Gear Requirements for Squamish Trip

[rowie]

Hi Folks,

Only 4 weeks now till we leave the misty (!) shores of NE Scotland for Squamish and starting to get a bit giddy marking routes in the guidebook!

Just looking for any tips on things that we shouldn't leave home without. We've got a double set of nuts and a one full set of cams. Rope wise we usually climb with a set of double 50m ropes - will these be ok for Squamish or should be also bring a single 60m for abseils/single pitch etc? Maximum pitch length here is usually about 45m.

I think we can borrow a bouldering mat from a friend of a friend that lives in Vancouver.

Thanks in advance
Rowie :*)

[Brendan]

i'd only bring one light rack of nuts, and a 70m rope to compliment your cams.

[rowie]

Thanks Brendan,

Is that sufficient even for multi-pitch routes? We are used to using double ropes for climbing (unless the routes just goes straight up and is pretty short). Don't have a 70m - might have to check out MEC prices when we arrive.

Cheers again
Rowie

[Vince]

I think double 50's is a good idea. I think that will get you up most routes. A single 70 is nice for linking pitches, and most single pitch cragging, but if I were flying here I'd choose one or the other.

In many multi pitch routes, I usually bring 1.5 sets of cams, doubling up on the finger-hand, and 1 sets of nuts (plus my tricams of course!), especially if onsignting. The extra cams are espcially helpful if you have to construct a gear belay.

[rowie]

Yeah, gear belays are the norm here - we don't have much bolted stuff in Scotland really. We will probably take a single 60m rope (which we use for winter routes) and one of our skinny 50m ropes, that way we have the option of using double ropes on the multi pitch stuff and the 60m rope on the single pitches (as it's 10.5mm)

Cheers!

[Brendan]

if you have to construct a gear belay.

why would he have to construct a gear belay? like i said, buy a 70m (or at the least a 60m) and forget about gear belays. i've been climbing for over 11yrs in squamish and have only had to set up maybe 8 gear belays... and most of those were only due to climbing w/ a 60m rope.

Rowie, if you are coming to climb the classics, and stay out of the alpine, you won't have to build gear belays. 99.9% of climbs here have bolted belays or trees.

another thing, ditch your double ropes. they're good for your runout XXX routes in the UK, but not the norm here.
if you have access to an 80m rope, that would actually be the best. that way you can bail off lots of climbs safely. but like i said, climbing w/ anything less than a 70 is becoming a thing of the past.

i just ordered a Beal Joker 9.1 - 70m from MEC. that's the ultimate multi-pitch rope, imo.

if you need any further info on what i suggested, pm me and i'd be glad to help you further.

B

[J Mace]

Brendan doesnt bail or place gear so its hard for him to understand needing more than three cams or double ropes.

bring the fat and skinny and you are covered, id bring 1.5 set of cams so when 45 m of crack spanks your a$% you can put a piece in

[rowie]

Cheers all, I'll show your replies to my boyf. Chris (I am a she - proper name Rowena!) It's interesting to read the different techniques between countries! I don't know of anybody over who climbs with anything longer than a 60m and it's unusual to climb with just a single rope unless it's a straight line single pitch route!

Are the classic routes pretty much straight lines then rather than meandering up the mountain?

It'll always be different strokes for different folks I guess! Am really looking forward to the trip and hoping the weather is favourable. Have found some SC accommodation in Brackendale for a base.

Cheers guys for the pointers We will probably check out pop MEC before heading up.

Grades wise I doubt we'll be on anything harder than 5.10 (will depend if it's a slab route or not - love slabs!)

[tobyfk]

it's unusual to climb with just a single rope unless it's a straight line single pitch route!

I learnt to climb on Brit routes with double ropes up to a reasonable level (soft E5) but I have never used them at Squamish or on granite routes elsewhere in the world. A couple of reasons: 1. when crack climbing the 'extra' rope tends to get in the way of yout feet, especially if you alternate-clip the gear as in a Brit fashion rather than passing both strands through every piece in Euro-twin-rope style. 2. on genuine multi-pitch (10+ pitches, rare in the UK) untangling the inevitable double rope cluster-f*cks at every stance gets quite tedious.

will depend if it's a slab route or not - love slabs

Was that slabs with holds or without holds? If the former, stand by for a shock on the Squamish stuff.

[rowie]

Very useful info about the ropes guys and something we will have a chat about as obviously don't want to hump over more gear than is necessary, and agree about the clusterfu** when using 2 ropes on a multi-pitch

From checking out the guide at least the Squamish slabs have bolts on them (?!) (unlike the Etive Slabs in Scotland!)

http://images.google.co.uk/images?hl=en ... ages&gbv=2

[J Mace]

Bring two ropes, you need them to get off most climbs. Yes there are plenty of walk offs but thats assuming you make it

Have fun

[pinner]

Brendan - I'm curious about you not setting gear belays. Do you just point it to a tree and stretch the rope if there are no bolts? What about climbs such as Rock On? (haven't done it for a couple years, but seem to remember there being no other option) unless your balls are strapped on REAL tight and you're just body belaying off the ledges....

always looking for ways to move faster on the rock

[Brendan]

always looking for ways to move faster on the rock

you'll have to talk to Jason and Will for the answer on that one... they've got it dialed

as for gear belays..
i too haven't climbed Rock On for a while (1998 i believe?). and i DO remember setting up a gear belay (or two) somewhere midway up the climb. but w/ a 70m rope, you can probably link past the gear belays to the bolted anchors? pls correct me anybody if i'm wrong! it's been a long time since i've been up there.

and other than Rock On, where else is a GB mandatory? unless i'm confused and forgot, all the so called 'gear belays' which can be erected in the crack(lol) can be skipped w/ a 70. but no mandatory GB's come to mind. hmm... now you got me thinking.

as for moving fast...
get good a belaying (not gear belays) in a multi pitch circumstance by practicing it over and over. it takes a little while to get fast at it. figure out what works for you, and try to stick to it. Squamish seems to be good for having bolted anchors in most places, which can speed things up immensely.

[Dru]

Do slung trees count as gear belays, or not?

[Brendan]

Do slung trees count as gear belays, or not?

alpine?