PRINT: Rock Climb Dirty Dicky, Squamish

Dirty Dicky

5.8, Trad, 90 ft (27 m),

Avg: 2.4 from 82 votes
FA: Jan Wasylyk, Bryce Bateman, Paul McSorly - 2000
International > N America > Canada > British Columbia > Squamish > Shannon Falls > Shannon Falls Wall

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

Slanting left, wider route that branches out left from the start of Cardhu Crack and blazes its own less fun trail. When I did it last week it was quite wet inside the crack, with thriving bryophyte ecosystems deep within. Climb Cardhu instead if it's an option.

Oh, and watch the ends of your rope when you lower as the route's pretty long (shorter than Cardhu, but the ground below the anchors of Dirty Dickey is lower than it is under Cardhu). You might want to lower off to the right, even with a 70m.

Location

Start as for Cardhu, climber's right of the crag. Branch left to the obvious wide crack line after three or four meters.

Protection

It gets wide, but you don't need wide gear because when it's wide it's kind of flary and unprotectable anyways. I have an inkling that if you were to take up a nut tool and scrape away at the non-vascular plant life you'd be able to place some bomber thin gear (blue/purple metolius?) in the back of the wide. Try it. Worst comes to worst you cleaned out the crack and performed a public service to all.

You're looking at a rack ranging from fingers to hands. There's bolts and rap rings at the top

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Dirty Dicky Topo

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Dirk Diggler
Boulder, CO

5.8

A 60m rope requires some shenanigans to get off. May 9, 2016

Medic741
Des Moines, IA (WTF)

Upper portion easily protectable with #3 and under, felt much more difficult than the .8 to there right! Jul 12, 2018