Some Grand Days Out - Graffiti Removal at Squamish

[Anders Ourom]

(With apologies to Wallace & Gromit - see http://www.wallaceandgromit.com/films/granddayout/)

This website doesn't see many reports with photos, as can be seen elsewhere. I thought I'd try one, though it's not really about climbing. Not directly, anyway.

Graffiti are an occasional problem at many climbing areas. They tend to breed like rabbits, and are a PITA.

Once upon a time, when p'terodactyls were still nesting on the Chief, we rented a sandblaster to clean up graffiti at the Little Smoke Bluffs. It worked very well, for places that were road accessible - essentially, the base of Neat & Cool cliff and the top of Burgers & Fries.

[Anders Ourom]

It looks like it worked - a real picture. Despite appearances, that isn't a Martian. The photo was from 1989, but I can't remember the fellow's name.

Sadly, the smallest/lightest sand blasting apparatus comes to perhaps 100 kg, which isn't very practical for most locations at Squamish.

Other climbers have told me that there's a product called Remove-All that's the cat's pyjamas for graffiti removal, but I couldn't find any in Vancouver. So last week I bought some spray stuff called Goof-Off, and set out. Recently some bright red large graffiti appeared at the top of the Penny Lane cliff. I thought I'd have a shot at removing some of it, and see what could be learned.

I decided that the real problem was lubrication - that is, providing enough water to keep the work surface wet, rinse it, and so on. The spray stuff evaporates quickly, and of course is full of chemicals. I figured if the surface was wet and cool first, the spray would be best. So I lugged up a bottle of the spray, a wire brush, 12 litres of water, and other odds and ends.

Here's the workplace, right at the top of the route for people who like piccolo trumpets and aren't too keen on convenience bolting.


It, and another just west, were apparently painted by some fellows this spring, to commemorate a friend who'd died. I admire their thought and energy, but it really wasn't the right place for it.

Working away, and Chief Poobah Brian Moorhead came along to provide moral support and take a picture.


And here's the close-up result afterward:


We think that with a summer's weathering it should fade quite nicely.

Here's a shot from a distance:

I believe that Brian did some work on the left-hand graffiti during the last week - the one to the right is at least much less obtrusive than it was.

[Anders Ourom]

The system worked pretty good, so yesterday (May 23rd) I set off up the Chief backside trail, to work on some graffiti at the base of White Cliff, which is right beside the trail leading to the gully between the second and third summits. Probably the only graffiti that have ever been on the Chief proper. They've been there for a few years, and I suspect because of that were harder to remove. It was a bit of a slog with the water and stuff, plus many curious hikers.

There were two graffiti - here's the one on the left, with tools of graffiti destruction below.


The left-hand one wasn't quite so obtrusive:


Anyway, same routine. Wet. Spray Goof-Off. Scrub like hell. Rinse. Repeat. At one point I thrashed down to the creek to get more water.

Here's what they look like now:



They'll probably be a bit less obvious once the water dried. The one on the right was hardly visible, the one on the left faint, but still needs work.

Many passing hikers and climbers were curious as to what I was up to. Some thought I was adding graffiti, not subtracting. All could smell it some way away. Probably I should have invented a story about being out on parole, doing community service....

All in all, an interesting and worthwhile experiment. Proving that no good deed goes unpunished, I twisted my ankle on the way down, and it's now nicely swollen and colourful.

[pinner]

Three cheers! Effort and photos much appreciated

[c-plus]

Great job Anders. Many thanks for your community service!

[supafly]

man that sucks how such a little thoughtless destruction can be such an eyesore and so difficult to remove.

thanks for taking the initiative to attempt a cleanup, it's not perfect but it's certainly better than it was.. maybe encouraging growth of moss might help the process along?

[smallman]

Maybe for the graffitti at the top of Penny Lane, the access society should be ask Kiewit to provide equipment, manpower (preferably their scaling crew - the likely culprits) to remady a memorial to their employee (Sam). It could be a good public relations move on their behalf. Maybe a memorial plaque would be a more fitting tribute.

[wayne]

Thanks for your time and effort in regard to removing these Anders. Very sorry to hear about your sprained ankle on the way down. Hope that it heals up quickly!

[Fre]

Great job!!! Thanks for the efforts! You should get a sign/plaque for that.

[Anders Ourom]

I'll pass on the plaque, thanks - as I'm still breathing, I may not be qualified yet. (I am not worthy...) Although the graffiti removal chemicals (xylene etc) probably aren't the safest thing to be around.

I'm not very enthusiastic about plaques and such anyway, certainly not at the Chief, although the Baldwin plaque is in a category of its own. BC Parks policy prohibits new plaques and memorials, even at the so-called "Memorial Ledge". Several times I've suggested that they have a program whereby those wanting to commemorate friends and relatives could do so by contributing to projects and facilities at the park, e.g. at the campground, trails, etc. Perhaps with a small plaque attached, as was done with the 'Feldhammer' kiosk at the start of the Grand Wall trail. It seems like a constructive approach - we can't just keep adding plaques.

We chose not to place plaques in memory of Leif Patterson (1976), Eric Weinstein (1984) or Daryl Hatten (2004), all important figures in climbing at Squamish. It would not in any case have felt right to do so at the Baldwin plaque, even if his family and friends were agreeable to the idea.

It's certainly good to recognize climbers for their contributions to our community, even better to do so while they're alive.

I checked a week or two ago, and the graffiti at the top of Penny Lane hasn't faded or weathered much, after a month of sunshine. Still, it's much less visible from a distance than it was. The larger graffiti to its left (above Short People? or Foot in Mouth?) will take more work. There's a product called Removall that's supposed to work well - a kind of gel that you daub on. You wait, then wash it off with a pressure washer. It sounds promising - maybe applying it, then scrubbing/washing it off, would do the job.

Another option might be burning the graffiti off, using one of those paint-removing torches, then scrubbing the remnants, with or w/o water or chemicals. Might be worth giving it a try somewhere obscure, although fire issues would be a concern.

[Anders Ourom]

Last Saturday was the Adopt-a-Crag for the Squamish Mountain Festival, put on by the Access Society and the Squamish Access Society. About 20 people worked on trails in Cheakamus Canyon, including Armando Menocal - one of the founders of the Access Fund, in Squamish for the "Access PanAmericas" meetings. I couldn't get away until later, and so I put my 'loaner' litter stick to good use, and did some cleanup on the west side of the south summit of the Chief. Mostly in the area below the summit slabs, especially under the ledge that hikers sometimes scramble down to from the top - the ledge at the top of the Z crack at top of Squamish Buttress.

The photo shows the haul, after stuff was rinsed off. About 60 containers, mostly pop, water and beer bottles and cans. Plus another two bags of 'real' garbage.

[smallman]

Thanks ANders for the garbage clean-up. I was at the trail day at Rogues Gallery and a lot of work was completed. For future reference for those who did not participate there was a lot of sweet stuff given out for helping. I figure I got about 100$ of stuff. Thanks to the sponsors for that.

[Anders Ourom]

Sorry I couldn't make it to the trail day - they're always fun, and don't involve a great deal of time or necessarily effort. (They can...) If we each do just a little to volunteer for community projects, it goes a long way. Part of showing that we really do cherish some special places, and want to look after them. Just doing what we're supposed to be doing.

I did get into some interesting discussions with hikers, though. Some were quite interested in what I was doing, and why - I simply said it was part of what climber-volunters do to look after the Chief.

[Anders Ourom]

Last Thursday I worked on the graffiti on the Apron, at the bottom of the slab descent where you turn left into the forest.

Before:


After:


I think it helped a bit, and at least sends a silent message to the graffiti-vandals that their 'art' may be removed. This one was particularly annoying in that it was very likely made by climbers, who know better.

[Axel]

Nice job Anders. However, I wouldn't assume climbers know better. Just because they're climbers doesn't mean they're smart.