PRINT: Rock Climb Teetering on the Brink of Madness, Squamish

Teetering on the Brink of Madness

5.11a/b, Sport, 400 ft (121 m), 4 pitches,

Avg: 3.9 from 9 votes
FA: Carl Austrom, July 1984
International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Squamish > Stawamus Chief > Apron > Central Apron

Access Issue: SIGNIFICANT ROCK FALL CLOSURES - UPDATED Feb 29th 2024 Details

For the most up-to-date information about closures in the Stawamus Chief Park, please refer to the following link: bcparks.ca/stawamus-chief-p…

The closures posted on this Mountain Project page are the latest according to the date mentioned above.

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TRAIL TO THE PROW AND ECHELON WALL VIA THE SHERIFF'S BADGE CLOSURE

Due to a rockfall event on April 17, 2023, the approach/access trail to the Prow and Echelon wall via the Sheriff’s Badge have been impacted. Please stay out of this area until the full extent of this event has been determined.

Posted April 17, 2023

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Due to multiple significant rockfalls in the North Wall, Slhanay, Grand Wall, and Western Dihedrals climbing areas of Stawamus Chief, a large number of climbing routes and bouldering areas are currently closed until further notice. Efforts are underway to assess and remove hazards in the hopes of opening some of these areas soon.

NORTH WALL CLOSURE

The following routes in this area remain closed until further notice due to a large rock fall event. All routes between Lunar Tide and Polaris on the upper Zodiac Wall, as well as all routes between Parallel Universe and Polaris on the Lower Zodiac Wall. The Climb known as Angel’s Crest is open, please be cautions on the approach and avoid the debris field to the left.

Climbing Route Closure Map: nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/k…

GRAND WALL BOULDERS CLOSURE

Due to hazards created by significant rockfall events the following bouldering areas(and associated trails) remain closed until further notice. Lipsmack: Black Sabbath & Halfway Around the world, Octogon: Kemoslabby and Viper: Old and Serious, Beachcomber & Towlie.

Boudlering Closure Map: nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/k…

WESTERN DIHEDRALS CLOSURE

Due to hazards created by significant rockfall events the following climbing routes between Teenage wasteland and Deadend Dihedral remain closed until further notice. Including: The Black Dyke, The Gauntlet, The Façade, Sticky Fingers, Sunset Strip, Millenium Falcon, Rutabaga, Turnip Arrowroot, and Europa.

Climbing Route Closure Map: nrs.objectstore.gov.bc.ca/k…

Updated June 30, 2023

Access Issue: Camping Details

The popularity of Squamish within the #vanlife community has increased to the point that there is great concern about the group’s collective environmental impact. “Wild” or “Freedom” camping has become unmanageable environmentally because of the high numbers of campers. This is a serious issue that causes conflict between locals, home owners, and climbers!

VAN CAMPING / WILD CAMPING

Within District Boundaries

The  District of Squamish PROHIBITS camping within the municipal boundary. This includes sleeping in a vehicle anywhere within District boundaries. A bylaw gives the District the power to issue tickets for contraventions.

Camping on urban / residential streets is prohibited under pre-existing bylaws.

The “hot spots” that have been of most concern are below.

· The whole of the Mamquam Forest Service Road under the North Walls of the Chief between the junction with the 99 and junction with the Stawamus/Indian Arm Forest Service Road (as a salmon run and sensitive riparian area, camping close to the Stawamus River is especially inappropriate)

· The Powerhouse Springs Road including the parking area for the Fern Hill cliff

· The dirt road to the kitesurfing “Spit.”

Outside of District Boundaries

If you explore forest roads in crown land outside the municipal boundaries, it may be possible to find discreet roadside sites suitable for tents or van camping. However, the provincial authorities do have some restrictions ;

· Stays are limited to 14 days.

· Campers should follow Leave No Trace principles. HUMAN WASTE is a major issue.

· Strictly observe any current fire bans.

DESIGNATED CAMPGROUNDS

Please see the District of Squamish website for a comprehensive list of designated campgrounds.

Recommended affordable camping:

- At the Chief: Stawamus Chief Provincial Park Campground BC parks site, spots start at $10.00 CAD/person. No reservations.
- 7 minutes north: Mamquam River Campground A non-profit site, spots start at $15.00cad/night for a drive-in site. Reservations recommended, not required.
- 20 minutes north: Chek Canyon Recreation Site A public site; no fees, no reservations and world class sport-climbing. No running water. The road is steep and rough but 4x4 not required

Description

This route is awesome, so sad it doesn't appear to get climbed more. No pitch feels particularly harder than the others, just fun moderate slab, though slightly terrifying if you aren't used to it. Spot on for the grade in my opinion. Finish merging with last pitch of Unfinished Symphony.

Pitch 1:Start Snake, at first anchor head straight up, going left around a large tree. Belay on top of the tree.

Pitch 2: Climb 5.8 hand crack forever, it will thin out, gear to blue metolius. Clip bolt and traverse left to another bolt, then straight up through scoop.

Pitch 3: Climb straight up for a bolt or two, then straight right around the corner, bolts will great you on the other side, meet back with the headwall and pull a small bulge to get back onto the slab, traverse to anchors.

Pitch 4: Climb delicately and meet up with the last real pitch of Unfinished Symphony.

Location

Head up first pitch of Snake, instead of traversing at the first anchor head straight up the crack at 5.8. My advice, setup first belay at past the tree...I didn't and had the gnarliest rope drag ever for the 11a slab pitch.

Protection

Bolts, well spaced slab attack. Small rack for the first pitch of snake and the 5.8ish crack leading up to the slab.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Route follows the edge of the very recognizable wall on the Apron

Looking up the endless hand crack of P3. It ends on the "mental crux" of the route.

Climber and belayer on pitch 3

Climber high on pitch 3

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Brad G

This route is mossy, so heads up... Jul 29, 2013

Geoff Georges
Seattle, WA

FA: Carl Austrom, July 1984 Feb 12, 2015

Drewsky

Another classic Apron slab outing that's only scary in just the right spots. The route is currently in pretty good shape, with some dirt and moss in and around the easier part of the crack on P2 but little or none thereafter. The first little runout on P2 is a bit of a wake-up call and the bolts zig-zag a bit (bolted on lead, I assume), making the lead a bit draggy; it would be best to put a longer sling on the second bolt, but at the same time I really didn't want to. P3 is interesting because there are two bolted belays and what I assume to be an off-route bolt out left of the second of the belays. I believe belaying at the first set of bolts is best, but either way there's an easier (than the rest of the slab) but still exhilarating runout involved during which you must not fall. P4 is incredibly classy. I think the pitch feels a bit easier on this climb than on Unfinished Symphony, since on the latter you mantle directly onto the glacier polish and must abruptly turn on the magical footwork, whereas in this case you get a smoother transition into the crux. Very fun! Aug 3, 2016

Tim Bonnell

5.11a/b

Here is how I pitched out the route:
p1: The first real pitch of Snake, ending with the 5.7 face traverse left to the anchor (40m - 5.7).
p2: Move up and into the groove, follow a dirty crack for a bit and then belay on top of the tree (10m - 5.8).
p3: Follow the long easy crack, clip a bolt (long runner) then move left and clip another before trending back right to the anchor (40m - 11a). This is probably the mental crux of the route as you are pimping 10+/11- slab moves a fair way above the bolt
p4: Weave back and forth through scoops, with a definitive crux at the 3rd bolt (11a - 30m)
p5: Run it out off the anchor, aiming slightly right to another set of anchors. Clip a draw on these anchors and move RIGHT around the arete, before eventually clipping a bolt LEFT of the arete just before the anchors (10d - 20m)
p6: Move right, clipping about 3 bolts before merging into Unfinished Symphony (11a/b - 40m)

A note about what I call p5 - there is an off-route bolt up and slightly left of the 2nd set of anchors....DO NOT head for this. I did and ended up having to climb a pitch of the Crossing before tensioning back on-route.

Also, on p2 it might make sense to continue 10-15m up the easy crack before establishing a belay. Doing this would help rope drag on p3, which is difficult to avoid if the belay is lower since the crack wants to pinch the rope as it steepens.

Great climb, but you wanna wait for cool slab temps. I thought it was similar in difficulty to Dancing in the Light - perhaps a bit less heady (not much) and a bit less physically difficult Jun 1, 2017

Carl Austrom

Correction: P1 -- climbs the slab on the left face of the snake/unfinsihed symphony corner & continues to tree belay (grim reaper & teetering on the brink of madness) ... 5.9 & 5.10a with 2 bolts in 145 feet! FA was done with double 9 mm ropes (150 m) Jan 23, 2018