Top Shelf topos

[tobyfk]

From squamishclimbingsource.com ... who is the author?
http://squamishclimbingsource.com/the-top-shelf/

[hevyduty]

The site is Colin moorheads i believe.

[AaronRN]

the best part ....

"The grades are fairly consistent with similar style routes at other granite climbing areas like Yosemite or Index. If you expect these routes to feel like The Smoke Bluffs or The Forgotten Wall prepare to get schooled."

Funny.
I usually find route sandbagging grades by the developer akin to the Emperors New Cloths.

You : Pie eyed, pumped out of your mind, sweating buckets, breathing like a freight train!!
Developer: Smile on his face "So what did you think of that new 5.8 of mine?"
You: 5.8?!?! oh, ugh....PIECE OF CAKE, great route, felt like I was hiking!

So like the Emperors New Cloths, you don't talk about it. Not if you're the one admiring it and certainly not if you're the one showing it off.

Perhaps it's a protest?

[Peter]

The grades are fair up there. Just be prepared to get worked, that's all.....

[jonny2vests]

other than as a VERY general guideline grades are pretty irrelevant IMO ... :

Especially YDS grades. Might as well use a random number generator

[jonny2vests]

The grades are fair up there. Just be prepared to get worked, that's all.....

Went there Sunday, all I can say is WOW. It was comically mobbed, lots of the local mafia and a smattering of sponsored superheroes seeing what all the fuss is about.

I'd agree with your sentiment, I thought the grading was fine, I think some routes would be graded harder in Index, (where they wouldn't be out of place; high quality, strong vertical-ish lines). A couple of routes felt almost soft (eg Kitten Fists). So great to have some more of the steeper stuff, massive respect to those that did the hard work.

[hans]

I was one of the mob on Sunday. Lots of fun. Thumbs up.

There is an offwidth at the right side of the lefthand sector (near the short fixed line). Does anyone know if it has been climbed? It looks appealing, sort of. As much as an offwidth can be appealing.

Kind of like that girl back in high school that ...., never mind, I probably should't go there.

[jred]

Dirty Harry cleaned/anchored the off-width, he has yet to send it but will soon. There is a nice, awkward chimney/off-width 30metres above the rope pull at the end of the lefthand sector if you are bustin' to get scabby.

[hans]

Ok, i'll wait to give it a try.

[squamish climber]

Interested to hear what the early reviews of this place are since it's gone public. What are the climbs like? How is the approach? How are the crowds? Any photos?

Post up if you've climbed there.

[jonny2vests]

Well, as I mentioned, the routes I did felt similar in character to index; strong lines based on crack systems, vertical on average, high quality. The quality seems to kick in around 10d and generally you get up to two long pitches. The crag seems to be well equipped, lower offs are in place. Its predominantly a trad venue, but I saw some excellent looking sport lines too.

So the reasonably fit, but not necessarily super strong climber will have a superb time, the routes I did were all endurance based and the others I saw looked to be of the same ilk.

The approach, despite 300m of elevation gain, seems to go quick and the stated 30 mins is accurate. The approach trail is excellent. Its not really a picnic crag though, you often don't get nice flat ground at the base and some loose rock here and there (I think) makes a helmet a sensible choice for both climber and belayer.

Going back Saturday hopefully.

[squamish climber]

Thanks for that great summary. What are the crowds like? How much more new route potential is up there?
Hopefully, if people go up there they'll take a camera and post some photos here.

[tobyfk]

How is the approach?

Substantial. Too far to go just to take a look, anyone heading up there would want to be confident that they can climb something.

[evenstevens]

It is a great addition to Squamish, and is definitely the crag du jour, think how busy Cuercus cliff was last year. I would second that the quality kicks in at 10d, I can't really remember the ones I did that were easier than that. I have tried/done lots of the routes there, and most are pretty fun, the bulk of the quality climbing is in the 11 to 12- range. It is a bit rough around the edges. I have pulled blocks, broken holds, and there are a few heads up routes there, but that was last year so maybe its better now. The steep and flared nature of lots of the jams means that taping isn't a bad idea. Enjoy!