The Sword

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

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Keith leading up the Sword of Damacles

Nice exposure on The Flats pitch.

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3.0 from 2 votes

Hans Bauck

Apr 20, 2017

“The Sword”

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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.

Grand Wall December 1972

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.

Adam on the vescalator (velcro escalator).

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

Carl belaying Keith on the Sword of Damacles

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Bellygood ledge

Route Overlay Grand Wall.

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

Enjoying the split pillar tooo much?

Where are we, Indian Creek?

Contemplating the "Flats"

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

JD and Téa following on the Split Pillar.

Split pillar and above

Above the split pillar

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

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

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>

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

Looking for the dry foothold to finish P2.

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

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

Andy Ross on Bellygood ledge 1999

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

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

John starting up the Split Pillar. Amazing pitch!

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

Comfy belay before the A0 bolt ladder

Approaching the Split Pillar (fun with angles)

Leading the Split Pillar

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

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

Starting the Sword. Butt shot.

Midway up Perry's Layback.

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

The bolt ladder after The Sword.

Looking up Perry's Layback.

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