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

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

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

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

split pillar

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4.7 from 13 votes

sibylle Hechtel

Nov 27, 2012

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

2 Comments

johnnymuir

johnnymuir

In Trad everything is on! Sep 5, 2015

Benjamin Chapman
Small Town, USA

Benjamin Chapman Small Town, USA

Ditto. Way to go, Sibylle.
Love your style. Feb 9, 2016

Nearby Photos

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

As the Split Pillar goes from hands to fists... Photo of Alisdair Buchanan 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

Adam on the vescalator (velcro escalator).

Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles

Bracksieck leads the first 5.10 pitch.

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

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.

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

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.

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.

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.

The Sword pitch.

the exposure of the Grand Wall

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

Ty Johnson on 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>

Where are we, Indian Creek?

Contemplating the "Flats"

The Sword

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

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

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

Tristan and Gerhard on the Split Pillar, Grand Wall

Reachy bolt ladder leading to the bottom of the Split Pillar

Keith leading up the Sword of Damacles

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

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.

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

Bellygood ledge

Groups on the Split Pillar and the Sword. Taken from Cruel Shoes (5.10d). The wall is vertical, so the photo is not an accurate representation.

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

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

Looking up Perry's Layback.

Nice exposure on The Flats pitch.

A picture from a traverse on the Grand Wall Lite

Tony following the second pitch of Mercy Me on our way to the Grand Wall.

Comfy belay before the A0 bolt ladder

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.

Looking back across Bellygood

Perry's layback

Arm bars provide a much-needed rest!

Split Pillar - middle of the layback

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

Starting the Sword. Butt shot.

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.

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

Approaching the Split Pillar (fun with angles)

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

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

The bolt ladder after The Sword.

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

Midway up Perry's Layback.

Not a great shot, but you can see what the traverse is like in this shot, taken at perhaps 11am, befor the sun hit. Peter Spindloe is at the end of this traverse. Photo by Tony Bubb 7/08.

The Flats.

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