canada route??

[elenska]

some time ago (a year or two?) I was reading about this new route on the grand wall, should be pretty easy, 5.9 or so and I think it was called Canada. Apparently it was being cleaned but have not heard about it since and cannot find any more info about it. Any updates?
thanks!

[Cloudraker]

Europa?

5.7ish and is cleaned and climbable I'm told.

[Cloudraker]

btw, Europa is not actually on the grand wall proper but does finish near Bellygood ledge.

[pinner]

If you're expecting an Apron-like climb on a wall other than the Apron when you get on Europa, be prepared - chimneying, offwidthing, awkwardness, looseness, and some good crack thrown in for good measure. Tougher than 5.7 for sure, 5.8 or 5.9 more like it, with an alpiney feel due to variety of techniques required. Not a beginner's route.

Pretty fun though

[elenska]

I see, it is easier to find info on Europe as opposed to Canada

[Optimally-Primed]

Here's a photo-topo with sandbagged grades. This is the topo posted on the VOC website (the cleaners of the route).

More info can be found at this link

[hafilax]

You can skip the bolt ladder with an exposed wide step to a knob to the left from the bolted belay with a little help from the tree. You can then climb straight up to rejoin the route at the crack above the bolt ladder. Might be 5.9 and the gear is a little sparse but adequate. It's been a while since I climbed it but I remember finding it awkward.

Has anyone freed the variation straight up from the belay? My partner tried but it was a little too runout from the bolt for his liking and because of the prospects of gear in the crack above.

[peas]

I agree with most of pinner's comments except for the "pretty fun" one. I probably won't go back and climb it for a while.

My partner took the bolt ladder but didn't clip any bolts so that I could try the line straight up from the anchor. I don't have a lot of mileage at this grade, but it was likely 10+. Maybe a bit harder. I thought it would be home free once I hit the crack, but it was tricky there too until it met up with the bolt ladder.

[Squamishmonkey]

It has gone free above the belay at 10d as part of the route Gauntlet. I know at least a half dozen others who have freed/onsighted it. The crack above takes protection and the bolt is high enough that a fall from the crux would still be safe.
Look up the other route on www.quickdrawpublications.com a free topo exists.
Thanks
Eric

[hafilax]

Cool thanks. My partner is on the short side and found the bolt too high to clip from the most obvious stance.

[woeisme]

Climbed Europa July 11 and it certainly does not exhibit the typical solid Squamish granite we might be accustomed to. The wide chimney pitches 4 and 5 are somewhat chossy but easy climbing. Depending on your climbing style pitch 2 or pitch 3 may be the crux.

However, it was the wild 9 bolt aid ladder on the 6th pitch that slapped me in the face. I looked up the headwall at the widely spaced bolts, then glanced down Tantalus Wall, then to my partner hoping for advice. I recalled my reading of the aid climbing section in "The Freedom of the Hills" and improvised some etriers with my long slings. After a bit I found a sequence that got me to the top of the bolt ladder and into the upper crack. Whew! (By the way there is a bolted belay off to the right half way up the crack that allows a solid station on which to observe/belay your second up the ladder.)

I particularly enjoyed the final chimney pitch. Hint: do not enter the first deep chimney (at the top of the crack) but rather climb the buttress that forms the left chimney wall. I did enter and progress through the second chimney (and it's a bit of a squeeze).

All in all, a nice "mountaineering" line from the base of the Chief to Bellygood ledge. [/img]

[swebster]

You should have seen the ladder before we put the bolts closer together

[slopr]

Doing the buttress/ultimate/angels crest and pulling on gear @ the crux(es) would make a better 5.8 A0 if you are into 5.8 A0's, the foothold broke on the direct "free" line so may be a touch harder now (we thought 10c/d). Most climbers will not return to this route again after climbing it. I hate to be negative since it is still more fun than going to work, but this climb is so hyped up and talked about and the sad reality is that it combines many of the lowest quality pitches on the entire Chief together to make an "almost free" moderate line.

[j dogg]

yep gonna have to agree there. I suppose if you want to climb an awkward, loose, chimney/choss 'mountaineering style' route then you might be stoked on the result, but would you come to the best best chunk of granite in Canada to do that?

Climbed Europa today. This climb is definitely NOT for 5.8 climbers despite the grade. I lead low 11's trad and low 12's sport and was sketched out quite a few times on the route. that, and I kept thinking i was getting closer to wherever the 'good pitches' might start. but they never did.

kudos for all the effort that went into it, and hopefully as it cleans up more it will allow for climbing with more confidence in the rock. But it's no classic, more of a climb to say you've tried it kind of route.

[sherri]

Most of what I've read here is right on with how I'd describe this route.

I climbed it a couple weeks ago and it was not at all what I expected from a Squamish route, but that is precisely what I liked about it. We were all pleasantly suprised at how it was almost the polar opposite of the Apron routes we'd been padding up: it was dirty, uncrowded, and unpredictable. The moderate rating did little to prepare us for the challenge and adventure it was about to serve up. A classic? No. But I found it more memorable and interesting than Diedre, which only makes my calves hurt.

We toproped the bolted face/crack to the left of the belay at the bolt ladder pitch, just to check it out as a future option. It went at 5.10+ at least. The root or whatever is filling up the crack made it feel quite insecure(I REALLY wanted a good jam by that point). I'd like to explore the variation Halifax mentions by heading straight up from the tree to rejoin the bolt ladder.

As for the 5.8 grade, I agree with the mention upthread about this one not being good for those new at the grade. Would be easy to get yourself(or someone below) hurt by pulling on the wrong thing or placing bad pro.