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Squamish TR : Part III

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A.M.

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Jan 15, 2003, 1:10:56 PM1/15/03
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Squamish TR : Fear of A Black Granite
Part III

The next day saw some spectacular climbing on the Upper Malamute, a cliff
which overlooks Howe's Sound, and is separated from the Chief by Highway 99.
The approach was none too difficult, but unfortunately the Lower Malamute, a
section of climbs which is adjacent to aa BC railway track, was closed to
climbing. So after some wandering around on the top of the gigantic
sea-facing crag, we rapped down to some popular guidebook climbs.

Wolfang started the day by leading a very enjoyable climb called "High
Mountain Woody (5.9)". The 48 metre route took about 16 pieces of gear, and
was varied and exciting. When we reached the top of the cliff, a couple had
appeared and began setting up a rappell. The man was lean and athletic
looking, with dark hair and a strangely familiar face. He was soft-spoken
and polite, and rapped down to climb High Mountain Woody. Meanwhile, Wolfang
rapped down to set up a haul line for our gear, since you have to climb out
of the Upper Malamute; you cannot walk off. The wind was blowing in strongly
off the waters of Howe's Sound and it was very intimidating to stand at the
edge of the cliff, peering down at my partner.

I began hauling the gear up the cliff when I found that the pack seemed to
be stuck on something. Lowering it back down to what I thought was the
ledge, I rapped down the line, and found it had stuck in the rather large
rest hole on High Mountain Woody. I lowered the pack to the ledge, and
finished my rappell. The man then offered to set up a haul line for our pack
and we gratefully accepted. Racking up quickly, yet casually, he then led
High Mountain Woody on 3 pieces of gear. When he topped out, he hauled our
pack for us, and put his partner on belay. In amazement, I asked his partner
the man was.

"Oh" she replied, "he's very good. He climbs 13's."
"What's his name?"
"Sig Issac. He used to climb in Ontario actually, with these famous
brothers."
"You mean Dave and Reg Smart?"
She nodded her head. Checking the guidebook was most illuminating. Apart
from Sig Issacs first ascents, there are some impressive blurbs on him in
the guidebook. On August 8, 1996, he climbed Freeway (11 pitches, .11c/d),
The Grand Wall (12 pitches, .11a/A0), and Northern Lights (12 pitches, .12a)
in 14 hours and 40 minutes car to car. He led every pitch and ran down the
backside of the chief every time. In the same year, he and Guy Edwards
climbed the Grand Wall via the Roman Chimneys in 1 hour and 44 minutes,
eclipsing Peter Crofts previous record by a full hour. It was quite a thrill
to run into him like that. I later remember where he looked familiar : The
cover of Gripped Magazine, Feb 2001.

I then led up a nice 5.9 called "Gonch Pull", which had a spectacular
finishing pitch called "Stephanie's Tears (5.9)". Stephanies was a beautiful
corner crack which took superb finger jams, excellent laybacking, and
delightful friction smearing. We finished the day on "Paul's Crack (5.10a)",
a fingercrack with a tricky start, leading into a wonderful 5.8/9 finish.
Wolfang led the route and we topped out with plenty of sun left to return to
the campground for a meal well deserved.


A. Cairns

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Jan 15, 2003, 2:11:33 PM1/15/03
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"A.M." wrote:

> Squamish TR : Fear of A Black Granite

Adrian, I'm enjoying your TR. It's nice to hear about a place I know and see it
a little differently with your help. I'm wondering about the Fear and the Black
Granite? The Chief is white or gray, mostly. The Black Dike is basalt and
fearsome. When you say 'the layer of slime on the black granite of the
Campground Wall', I think the slime is something that grows on the rock where
it's shady or where there are seeps. Algae? You didn't find Cream of White Mice
or Upper Malemute black, did you? Some of the boulders at the base of the Chief
are black. They fell from the Black Dike.

Looking forward to hearing more.

Andy Cairns

A.M.

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Jan 17, 2003, 12:12:58 PM1/17/03
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"A. Cairns" <lek...@intergate.ca> wrote in message
news:3E25B265...@intergate.ca...

For the most part the granite seems a glorious white, and much the way I
opened my story with the "phantasm" of the Chief rising up over Highway 99.
But there are many sections which seem like midnight black granite when you
are right up against it, such as "Slot Machine", "Exasperator", "Diedre",
and a few other climbs. It's somewhat like a zebra, with streaks of black
here and there with mostly white. Many of the climbs had morning
condensation on them and appeared very black with moisture, and when the sun
came out it would whiten. That was my perception at least.


A. Cairns

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Jan 17, 2003, 5:24:26 PM1/17/03
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"A.M." wrote:

> "A. Cairns" wrote

<Fear of Black? Granite>

> For the most part the granite seems a glorious white, and much the way I
> opened my story with the "phantasm" of the Chief rising up over Highway 99.
> But there are many sections which seem like midnight black granite when you
> are right up against it

I like your descriptions, but

> such as "Slot Machine"

Okay, you probably imprinted on the evil start.

> "Exasperator"

Gun-metal gray when any light is on it

> "Diedre"

Are you one of those perpetual wearers of sunglasses? Are you sure you arrived
at the Chief at night?

Andy Cairns

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