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Climbing in BC Canada 12-Mar-2007 At 6:58:27 PM The Keeper

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May should be good - can be a bit chilly in the morning till the sun hits the crag. I have usually had good climbing days there though but when it does rain it can really dump - if that case - rent a wreck or thumb a ride to the interior and have a go at Skaha - you will feel at home (cactus, pines, snakes and even the opportunity to down a pint with transplanted early Aussie climbing legend John Fantini). Bit of an access issue currently for that crag but resolution is in the works and hopefully will be in place by the spring, As for Squamish - climbers hang out afterhours at the Howe Sound Brew Pub - has a pretty nice view of the Grand Wall. Thursdays is cheap pizza night and the pub usually is full - there are some embedded Aussies here and there and I recall some nubile damsel from Adelaide serving pints to the chapped hand crowd. A couple of
local climbing shops for gear and guides - I recommend Climb On at the mall - good folks run it and it is a good source of beta on all accounts. Your morning caffeine fix is best obtained at the Starbucks near the highway - it is the launch pad for daily climbing forays over at the Smoke Bluffs and beyond.

DO NOT LEAVE ANYTHING unattended or in a locked vehicle if you value it in your possession. This is particularly the case at the Chief parking lot. A local guide Kaj Hervonen had his entire trad rack ripped off from his vehicle and a climbing buddy of mine - had his truck door locks royally screwed up by a screwdriver in an attempt to access the interior contents.

After making the big career tick of the Grand Wall - and looking for a final road trip exclamation mark - I recommend Starchek in the Cheakamus Canyon - a bit up the highway from Squamish - a rap to the bottom of the canyon above the dancing waves of the river and a climb back up the arrete - 3 pitches - 5.9 . A 5 star climb - if you want something a tad harder there are some tougher goes just to the left of the arrete but with the same context.

Remember that the 2010 Winter Olympics are destined for Whister - just up the road from Squamish- lot of highway construction happening in the corridor - drive carefully and on the right side of the road :)

Have a good one Up Over.