The Squamish Adventure....Part Cinq

Day 13- Drizzle…..and Moist

With a day like that and mikey and bryan’s last day here in squish…..what are we do to? We did a moist ascent of Exasperator and then headed for smoke bluffs to get some milage in. basically they just whent a did a whole shit load of little routes. They soloed some, and then they roped up for some. :D then they left. I was really really sad. All of a sudden, I was the only one left at the squish.

Day 14 and 15– Bouldering. With Mike and Rebecca.

After finding somebody to belay me on exaserpator (p2) and getting it clean, I figured it was time for bouldering. :D I had ran into mike and becca from Berkeley the day before and asked if I could join them on their bouldering foray.

Day 16 – heading back home. :D

This time, I didn’t get lost getting to the airport. :D

It was good. I need to come back next year. I need to do more stuff. :D

squamish-part un
http://penguins.smugmug.com/gallery/3357489

squamish-part deux
http://penguins.smugmug.com/gallery/3359314

squamish - part trois
http://penguins.smugmug.com/gallery/3360748

The Squamish Adventure.....Part Quatre

false color of try #3
Originally uploaded by vypeng

Day 9 – The Base of the Chief

The boys wanted to do the grand wall and I wanted to try the second pitch of Exaserator [10c]. so susan and I headed back to the base of the chief. This time we were determined to warm up on something a little more friendly. We went over to seasoned in the sun [10b] and both onsighted the pitch. I’m really really really proud of susan for onsigthing this pitch. I think it’ll totally help her confidence in terms of being able to get above her gear. After both of us took one more lap on the route, we were able to see bryan and mikey getting to the base of the split pillar.

We packed up and head towards exasperator. As we got closer to the the climb, we could see the boys up on the grand wall. Lots of hooting and shouting ensued. Susan tried leading the first pitch of exaserartor, but backed off. I finished that pitch and then brought her up. I hung twice on the second pitch. Suck! I’m definitely coming back to do it cleanly.


Day-10 – Picture day!!

Well, after a big day for the boys and a sort hard day for the gals, motivation was a little low……so, jimmy suggested that we take pictures…..he really wanted more photos. Anyway, we headed out to Upper Malamute for the photo shoot. The gals in pretty sports bras and the boys …..shirtless……susan and I got on high mountain woody [5.9] and was posed for many photos. Bryan and mikey got on some hard thing 11a and 11c [ I think it’s was called science friction]. Man was it fun!. The ended with an awesome cook session….and Talladega nights.

Day 11-----RAIN!!

Well for the amount of time susan and I have been here….this was the first day of actual rain. Everything was wet….the rain came down consistently. What else is there to do? Well, we went to the adventure center to charge my laptop, to get some gifts, and to check out what else to do. After that, we had lunch of some sort. Then we went to watch The Bourne Ultimatum. After the movie, we still had a good amount to day light left…..what shall we ever do? On the recommendation of Steve, we headed up Squamish Valley road. What we found was absolutely jaw-dropping. The views and the land and the country that was back there was amazing. There were waterfalls (long and big ones) fed by the glaciers above. It was absolutely amazing! After that, he hit up the Shady Tree Pub for dinner and evening entertainment of pool and darts. Of course, we came back to camp feeling real good and proceeded to finish watch Talladega nights.


Day 12- Susan leaving……More Rain!

We (all three of us) took susan to the Vancouver airport……of course we proceed to get lost on the way to and the way back. We decided to have lunch in the city and spend some time people watching….it was good. I was really sad to see susan go.

The Squamish Adventure.....Part Trois

same
Originally uploaded by vypeng

Day 6 – Rock On [ 10a, 6 pitches]

Both Susan and I wanted to get off the ground for at least one of the days. So Steve, Susan, and I strike out for Rock On, a 6 pitch, 10a. susan and Matt had done it when they were here last and said the climb was really really good. We each took two pitches. Susan took P1 and P6, Steve took P2 and P#, I took P4 and P5, the two 10a pitches. I made it good by linking the two pitches as oine long pitch and it was soooooo good. The climbing was excellent, but the decent was anything but excellent. We rapped to the wrong ledge and proceeded to get our ropes stuck and the party’s rope behind us stuck. By the time we got all the ropes free, we didn’t have enough time to go cragging or fire up another easy route. The walk off wasn’t trivial either. I think the whole decend process took just as long as the climbing. Sheesh. After we got off the climb, we went to the Howe Sounds Pub for a much needed beer. Eek.

Day 7- Real Rest Day- Whislter.

After the previous day’s ordeal, we needed a real rest day. We decided to go check out Whislter, since we both have heard soo many good things about it. Needless to say, the village stroll is like one big outdoor shopping center and we couldn’t really see the mountain from the end of the stroll. We were quite disappointed.


Day 8- Bouldering

I suck as bouldering. I try and try and try but I don’t seem to get anywhere with that. We warmed up at the black dyke boulder and then proceeded to move on to something hard….easy chair [v4]. It was crowded and we (susan and i) didn’t particularly feel like climbing with lots of people around. It was also hot and motivation was pretty low at this point. We cut out sometime early afternoon and returned to the parking lot of the campground to pick up our stuff. We were going to bang out a couple of routes before dinner time. There we ran into Byran and Mikey. They had finally made it from Vancouver. They had just gotten to our site and wanted to climb. After situating a little bit, susan convinced everybody to go out to smoke bluffs. The heat did not abate there. In fact, it was really really HOT!!. Despite the heat, we got on quarryman [5.8], because nobody else was there. And the boys got on penny lane, partners in crime, and the bryan led bcrime of the century in a valiant effort.

When we returned to the parking lot we said out good byes to steve, steph, and Daniel…..they were driving out that evening. It was definitely a bit sad to see them leave……now it’s up to the boys to entertain us.

The Squamish Adventure.....Part Deux

pacific spirit beach.JPG
Originally uploaded by vypeng

Day 3 – Smoke Bluffs -
we headed for more challenging ground and started off at the neat and cool wall at Smoke bluffs. We did cat crack [5 star 5.7], corner crack [4 star 5.8], and Flying Circus [10a]. that last climb was the first 5.10 I’ve done in awhile and I’m pretty happy that I got it clean. It was a bit tricky, but it was and awesome feeling to be able to get to thte top and knowing that I onsighted the climb. All I can say is sweet…….we then moved up to the Penny Lane area. There, Steve did Up, Up and Away [5.9]. I just TRed it since i was still fresh off my send and was feeling a little worked. When we got up there we saw jimmy on a climb way to the right of us (I think it wa partners in crime [11a]) and he told us that he was going to put a TR on Crime of the Century [11c]. once we were done with t\our climb….we headed over to said climb and just drooled. Crime of the Century was a beautiful thin crack climb that begged to be climbed and to be challenged. Everybody got a burn on it……I got it clean on TR. Nothing to be proud of but it was still a good feeling. :D I do believe this is going to be the beginning of an awesome trip…

Day 3- Vancouver Airport

We were supposed to get up early to get Daniel and Steph at the airport. But…we had and epic at the coffee shop (the coffee shop was completely unprepared for the morning rush). We were two hours late. I think they were a little bit irked, but since we were late and the city begged us to visit, we proceeded to see some of the little neighborhoods that Vancouver has to offer. We went from the shopping district to the West End to the Univseristy of British Colombia. We had lunch in the West End and hung out at a “clothing optional” benach. It turned out to be a great day in Vancouver. Of course, when we got back that evening, jimmy and Nicky were ready to go out and eat and the vote ended up at the Greek restaurant in town. Good food and good company.  

Day 4- smoke bluffs

Back in one piece from Vancouver….we headed back to smoke bluffs. Today we did a whole lot of stuff. We got on S-M Delight [10b], Mosquito [5.8], Phlematic something [5.8] down on Mosquito Wall. Then we headed up to Penny Lane and I got on Up, up and away [5.9], Penny Lane [5.9]. I thought I was a good day.

Day 5 – Base of the Grand Wall

After our day at smoke bluffs, I had told susan that I felt like I had to step it up a notch for myself. I wanted to get on some of the ten cracks and was pretty gosh darn eager to hit them up. So we decided that we should go to the Base of the Grand Wall and aim for some of the classics there. We were joined by steve a little bit later. We first got on Arrowroot [10b], as a warm up. I was doing soo well until the end of the crux. I got tired and everything (like my toes and my hands) just hurt. I just I was expecting the route to be shorter and not as sustained. Oh well. One hang. I guess I’ll just have to come back and get it clean. Susan had a go at it and hung in almost the same stop. Steve did the same as well. Sigh….oh well. I guess we all have to come back and get it clean. By then it was already afternoon. I queued up for Exasperator [10c], the classic climb at Squamish. By then it was really hot and the sun was beating down on the back rock and the climb. I was told that I had to do the climb in one long p[itch but I wasn’t sure if I could in the heat. So, I ended up just doing the first pitch clean. And then setting up a TR for both Susan and steve. Next time. Next Time. Hopefully tomorrow will be a better day. :D

The Squamish Adventure ...Part Une

howe sound sm.jpg
Originally uploaded by vypeng

I think it all started with the Trip-That-Must-Be-Taken and the mentioning of the Climbs-That-Must-Be-Done in a magical place called Squamish-The-Outdoor-Capkital of Canada. No, there aren’t any wizards or witches in this story…..just two girls on a Quest for great climbing.

We arrived in Vancouver on the 7th of august, bright eyed and almost left behind (that’s a story for another time). We picked up yaris and proceeded to try to get to squamish. Unfortunately we really didn’t have a “you are here” sign with us so that really meant it took us three hours to get to squamish. Using our feminine wiles, we got a killer campsite (complete with wi-fi), pitched a tent, and proceed to the grocery store. Not having eaten anything all day, we stood in front of the chocolate aisle salivating, until the excellent idea of heading to the pub was conjured up. After a pint of Howe Sound Brewery’s Award Winning Garabaldi Honey Pale Ale (I heard that description on the mountain station 107.1 fm) and platter of fish and chips, we were ready to greet the evening with sleep.

The next morning, we awoke to overcast day and the wonderment of climbing. What shall we do today? Something to warm up on…..we headed to Bog Wall at Murrin Park and did the first climbs that we saw. Did a 5.9 and a 5.8. I have no idea what they are called. Then we headed to Shannon falls and did khalaine crack (apparently on our tick list) [5.7], which is a classic 5 start route of the area. We also got on some not-so-classic 5.8 called Cardhu Crack. Good start to the trip. I figured we could handle this thing called rock climbing. Upon returning to our home, we found steve wandering the campgrounds, having just arrived that morning and completed a bouldering session. Yay! We have just enfolded another into our midst. Tomorrow is another day!

endurance time!

CIMG0238.jpg
Originally uploaded by vypeng

i'm finally back into somewhat of endurance shape for climbing....just in the nick of time as well.....sheesh....all it took was getting on sporty routes. i'm glad, cuz i'm headed to Squamish (in BC, Canada) tomorrow and it would suck if i struggled.

this all happened over the weekend down in santa fe, new mexico......hat story is for another day. :D