Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles

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)

Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles

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

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.

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Carl Pelletier

Sep 16, 2009

“Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles”

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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.

split pillar

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

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>
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Bolts on the individual pitches are not shown. All belay stations are 2 bolts + chains and a big fat steel rap ring.

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.

Grand Wall December 1972

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.

Ty Johnson on the Split Pillar

The Sword pitch.

the exposure of the Grand Wall

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.

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

Enjoying the split pillar tooo much?

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

Bellygood ledge

Different perspective from what you usually see. From the top of Clean Corner

Where are we, Indian Creek?

Contemplating the "Flats"

Climbers up top finishing pitch 9. Climbers down below prepping for The Sword

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

Split pillar and above

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

JD and Téa following on the Split Pillar.

Above the split pillar

Looking for the dry foothold to finish P2.

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.

Reachy bolt ladder leading to the bottom of the Split Pillar

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>

John starting up the Split Pillar. Amazing pitch!

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

Tristan and Gerhard on the Split Pillar, Grand Wall

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

Andy Ross on Bellygood ledge 1999

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

The final pitches before Bellygood ledge. Climber to the lower left

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

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

The final bit of climbing across the top of the Seal Flake. After this, a few feet to Bellygood Ledge!

The Seal Flake.

Comfy belay before the A0 bolt ladder

The Flats.

Super-cool tree belay at the base of the Split Pillar

Perfect hands in the Split Pillar

The Sail Flake

Leading the Split Pillar

Looking down from the anchors at the top of the beautiful Split Pillar pitch.

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

Perry's layback

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