I climbed in Squamish fairly frequently for about 10 years in the 80s - a few of the classic routes like "Clean Crack", "Caboose" and "Crescent Crack" are no longer open (a dam shame). My favourite route - probably "Crescent Crack", "Sunblessed", "Diedre", or "Exasperator". Actually, there's not too many bad routes there.
I had 8 climbing days here in September (never mind the three rainy ones) and got a lot of killer routes done, including topping out via the Millennium Falcon (14 pitches, 5.11b). But the most memorable was the day I didn't have a partner and went to free solo Diedre (5.8). I climbed up four pitches or so and thought it was really stiff for the grade and then the corner system went blank and bolts appeared on the wall and I realized I must be off route. I downclimbed the line and looked at the guidebook. Turns out I was on Unfinished Symphony (5.11b), having climbed 5.9 and 5.10 and turning around at the 5.10d section. Yikes!
That's hillarious - the exact same thing happened to me on my first trip to Squamish (mid 80's). Sounds like we turned around in the exact same spot - we went on to climb Snake instead.
Stu Brandel - Jul 10, 2007 8:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2003
Extra Exciting
My boys (6 and 13) and I loved this hike (back side trail). There was enough variety of challenges (like ladders and scrambles - beside the exertion itself) to keep their minds off the elevation gain. At the top we witnessed the landing and takeoff of a rescue coptor for a fallen climber (not one of us). There is nothing like seeing a helicoptor dive down from you after it leaves the summit.
camerona91 - May 17, 2007 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2007
Trail
Beautiful summer day. Nice views. Easy trail. Hope to top out via Ultimate Everything in the near future.
osatrik - Sep 1, 2006 5:47 am Date Climbed: Apr 9, 1994
Backside trail
On the way back from Whistler skiing, stopped to check out the Chief.
rhyang - Aug 31, 2006 3:42 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2006
Banana Peel, Pigs on Parade, Dances with Pigs
Fun day climbing with Steve. Weather was looking funky, so we decided to play it easy and swapped leads on Banana Peel (5.7), then Steve led up the first pitch of Pigs on Parade (5.8), which we then finished with Dances with Pigs (10a).
A lot of friction climbing, some with glacial polish to make things spicy. Mostly though the friction of the granite was pretty nice :)
The previous day we drove up from WA and spent the afternoon getting familiar with Sqamish granite on Burgers & Fries, a nice little crag, albeit a bit crowded (even on a Monday). Led some 5.7's and followed 9's and 10a/b's. Flailed on a 10c.
Steve Larson - Aug 30, 2006 3:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2006
Awesome place!
No summit, but some fun routes on the apron. Banana Peel didn't earn it's 5.7 rating, but was a fun outing in marginal weather. Finished up with Pigs on Parade, which also didn't live up to its rating, but was fun all the same, and Dances with Pigs, which did live up to its 10a rating, though the crux was short and embarassingly well protected.
MichaelJ - Aug 22, 2006 6:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Squamish Buttress/Joes Dyke
The buttress route was mostly very easy, except for the 10c crux pitch, which was very hard. Nice climb.
Route Climbed: Back Side and Diedre Date Climbed: various 1998 on
Have climbed this Mountain by multiple different trails on the backside with my friend Jake. Even got lost once in the rain and almost got hypothermic.
Also took Jake on his first rock climb on the Chief. Took him up Deidre. It was a very humid and hot day on what is a pretty greasy climb. But a real nice corner system none the less
Route Climbed: Snake, 5.9 Date Climbed: 10 June 1997
This was a wonderful introduction to the Chief. A beautiful 5.9 crack and slab route (7 pitches). Too bad I couldn't stick around to do Girabaldi. Did reach the summit but not by way of 'Snake' (took the hikers trail the same day). Topped off the day by heading to the Howe Sound Brewery (tasty Baldwin-Cooper Ale!).
Route Climbed: Rock On with Squamish Buttress Date Climbed: 1995
Awesome memories of my first time up the entire Chief with my man Marty. Hands still sore from a season of treeplanting, young heads psyched for our uncoming trip to the Cirque- those were heady days.
Squamish Granite is the rock I compare all else to. Fantastic and comparable to the Bugs, the Cirque of Unclimbables, Wyomings Cirque of the Towers, Switzerlands Eldorado, or Argentinas Cerro Cathedral for you Granite fans! The catch its it's 1 hour from Vancouver and has roadside access for some climbs.
Rock on is a fanstastic route worthwhile in its own right at 5.10a? the continuation is the easiest finish to the summit with one pitch at a tricky to protect 10b.
Route Climbed: backside trail Date Climbed: september 17 1997
I climbed up on a beautiful fall morning through grasses slicked with dew. It was a great hike up taking us about one and three quarter hours.
The view from the top was fantastic and we explored every inch of the summit plateau. Eventually building up the courage to approach the lip of the face. My friends went in on their bellies where I found myself sitting perched with my legs dangling over the edge with 1800 feet of open air beneath me. A great hike and a great peak. Highly Recommended!
AJones - Mar 1, 2009 12:12 am
Routes climbed - 100'sI climbed in Squamish fairly frequently for about 10 years in the 80s - a few of the classic routes like "Clean Crack", "Caboose" and "Crescent Crack" are no longer open (a dam shame). My favourite route - probably "Crescent Crack", "Sunblessed", "Diedre", or "Exasperator". Actually, there's not too many bad routes there.
MichaelJ - Sep 17, 2008 4:11 pm Date Climbed: Sep 15, 2008
So many good routesI had 8 climbing days here in September (never mind the three rainy ones) and got a lot of killer routes done, including topping out via the Millennium Falcon (14 pitches, 5.11b). But the most memorable was the day I didn't have a partner and went to free solo Diedre (5.8). I climbed up four pitches or so and thought it was really stiff for the grade and then the corner system went blank and bolts appeared on the wall and I realized I must be off route. I downclimbed the line and looked at the guidebook. Turns out I was on Unfinished Symphony (5.11b), having climbed 5.9 and 5.10 and turning around at the 5.10d section. Yikes!
AJones - Mar 21, 2009 11:50 pm
Re: So many good routesThat's hillarious - the exact same thing happened to me on my first trip to Squamish (mid 80's). Sounds like we turned around in the exact same spot - we went on to climb Snake instead.
emilie - Jul 2, 2008 10:37 am
Diedre, Banana Peel & hike up backsidei'll be back!
Stu Brandel - Jul 10, 2007 8:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 7, 2003
Extra ExcitingMy boys (6 and 13) and I loved this hike (back side trail). There was enough variety of challenges (like ladders and scrambles - beside the exertion itself) to keep their minds off the elevation gain. At the top we witnessed the landing and takeoff of a rescue coptor for a fallen climber (not one of us). There is nothing like seeing a helicoptor dive down from you after it leaves the summit.
camerona91 - May 17, 2007 3:41 pm Date Climbed: Jul 9, 2007
TrailBeautiful summer day. Nice views. Easy trail. Hope to top out via Ultimate Everything in the near future.
osatrik - Sep 1, 2006 5:47 am Date Climbed: Apr 9, 1994
Backside trailOn the way back from Whistler skiing, stopped to check out the Chief.
rhyang - Aug 31, 2006 3:42 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2006
Banana Peel, Pigs on Parade, Dances with PigsFun day climbing with Steve. Weather was looking funky, so we decided to play it easy and swapped leads on Banana Peel (5.7), then Steve led up the first pitch of Pigs on Parade (5.8), which we then finished with Dances with Pigs (10a).
A lot of friction climbing, some with glacial polish to make things spicy. Mostly though the friction of the granite was pretty nice :)
The previous day we drove up from WA and spent the afternoon getting familiar with Sqamish granite on Burgers & Fries, a nice little crag, albeit a bit crowded (even on a Monday). Led some 5.7's and followed 9's and 10a/b's. Flailed on a 10c.
Steve Larson - Aug 30, 2006 3:23 am Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2006
Awesome place!No summit, but some fun routes on the apron. Banana Peel didn't earn it's 5.7 rating, but was a fun outing in marginal weather. Finished up with Pigs on Parade, which also didn't live up to its rating, but was fun all the same, and Dances with Pigs, which did live up to its 10a rating, though the crux was short and embarassingly well protected.
MichaelJ - Aug 22, 2006 6:57 pm Date Climbed: Jul 3, 2006
Squamish Buttress/Joes DykeThe buttress route was mostly very easy, except for the 10c crux pitch, which was very hard. Nice climb.
sprosseda - Jan 27, 2006 11:57 am
Route Climbed: standard trail Date Climbed: August 2004Easy, enjoyable hike. Great views of sound and mountains from top even though I had a very rainy day.
Rileywyna - Dec 21, 2005 6:43 am
Route Climbed: Back Side and Diedre Date Climbed: various 1998 onHave climbed this Mountain by multiple different trails on the backside with my friend Jake. Even got lost once in the rain and almost got hypothermic.
Also took Jake on his first rock climb on the Chief. Took him up Deidre. It was a very humid and hot day on what is a pretty greasy climb. But a real nice corner system none the less
Dan Bailey - Feb 10, 2004 12:04 pm
Route Climbed: snake, diedre, exasperator, st.vitus' dance, pig dogs Date Climbed: summer 2002Some of the best roadside climbing ever?
Dave Daly - Dec 9, 2003 1:05 pm
Route Climbed: Snake, 5.9 Date Climbed: 10 June 1997This was a wonderful introduction to the Chief. A beautiful 5.9 crack and slab route (7 pitches). Too bad I couldn't stick around to do Girabaldi. Did reach the summit but not by way of 'Snake' (took the hikers trail the same day). Topped off the day by heading to the Howe Sound Brewery (tasty Baldwin-Cooper Ale!).
Bill562 - Oct 4, 2003 9:29 pm
Route Climbed: Trail Date Climbed: 8/17/2001Appreciated the well marked route and fixed chains near the top. Nice views.
stayte - Aug 12, 2003 8:55 pm
Route Climbed: Backside Date Climbed: July 1996This is one of my favourite hikes in the Vancouver area ...the trail offers breath-taking scenery as well as a bit of a workout.
Vinny - May 22, 2003 6:19 pm
Route Climbed: Rock On with Squamish Buttress Date Climbed: 1995Awesome memories of my first time up the entire Chief with my man Marty. Hands still sore from a season of treeplanting, young heads psyched for our uncoming trip to the Cirque- those were heady days.
Squamish Granite is the rock I compare all else to. Fantastic and comparable to the Bugs, the Cirque of Unclimbables, Wyomings Cirque of the Towers, Switzerlands Eldorado, or Argentinas Cerro Cathedral for you Granite fans! The catch its it's 1 hour from Vancouver and has roadside access for some climbs.
Rock on is a fanstastic route worthwhile in its own right at 5.10a? the continuation is the easiest finish to the summit with one pitch at a tricky to protect 10b.
In conclusion, two words: BREW PUB.
tlogan - Feb 3, 2003 2:52 pm
Route Climbed: backside trail Date Climbed: september 17 1997I climbed up on a beautiful fall morning through grasses slicked with dew. It was a great hike up taking us about one and three quarter hours.
The view from the top was fantastic and we explored every inch of the summit plateau. Eventually building up the courage to approach the lip of the face. My friends went in on their bellies where I found myself sitting perched with my legs dangling over the edge with 1800 feet of open air beneath me. A great hike and a great peak. Highly Recommended!