The Sword pitch.

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)

The Sword pitch.

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Ty Johnson on the Split Pillar

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

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4.7 from 7 votes

Steph Abegg

May 7, 2016

“The Sword pitch.”

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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.

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

Ty Johnson on the Split Pillar

The Sword pitch.

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.

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, 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.

Bellygood ledge

Enjoying the split pillar tooo much?

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

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

Contemplating the "Flats"

JD and Téa following on the Split Pillar.

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

Above the split pillar

Split pillar and above

Where are we, Indian Creek?

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

Route Overlay Grand Wall.

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

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>

Reachy bolt ladder leading to the bottom of 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.

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

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

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

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

Tristan and Gerhard on the Split Pillar, Grand Wall

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

John starting up the Split Pillar. Amazing pitch!

Andy Ross on Bellygood ledge 1999

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

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

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.

Comfy belay before the A0 bolt ladder

Pitch 2 of Merci Me.

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

Perfect hands in the Split Pillar

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

Looking up Perry's Layback.

The bolt ladder after The Sword.

Split Pillar - middle of the layback

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