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Overly Hanging Out

5.11b, Trad, 180 ft (55 m), 3 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 3.5 from 23 votes
FA: R. Ron, T. Gibson, P. Croft, T. Knight, 1980
International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Squamish > Malamute > Overly Hanging Out
Warning Access Issue: Camping DetailsDrop down

Description

This classic deserves more traffic. It's adventurous, unusual, and excellent.

P1 (5.8). The first pitch could probably be skipped (which you can do since you rap in), but it's necessary for the full experience. The stump that in 1980 was probably quite solid, is now quite questionable. Unfortunately, until it comes off completely, you pretty much have to use it to get started. The rest of the climbing isn't hard, but it's dirty from lack of use and some of the blocks and flakes move.

P2 (5.11b) This spectacular pitch heads up the arch passing a number of overlaps. To be sure you head right under the correct overlap, note the following: you'll get a very weird long skinny flexing flake for your hands and see a bolt on the face above the next overlap. Clip the bolt, but don't pull up over the overlap, instead, head right and clip another bolt and you'll curve around to the belay. We got confused and pulled up that overlap (aid) and suffered through dirt and scary loose flakes. A first we thought going right at the bolts was another route, Underly Hanging Out, but that one is one overlap lower.

P3 (5.10a) From the belay pull up and left into the obvious cracks. Getting over the lip is harder than it looks involving a tight hand jam, a fist jam and something akin to humping. The guidebook describes a final sting in the tail, but it's very mild, especially if you have small cams (I used a blue alien, but there are other options).

Location

This is the southernmost climb on the Malamute. It's considered to be the Lower Malamute, but it doesn't violate the rail right-of-way.

Hike south along the top of the Malamute and follow the trail down until there's an obvious anchor beyond which the cliff pretty much ends. Rap from this anchor (50m) to a treed ledge called Meare's Island. The best option is to bring two ropes and do a single rope rap, carrying your lead rope down with you. This works well since you won't need to pull your rope and then haul the extra line back up the climb. You could get by with a single rope, but since the anchors have no chains, you would have to leave 'biners on at least one of the stations on the way down (and recover them on the way back up).

At the bottom of the rap, look left and you'll see a chain hanging from a bolt. Batman up the chain and start the first pitch from there. Alternatively, you could stop at the anchor at the start of the second pitch and skip the first one.

Protection

Up to #3 camalot and down to some small alien-sized pieces. Doubles in the finger sizes recommended.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Top out photo
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Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Drew Marshall
Squamish, BC
  5.11a
[Hide Comment] Would not recommend linking all 3 pitches into one amazing megapitch.
First two pitches can link nicely though Jan 28, 2014
Jerome St-Michel
Montreal, QUÉBEC
 
[Hide Comment] Very confusing bolting. I ended up not clipping the first bolt (above the last overlap) as I didn't see it. I think this bolt should be lowered under the same overlap than the second bolt. Jul 12, 2021
Uknown Unknown
Vancouver, BC
[Hide Comment] Rapped down, got confused, so just did the 10a Mar 18, 2023