[Dru]

You can approach along the river from the pullout with the sign, or rap in from the next pullout south (but you have to walk north along the highway for about 150m until you find the cairns and trail)

[ras]

You can approach along the river from the pullout with the sign, or rap in from the next pullout south (but you have to walk north along the highway for about 150m until you find the cairns and trail)

Are there two pullouts with signs? I saw three pullouts on the downgrade after Chek.

It sounds like you're talking about the one about 10 feet above the river, across the road from Rogues Gallery, its the furthest North and just where the road flattens out and parallels a few feet from the river before passing Rogue's. Its paved, but I don't recall there being a sign there, but it would be easy to follow the river, because its right there!

There is a second pullout further south up the hill (it has a big sign/billboard), but its not clear how I'd get down to the river from there. Thats the one that had a bit of a trail, but looked more like a creek bed heading down into the canyon, and to the south a bit.

And there is a third pullout a bit further south, again. Its quite large, but no signs!

[crazymonkey]

I've always parked at the pullout with the signs, I think there's also a garbage can and a picnic table there. Tried to approach via the trail from that pullout once, but it went from "clear defined trail" to "WTF bushwhack." We opted to rap in. If you set yourself up on the bolts and carefully (so not to fling gravel over the edge) make your way to the edge, you can see just about all the way down to check if there's anyone already climbing the route before you toss your ropes and bean somone in the head. The climb itself is nice, but it's the location that makes it spectacular

[josullivan]

We hiked in from the big pull out with the signs/picnic table a couple of weeks ago. We picked our way over the creek and then followed an obvious trail with cairns. If it petered out I'm guessing you made a wrong turn? It did take us a minute to see where was best to walk across the scree, you stay higher rather than lower, but again, obvious, after we found it.

[Dru]

Not the one across from Rogues. The one up the hill.

You have to go down into the canyon. There are a couple of other, worthwhile climbs in that canyon btw.

[Brendan]

There are a couple of other, worthwhile climbs in that canyon btw.

oh? like what?

[ras]

There are a couple of other, worthwhile climbs in that canyon btw.

I think you see my plan. Star Chek is the carrot with which I entice a belayer. Once we're already up there...

[Dru]

There are a couple of other, worthwhile climbs in that canyon btw.

oh? like what?

I might be biased but "Nine Inch Rage Against Jane's Tool" is similar in nature and grade to World's Toughest Milkman and worth three stars. The 10d just right is pretty good too. Some of the Tom Clark stuff on the other side of the canyon was really good when it was clean.

"Apollo 13", right out of the river to the last belay of Star Chek, is amazing.

The problem with enticing a belayer with "other stuff" is that once you've done Star Chek you end up back on the road. So do the other suff first and finish off with Star Chek.