Starting up the Sword pitch from the fantastic belay at the top of the Split Pillar. Photo of Kelly Franz by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

All Locations > International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Squamish > Stawamus Chief > Grand Wall Area > Grand Wall (5.11a 6c 22 VII+ 22 E3 5c A0)

Starting up the Sword pitch from the fantastic belay at the top of the Split Pillar. Photo of Kelly Franz by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

ID 106069107 ·

Flag This Photo

· Copyright Violation?

Top of Perry's layback - glad it hasn't rained yet, but still cold!

Tony leading Perry's Layback. Skipping every other bolt saves a lot of effort.

Rate Photo

5.0 from 5 votes

Peter Spindloe

Nov 25, 2007

“Starting up the Sword pitch from the fantastic belay at the top of the Split Pillar. Photo of Kelly Franz by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.”

0 Comments

Nearby Photos

As the Split Pillar goes from hands to fists... Photo of Alisdair Buchanan by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

The second crux of the Sword pitch. Photo of Mike Hengeveld by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

I belly-flopped onto Sail flake! Couldn't mantle, or pull up on anything else ... and had to rest before the next moves.

split pillar

Bracksieck leads the first 5.10 pitch.

The Grand Wall. The first pitch shown is the Split Pillar, and the last belay station is on the Bellygood Ledge.<br>
<br>
Bolts on the individual pitches are not shown. All belay stations are 2 bolts + chains and a big fat steel rap ring.

Grand Wall December 1972

Your pro is below your feet as you pull the crux of the Sword pitch. I like to place a nut and a cam before launching into it. Photo of Kelly Franz by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

Adam on the vescalator (velcro escalator).

Climber leading the Sword pitch. He's looking pretty comfortable for this being a crux section!

Right in the middle of the crux of the Sword pitch. Photo of Mike Hengeveld by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles

The Sail Flake, the final pitch of the Grand Wall (unless you're continuing up The Roman Chimneys). Photo of Alisdair Buchanan by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

the exposure of the Grand Wall

The Sword pitch.

Ty Johnson on the Split Pillar

Top of Perry's layback - glad it hasn't rained yet, but still cold!

Starting up the Sword pitch from the fantastic belay at the top of the Split Pillar. Photo of Kelly Franz by Matthew Buckle, used with permission.

Tony leading Perry's Layback. Skipping every other bolt saves a lot of effort.

Bellygood Ledge, which traverses from the top of the Grand Wall route to the trees on the right (climbers') side of the wall. This ledge traverse is exposed enough that I wouldn't want to do this without a rope.

The very cool cabin on Bellygood Ledge in 1972. It had plexiglass windows that faced the sound and a trap door entrance from below.

View of Howe sound from top of Perry's layback - on a chilly day, with rain threatening. I was climbing with a Canadian, who's better adapted to cold!<br>

Enjoying the split pillar tooo much?

Split Pillar, Sword, and Perry's Layback as seen from the base of The Grand Wall.

Where are we, Indian Creek?

JD and Téa following on the Split Pillar.

Tough girl style on the Split Pillar (liebacking w/ a pack)

John climbing the tree at the beginning of the final pitch (the Seal Flake pitch).

Contemplating the "Flats"

Bellygood ledge

Looking for the dry foothold to finish P2.

Reachy bolt ladder leading to the bottom of the Split Pillar

Once the sustained part of the Split Pillar is done, you still have some climbing to do. Saving a #1 Camalot for this section is nice.

John starting up the Split Pillar. Amazing pitch!

The aid pitch above the Sword, on a very cold day.

Aid pitch, standing on the dental-floss slings hurts the feet!

George Bracksieck leads pitch one of the wonderful Mercy Me dike.

Andy Ross on Bellygood ledge 1999

From the base of the Sword, looking down on Mercy Me (tiny red dots).

Tristan and Gerhard on the Split Pillar, Grand Wall

Keith leading up the Sword of Damacles

The Sword

Nice exposure on The Flats pitch.

A picture from a traverse on the Grand Wall Lite

Looking up Perry's Layback.

The bolt ladder after The Sword.

Merriam checking out the reachy crux on the Flats pitch of the grand wall.

Looking back across Bellygood

Corroded anchor at second belay of Mercy Me, June 5, 2005. All the anchors have this little problem to some degree. Easy to replace, if you know ahead of time. Bring some quick links and a wrench, if your interested.

The Seal Flake.

The Flats.

The Sail Flake

The start of Bellygood Ledge traverse from the top of The Grand Wall route.

I hauled the pack at the Sword anchor and then aided the bolt ladder before bringing up the second. This worked pretty well.

Crippling toe pain usually ends the fun for me on long routes. My new super-sized Acopa JB's fixed that, making the cracks, faces, and trees fun.

Approaching the Split Pillar (fun with angles)

Midway up Perry's Layback.

Base of the route, waiting on another party, psyched out of our skulls.

Split Pillar - middle of the layback

Tony almost done on The Flats pitch above Perry's Layback.

Welcome

Join the Community

Create your FREE account today!
Already have an account? Login to close this notice.

onX products are built by adventurers, for adventurers. We believe that every adventurer needs to know where to go, to know where they stand, and to be able to share their experiences.
About onX
Careers

iOS App Store

Android App Store

© 2024 onX Maps, Inc. Terms·Privacy