Block on Sword gone?

[jerblumel]

Hey Squamish, haven't been up on Grand in a long while until yesterday. I noticed as we climbed the Sword that the second face crack block is gone, leaving behind a large square trough. There are impact marks all the way down past the Flake and Mercy Me, and the final block on the sword is now left without anything underneath. The moves into the dihedral at the end of the Sword require that you pull on the block and it is...unsettling. Anyone know when this happened?

[Tenn]

I think it happened last summer in the middle of a busy long weekend. I had a friend at the base of peasants route who said it was basically terrifying to see.

I've climbed the route once since then and found it spooky. The pitch is kind of dangerous now in my opinion and I'm surprised there hasn't been more talk about it.

[NateDoggOG]

I've climbed the Grand twice since the block fell out, once last year, and once last week. Didn't really pay attention to the block above it, but I always felt that the face crack jugs were a little suspect. By the time you get to that point though, the corner has opened back up and there are bomber locks and gear. Not sure if that's what you refer to by spookiness. I don't think it affects the pitch overall however.

[jerblumel]

The spookiness is the fact that the third block sits unsupported and vibrating in it's shallow puzzle-like cradle and to climb into the corner you have to pull and step on that same block. It's not a question of gear, there's gear up the corner that can be placed hanging onto the first block. The spookiness is that if that block comes out it's very nearly over The Flake, Apron Strings, Peasant's and Exasperator; four very populated routes.

[squamish climber]

Is there an update on this -- is the spookiness still there?