What have you climbed lately?

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Lurch
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What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Thu Apr 12, 2012 7:11 pm

In an effort to start a thread that everyone can contribute to, I thought I would post a TR I recently put together for Hanging Gardens.

Anyone can contribute, just tell us what you climbed and maybe give a conditions report? Photos are not necessary, but allways appreciated.

Hanging Gardens

It all started with a post by Kris Wild on my taco thread “Squamish photos and stories” about his new scrub, Hanging Gardens.
Back to Hanging Gardens. I finished it today and installed the anchors. All the fixed lines are down and it's ready for your enjoyment. Remember if you're looking at the McLane guide, the route is reversed with it's neighbor Overhanging Gardens.

The first pitch is completely new. It just looked a lot better and more direct than the original start which diagonaled in from 30m to the right. It's very easy to find. As you walk across the base of the Papoose, It's the first clean line you get to on the left. The detritus of route excavation will be quite visible on the ground. The route is comprised of predominantly 5.8 to 5.9 crack climbing, interspersed with short, technical face climbing cruxes.
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p1. Follow diagonal finger cracks left across the wall until you can step to a higher ledge system, then exit right on thin face moves past a bolt. Belay on the right end of the large ledge below the corner. 30m, 5.10b
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p2. Up the left facing corner, stepping left past a bolt into another shallow corner. Belay at the base of a V groove that angles to the right. 28m, 5.10c
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p3. Up the groove, then back left in an awkward corner protected by a single bolt at the beginning. Above this the angle and difficulty ease considerably. Trend generally straight up past enjoyable face climbing to the top. 30m, 5.10b

To decend, either walk into the forest on the left and down the trail, or do three raps with a single 60m rope. There are slings/cords on the anchors right now. They'll be replaced with chains next week sometime.

Enjoy!

Kris
So Luke decided he wanted the SFA. He posted the next morning looking for a partner and then called me and Kyle. He said it was nice but the weather was moving in fast, so we had better get down there. I called Kyle and he said he had some chores to take care of first, but he would try and be quick about it. I met him in the village and we headed to Squamish to pick up Luke.

On our way it started to spit and the skies looked as if they were going to open. When we got to Luke’s house it was raining. He said he still wanted to go do Hanging Gardens. I said “Its raining dude it’s gonna be wet.” He says “This isn’t rain! It’s just spittin! Let’s go check it out.”

So we did. When we parked near the Papoose, it was raining even harder. Kyle had his doubts, and so did I but Luke was ever enthusiastic. He said “let’s just go take the gear for a walk and have a look!”

We cruised up the new trail, which is pretty nice compared to the old one. After about 10 minutes we encountered the large dirt pile Kris talks about. The route indeed was somewhat wet, but didn’t look totally unmanageable and the upper pitches looked quite dry.

Luke: With consistence and persistence I managed to lure mike and kyle down to climb with me. I suggested we hit the recently cleaned hanging gardens as to nab the 2nd free ascent. SEVERAL hours later they arrived to pick me up, it was raining quite a bit so I ran back in the house to grab my etriers and hooks. We arrived and the base off the papoose and it seemed as though Kyle thought we were just 'takin' the gear for a walk' and didn't want his cams to get dirty. I told him they don't stay new for ever and racked up.

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Luke wanted the first pitch so he racked up and I belayed while Kyle took photos. He found the lower traverse fairly easy in his Camp 4’s but once he got to the bolt he called for his rock shoes on the tag line. He tried the move a bit then called for the etrier. “There goes the Second Free Ascent” I said.

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The move to get to the anchor was a bit moist so Luke ended up crossing a wet, mossy ledge to get there.

Luke: I started up the easy, but wet cracks to a short bolt protected 5.10 slab section. After a couple failed attempts at free climbing though the moistness, I hauled up an etrier and top-stepped past the crux then meandered my way up the anchors.

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I tried the move at the bolt several different ways but it was too moist and I couldn’t get any friction so I used the etrier.

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When I got to the belay Luke asked me if I was going to lead the next pitch. “Let me look at it.” As soon as I looked up I started grabbing gear and Luke asked if I’d brought the Grigri. I said yes, and he proposed that I climb the next pitch while he auto-belayed Kyle. I agreed and started up the pitch.

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It was excellent jamming for my largish mitts and I felt pretty secure on it. When I got to the bolt I tried the move a bunch but Luke kept yelling at me to aid it, so I grabbed the draw and bypassed the crux. (Going back for sure!) The last bit was pretty mellow and I arrived at the belay quickly.

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Luke: Mike danced up the easy corner until another bolt-protected wet slab crux…this one was a traverse move over to another crack system. He contemplated the moves while I encouraged him to aid past it instead of wasting valuable rubber slipping and sliding on the wet slab.

I was able to belay both guys at the same time on my guide, so I brought Luke up a bit first and then started belaying Kyle’s rope.

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Luke followed cleanly in his approach shoes, but also frenched the bolt.

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Kyle styled most of the pitch but was confounded at the bolt like the rest of us.

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I managed to do a half decent job of stacking the rope but we still had to flake it again for the next pitch. When Kyle arrived I asked him if he was going to lead the next pitch and he gave me the same reply I gave Luke before. Once he looked at it, he was excited.

Luke: By the time we all got to the second belay both Mike and Kyle were considerably more stoked and optimistic about being on the rock despite the mild drizzle. We got the two ropes nicely flaked and started up the finicky groove into the awkward-looking bolt protected, slanted corner.

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Once he got a decent piece in the groove he headed for the bolt; which was perfectly placed for him to clip.

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He had a bit of trouble at the bolt, and took a hang.

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Sweet undercling moves after the crux.

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I followed cleanly, found it awkward at the bolt as well, but fun. I clipped Luke’s rope on the way up.

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Luke: Kyle managed his way through without too much trouble and proceeded to finish the pitch. Mike followed the awkwardness without much difficulty. I, on the other hand, got sideways in there for some reason with my back to the rock and my feet pushing ungracefully on the arête, the slanting corner tried its best to spit me out, but I fought gravity with my grovel skills and before ya know it I was at the top.

We had to do an extra pitch because Kyle stopped at a tree rather than going straight up to the bolts, so after Luke led and Kyle followed, I tied in short to my rope and joined the boys.

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We celebrated safety style at the top and then rapped twice with two ropes.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by NateDoggOG » Thu Apr 12, 2012 8:13 pm

Good story, good pictures. I'll do it with you guys when you go for it again.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by squamish climber » Thu Apr 12, 2012 9:23 pm

Mike,

Excellent story thanks for posting up! It's great to read what others are climbing, I hope this will inspire people to post some of their recent climbs.

On a completely different level, I took my kids climbing at Smoke Bluffs. We set up a top rope at the south end of Neat & Cool by the new kids climbing zone. This was one of their first times outdoors and they seemed to have a great time, except when my daughter got her figure eight tie knot jammed in a crack. She was a real trooper and got herself unstuck and continued to the top of the corner. The kid's zone is the innovative idea of the Smoke Bluff Park Advisory Committee, and spearheaded by Jeremy Frimmer. He advised me, there is still some work to do on the mini-crags and debris removal. He's not going to be able to finish before he leaves. So, this would be a great project for someone to take on or perhaps even a crag day?

Here's some pictures:
Just before getting stuck. A little distortion on the angle in this shot.
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Throwing herself over the top
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My daughter insisted "Taryn" had to go bouldering
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Dave Jones - site admin
When you reach the top, keep climbing -- Zen proverb

Lurch
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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Thu Apr 12, 2012 10:44 pm

Nice Dave. Get em trained early then you'll have ropeguns for life :)

Ya, Nath we'll get er done!

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Fri Apr 13, 2012 10:21 pm

Went to the Bluffs today with my girl but somehow forgot the rope. DOH! Made the best of it and went for a walk up to Funarama and brought my shoes to solo something easy.

The Nursery
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Something to do in the rain. 5.4

Lots of good moderates here.. You take your kids up there yet dave?

Also read your article on Cerro Torre in gripped today. Nice.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Sat Apr 14, 2012 8:22 am

Doh! Going again today I think.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Sat Apr 14, 2012 10:34 pm

Went to the bluffs with a buddy. Beautiful day. Did Easter Island, Couple routes at Krack Rock including the 10b on the far right which was fun but awkward and Laughing Crack. All were dry except Krack Rock is still quite moist in the middle.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Mon Apr 16, 2012 11:25 pm

Here's a picture from Crag x with Py the other day
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Turkey Dinner 5.7

Went to Murrin yesterday, turned out to be a pretty nice day. Tweaked my middle finger on Yosemite Pillar Left Side last week with Luke and Relic so I was taking it easy. When got out of car I saw something I've never seen before.

Someone on Sixty-Nine 13b/c
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Leviticus Wall

I've never witnessed anyone climb such a hard traditional route and with such style. He was so pumped at the top he had to rest a couple times to shake it out and finish it clean. It was an amazing thing to watch and if you are that person, congrats!

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Tue Apr 17, 2012 12:31 pm

Does anyone else climb around here?? or is talking about it illegal?? :)

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Fri Apr 20, 2012 12:39 pm

Nice Eric. Haven't been out much lately thanks to my finger.

Nice pics. A$$%$#^@ of August, Basement Abortion, Calclus Crack and the new multi at chek right? can't remember the name tho. Going to Skaha later this week with Sandra. Should be fun..

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Sun Apr 22, 2012 9:39 am

lol ... you know yr a climbing hoar when u can ID skaha climbs too ...
Yup.. I'm a pow hoar too. This pic is confusing me though.. Looks alot like Great White.. Must be the bolts.. hmmm... Logan's Run?
going up this morning for apron runs with screaming newbs ... you might hear us :mrgreen:
Little wet for the apron today no? :) go check out nightmare.

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Tue Apr 24, 2012 10:53 am

Ya pretty much! I was super wrong that day. It was raining at my house in Whistler but not a drop in Squamish! We ended up simuling Rambles to Bananna Peel to Boomstick. It was really fun.

This is from Saturday.

Kyle on Washington Bullets 10c
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Py on Up For Grabs 5.8
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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by Lurch » Wed May 02, 2012 7:38 pm

Been out a couple times recently. Went to Skaha last weekend and had some fun,

Py on Black Widow 5.8
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Dave starts up Black Widow
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Clipping the second piece
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Running out the top
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Heather on Basic Black 10a
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Py starts up Double Exposure 5.9
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Switching cracks
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Finishing up the corner
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then yesterday went to chek,

Relic on Charlottes Web 5.9
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Then decided to leave and goto the base of the Grand Wall

Fishboy wanted to do Exasperator
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He placed a nut at the anchors and kept going
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So much fun to do it in one!
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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by squamish climber » Wed May 02, 2012 9:04 pm

Mike,

Excellent photography there, you're getting good behind the lens. I would think it takes some effort to get the shots from the side and from the top. What kind of camera and lens do you use? Skaha looks nice. Just got an email from CABC about an owl attacking a climber there:
Use caution when climbing at the Belfry in the Grand Canyon. Currently, there is a Great Horned Owl nesting in the chimney, behind a small bush, right beside the route Priapism. Please do not climb this route, Little Blue Pill may be too close as well. If the owl leaves the nest and sits in a tree there is a good chance that she may physically strike a climber close to the nest. A climber was "attacked" on Tuesday. We are waiting for further direction from BC Parks on this matter.
Yikes, best to stay away from there.

In spirit of this thread, I photographed this climber from the SB parking lot a few weeks ago. I didn't climb it. Climber and climb unknown.
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Keep posting and keep climbing.
Dave Jones - site admin
When you reach the top, keep climbing -- Zen proverb

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Re: What have you climbed lately?

Post by gnarnaphobe » Thu May 03, 2012 6:57 am

Nice shot Dave, I do believe that's Kyle korrol.

What have I climbed recently , well me and my girl had a go at the Washington Column! I made a slide show and everything...

Imaging how much funner this could be with booze and explosives

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