Polaris Pitch Four
Polaris Pitch Four
I climbed this last week and had some observations I thought I'd share.
First of all, this is an amazing route and one of my favourites in Squamish to date! Thanks to all involved in putting it up and with the recent cleaning efforts. The cruxes are fun and well protected. Exposure and views on the second last pitch are incredible.
Anyways, the infamously wide pitch four has two scary sections in my opinion.
1. The tree root at the start is super loose and feels like it is going to come out anytime now. My partner rope-soloed the climb last year and mentioned that it was solid then and has deteriorated considerably since. Perhaps I have poor technique, but it felt like it was unavoidable to not pull/stand on. I don't think removing it completely will change the difficulty... but as it stands right now it is just in the way. It is before you clip the first bolt so a fall would result below (or on?) your belayer and likely onto a small ledge with potential for destroyed ankles quite high.
2. There is a slung chock stone higher up that moves with little effort. It looked like not much was holding it in place and it is inevitable that it'll come out. It is super tempting to pull on and stand on. Similarly to the tree, you kind of have to and you can't really not use it... it is just in the way. The scary thing about it is that it is right in the middle of two bolts that are very spaced out (~ 10-12 metres perhaps?) and it offers the only protection between those two bolts. Seems like someone is going to yank it out eventually and go for a massive whipper.
Has anyone else been up there recently? Similar thoughts or did you think it was fine? Seems like a fall from both of spots would not end very well and there are easy solutions.
First of all, this is an amazing route and one of my favourites in Squamish to date! Thanks to all involved in putting it up and with the recent cleaning efforts. The cruxes are fun and well protected. Exposure and views on the second last pitch are incredible.
Anyways, the infamously wide pitch four has two scary sections in my opinion.
1. The tree root at the start is super loose and feels like it is going to come out anytime now. My partner rope-soloed the climb last year and mentioned that it was solid then and has deteriorated considerably since. Perhaps I have poor technique, but it felt like it was unavoidable to not pull/stand on. I don't think removing it completely will change the difficulty... but as it stands right now it is just in the way. It is before you clip the first bolt so a fall would result below (or on?) your belayer and likely onto a small ledge with potential for destroyed ankles quite high.
2. There is a slung chock stone higher up that moves with little effort. It looked like not much was holding it in place and it is inevitable that it'll come out. It is super tempting to pull on and stand on. Similarly to the tree, you kind of have to and you can't really not use it... it is just in the way. The scary thing about it is that it is right in the middle of two bolts that are very spaced out (~ 10-12 metres perhaps?) and it offers the only protection between those two bolts. Seems like someone is going to yank it out eventually and go for a massive whipper.
Has anyone else been up there recently? Similar thoughts or did you think it was fine? Seems like a fall from both of spots would not end very well and there are easy solutions.
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
I did the climb in October last year, and was also very much sketched out by the big chockstone. It's right above the belayer as well.
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
Visitor here.I did the pitch yesterday. The tree was a pain for the onsight. Super wobbley and hard to evaluate. It was scary to climb around with the prospect of falling of the belay and that ledge. I tried to remove it on rappel and it seems to be very persistent in it's grasp. At this time one could yard quite hard on it, using it as a handhold. The best option would be removal, though I think it will require a thin hand saw or better yet a battery powered Sawz All. Probably even better would be a long metal rod to reach in a excavate the remaining dirt around the roots and remove it completely. Ugh!
The upper chockstone scared me at first as it rocks a little. I ended up climbing on it as there didn't seem to be better options. I kinda think it's not going anywhere, but just rocks a little. Would be nice if it wasn't there.
Does any one lay this pitch back on lead? I pretty much chimney/squeezed/ and OW'ed the whole thing. Cool pitch.
Trevor
The upper chockstone scared me at first as it rocks a little. I ended up climbing on it as there didn't seem to be better options. I kinda think it's not going anywhere, but just rocks a little. Would be nice if it wasn't there.
Does any one lay this pitch back on lead? I pretty much chimney/squeezed/ and OW'ed the whole thing. Cool pitch.
Trevor
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
The stump has indeed gotten much looser over the past year. We tried removing it when taking down last season's fixed lines this spring. It still has one very tenacious root that I have to go and tackle with the right equipment. That's the reason I left the fixed lines up to that point. (Hope they're still there)
My plan is to drill one more bolt at about the height of the stump. The stump itself used to provide decent pro, and big jugs to mantle up onto. After it's gone, the first bolt will be too high for the character of the route. I'll try to get back up there soon and deal with it. My apologies to everyone who has had to grovel past it. I've been very busy with work and it slipped my mind.
As for the chockstone, despite how wobbly it seems, it's not coming out. I tried for over an hour to get it out, but short of busting it into smaller pieces, or lifting it up and back several feet, then out, it's secure. You'll be relieved to know that it's given many other people a sphincter tightening too!
I always layback it while sticking my right leg in up to the knee. This makes a nice leg-bar if it's high enough, and can even let you drop both hands to shake out.
Kris
My plan is to drill one more bolt at about the height of the stump. The stump itself used to provide decent pro, and big jugs to mantle up onto. After it's gone, the first bolt will be too high for the character of the route. I'll try to get back up there soon and deal with it. My apologies to everyone who has had to grovel past it. I've been very busy with work and it slipped my mind.
As for the chockstone, despite how wobbly it seems, it's not coming out. I tried for over an hour to get it out, but short of busting it into smaller pieces, or lifting it up and back several feet, then out, it's secure. You'll be relieved to know that it's given many other people a sphincter tightening too!
I always layback it while sticking my right leg in up to the knee. This makes a nice leg-bar if it's high enough, and can even let you drop both hands to shake out.
Kris
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alexshainman
- Posts: 1
- Joined: Mon Jul 22, 2013 8:50 pm
Polaris
Climbed Polaris yesterday and deciding to offer some safety advisories for future ascents...
First off, this is a good line, great FA vision, challenging climbing and I imagine a monumental undertaking to prep, equip and clean. Kudos!
The exfoliated rock quality in a few places has some potential dangerousness. I will break it down and add a couple more heads-ups...
P1-3 are relatively safe. On pitches 1-3, a fixed line is clipped into anchor and protection bolts and only slightly in your way. On the flip side, if rappelling, I'd recommend coiling the ropes at top of P3 anchor and rapping fixed line to top of P1 anchor, then use your ropes to rap P1. P2 has a powerful crux move to devious climbing...almost as hard as P9!
[edit (10:20pm), apparently I wasn't aware of a previous post concerning the tree/chockstone issues and a solution is already in the works]P4 Classic OW: The tree stump at the start is totally bogus now. It is rotten, broken and super flexible and hard/sketchy to pass. If you blow the first few moves and/or the tree breaks, you're falling onto the anchor. If an additional bolt is not added, I think a #3 Big Bro or #6 Camalot will fit (size-wise it's thigh-jam width, for a guy). Near the top of P4 is a large slung chockstone which appears very loose and easily rotates when touched. Maybe it can't fall out but we didn't test it too much.
Except for one loose anchor bolt nut (or two, I forget) P5-8 are relatively safe without anything extraordinary to report. Pitches 6-8 have great climbing.
P9 is kinda heads-up I thought. It's the crux pitch and has totally awesome moves for sure BUT the first flake you have to yard on above the 1st bolt is quite hollow/expanding as is the rail passing the 2nd bolt. The first 3 of the 4 bolts on this pitch need to be inspected. The nut of the 3rd bolt (in the roof) is finger-loose. Sorry but I am already totally spacing out if it's the 1st or 2nd bolt, but one of them is potentially bad due to how it is wobbling in the hole, the nut is also finger-loose.
P10 is fine.
The 2nd rappel (over the crux roof), is a long one and in space and you'll need to pull into trees to get to a ledge with a yellow fixed rope-pull to get to the next rap station (not one of the belays).
In all, it's a good route with great climbing but there's some perma-choss and some bolts needing some TLC. Don't let my whining deter you! Get on up there and climb this rig!
First off, this is a good line, great FA vision, challenging climbing and I imagine a monumental undertaking to prep, equip and clean. Kudos!
The exfoliated rock quality in a few places has some potential dangerousness. I will break it down and add a couple more heads-ups...
P1-3 are relatively safe. On pitches 1-3, a fixed line is clipped into anchor and protection bolts and only slightly in your way. On the flip side, if rappelling, I'd recommend coiling the ropes at top of P3 anchor and rapping fixed line to top of P1 anchor, then use your ropes to rap P1. P2 has a powerful crux move to devious climbing...almost as hard as P9!
[edit (10:20pm), apparently I wasn't aware of a previous post concerning the tree/chockstone issues and a solution is already in the works]P4 Classic OW: The tree stump at the start is totally bogus now. It is rotten, broken and super flexible and hard/sketchy to pass. If you blow the first few moves and/or the tree breaks, you're falling onto the anchor. If an additional bolt is not added, I think a #3 Big Bro or #6 Camalot will fit (size-wise it's thigh-jam width, for a guy). Near the top of P4 is a large slung chockstone which appears very loose and easily rotates when touched. Maybe it can't fall out but we didn't test it too much.
Except for one loose anchor bolt nut (or two, I forget) P5-8 are relatively safe without anything extraordinary to report. Pitches 6-8 have great climbing.
P9 is kinda heads-up I thought. It's the crux pitch and has totally awesome moves for sure BUT the first flake you have to yard on above the 1st bolt is quite hollow/expanding as is the rail passing the 2nd bolt. The first 3 of the 4 bolts on this pitch need to be inspected. The nut of the 3rd bolt (in the roof) is finger-loose. Sorry but I am already totally spacing out if it's the 1st or 2nd bolt, but one of them is potentially bad due to how it is wobbling in the hole, the nut is also finger-loose.
P10 is fine.
The 2nd rappel (over the crux roof), is a long one and in space and you'll need to pull into trees to get to a ledge with a yellow fixed rope-pull to get to the next rap station (not one of the belays).
In all, it's a good route with great climbing but there's some perma-choss and some bolts needing some TLC. Don't let my whining deter you! Get on up there and climb this rig!
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
Thanks for the additional feedback.
I'm headed up this morning to take out the stump on P4and add a bolt. The next time I get up there with a partner, I will reinspect the chockstone to ensure it doesn't seem any more perilous than it has been in the past. I'm pretty sure its fine, but use your good judgement.
As for the bolts up high that continue to be spinners... Unfortunately, anytime you have bolts at cruxes, especially ones that are at serious direction changes of the rope, the nuts will almost always work themselves loose from the hangers being repeatedly torqued in different directions. The bolts are all 3" long and properly drilled. The reason an un-cranked bolt looks wobbly in a hole is that the hole is slightly oversized to the shaft of the bolt. It is meant to be a press fit to the expansion sleeve at the back end of the bolt.
If you're reading this and planning on being up there soon, I'd appreciate you taking a wrench along to cinch them down again. Even better would be some replacement nylock nuts, or locktite for the threads. (I'd buy you a beer for that!)
Ok, I'm off for some stump wrangling! I'll update when I'm back.
Kris
I'm headed up this morning to take out the stump on P4and add a bolt. The next time I get up there with a partner, I will reinspect the chockstone to ensure it doesn't seem any more perilous than it has been in the past. I'm pretty sure its fine, but use your good judgement.
As for the bolts up high that continue to be spinners... Unfortunately, anytime you have bolts at cruxes, especially ones that are at serious direction changes of the rope, the nuts will almost always work themselves loose from the hangers being repeatedly torqued in different directions. The bolts are all 3" long and properly drilled. The reason an un-cranked bolt looks wobbly in a hole is that the hole is slightly oversized to the shaft of the bolt. It is meant to be a press fit to the expansion sleeve at the back end of the bolt.
If you're reading this and planning on being up there soon, I'd appreciate you taking a wrench along to cinch them down again. Even better would be some replacement nylock nuts, or locktite for the threads. (I'd buy you a beer for that!)
Ok, I'm off for some stump wrangling! I'll update when I'm back.
Kris
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
The stump is out, and there's a fresh bolt just above that spot. Now the first bolt is about four or five feet above the station, and the next one is five feet past that. The fixed ropes that were still strung up the first three pitches have been removed too.
I'm psyched to see so much chalk on the route! Lots of folks seem to be getting up there. It's bone dry, so go check it out if you haven't already. It's probably the softest and least committing 12a multi-pitch in Squamish when compared with the likes of Northern Lights or University Wall. If you can get up low 11 on gear, you can do this route with a few rests.
Kris
I'm psyched to see so much chalk on the route! Lots of folks seem to be getting up there. It's bone dry, so go check it out if you haven't already. It's probably the softest and least committing 12a multi-pitch in Squamish when compared with the likes of Northern Lights or University Wall. If you can get up low 11 on gear, you can do this route with a few rests.
Kris
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
That pitch you pulled the stump out of today looks immense!
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samradcliffe
- I'm New Here
- Posts: 5
- Joined: Thu Jul 25, 2013 7:35 pm
Re: Polaris Pitch Four
Hi,
I climbed Polaris on the 23rd and stupidly left a long sleeved blue top tied to one of the anchors. It would be awesome if someone could remove it as i feel bad that i accidentally left it there and if someone already has it i would very much appreciate getting it back. I live in squamish and my number is 604-848-4635 or you can email me. Also I agree this is one of the best quality routes i have climbed to date and really fun!
Thanks allot
Sam
I climbed Polaris on the 23rd and stupidly left a long sleeved blue top tied to one of the anchors. It would be awesome if someone could remove it as i feel bad that i accidentally left it there and if someone already has it i would very much appreciate getting it back. I live in squamish and my number is 604-848-4635 or you can email me. Also I agree this is one of the best quality routes i have climbed to date and really fun!
Thanks allot
Sam
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