Nodes in Gonzales Creek & Heights

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

Steep and featured face and crack climbing is the theme here. The big slab on the right is visible from the highway and provides good climbing up textured rock and dykes. The wall faces WSW and the bottom stays shady. Gear is given in Metolius for the small sizes and BD for larger sizes. Stars are just relative to the other climbs on this wall.

Topo and descriptions provided by David Brayden.

The following climbs end just below a ledge halfway up the wall. A 70m just barely lowers from all climbs.

SR from #0 Met to #3 BD, 2x #1 Met - #0.75 BD

Clip a bolt and follow cracks through a little roof into a right facing corner. Move up left on jammed blocks (bolt) to a ledge. A few balancy crux moves lead up the arete, then consistent and fun climbing up the crack. Named for a wild ride taken when a block trundled with a car jack caught the bottom step of my etrier on its way past.

SR from #0 Met to #2 BD, 2x #2 - #3 Met

• P1. Follow Jenga for Dummies to the right facing corner. Hand traverse right along the rail, mantle below a bolt, and foot traverse to an anchor (2 bolts).
• P2. Head up past two bolts to a roof crux (#0 Met). Above, move up on big holds, then left to layback steep and fun flakes to the anchor (2 bolts). It’s possible to link these if you’re really stubborn. The direct start up a dyke is undone. As is the line straight through the double roof to the left.

SR from #1 Met to #3 BD (optional #4 BD), 2x #1 BD for pockets

Difficult climbing past three bolts leads to an easier crack/groove. Follow it to a face crux. Jam a strange but solid #1 BD in the horizontal and head past a bolt to a small ledge. Fun climbing up and left (another #1 BD in a slot) into a layback finish up an easy crack.

SR from #0 Met to #2 BD, 2x #1 Met

Climb past the first three bolts of You Sunk My Battleship. Once reaching the groove, step right onto a big hold and climb up and right through a bulge to a ledge (small cams). Continue rightwards to a bolt and then straight up to a small roof. Pull the roof, easier with trickery, past three bolts. Move back left on big holds to finish up the final layback crack of You Sunk My Battleship.

SR from #00 Met to #1 BD, 2-3x #0 - #3 Met, small nuts

The testpiece of the crag. Work up into the obvious undercling and make a powerful move up and right. Continue up the easier crack system to below the widest part of the roof. Pull it and launch onto the pumpy face above. Small yet solid gear and excellent climbing. It’s possible to access the anchor from the top of You Sunk My Battleship.

SR from #0 Met to #2 BD

A difficult move past a bolt gains fun climbing up the shallow corner to a ledge. Climb a layback crack and the face above past bolts. Use the stump out right to mantel onto the sloping ledge to the anchor on the face.

SR from #0 Met to #2 BD

The extension to "Go Directly to Jail". Pull the very cruxy roof left of the anchor, reach right, and power-teeter-layback up good holds on the arete.

The following climbs follow the prominent slab on the right to the top of the wall. Rappel "Roll the Dice" or Candyland with a single rope.

SR from #0 Met to #2 BD, 2x #.75 - #1 BD

The original start to Candyland, it ends at the first pitch anchor. Gain the small right facing corner with an awkward start and follow it to a ledge. Continue up easy terrain, then right when possible past a bolt to finish on the face.

SR from #0 Met to #1 BD, 2x #1 - #3 Met

Fun, well protected climbing leads to the top of the wall and a great view of Howe Sound.

• P1: Start up jugs on the right side of the slender buttress. Stem, layback, and face climb past bolts and gear up the buttress to finish at an anchor on the left at a small ledge. Fun and technical climbing with multiple cruxes (4 bolts).

• P2: Follow the small buttress up cracks and face holds to a neat crux stemming or laybacking past two bolts (3 bolts).

• P3: Climb a crack in the wall above the belay. Move right when possible, clip a bolt, and stem higher until it’s possible to make an engaging step right onto the main face. Cruxy slab moves past bolts (easily aided) lead to an anchor (6 bolts).
• P4: A tough move at the first bolt leads to easier slab climbing. At an overlap, step left past a bolt and continue to an anchor on a beautiful ledge (6 bolts).

SR to #3 BD

Start up the hand crack in the left corner of the bay. Step left before the roof and continue up the shallow left facing corner to an anchor on the face. The FA was climbed in its natural state. Cleaned and anchor added in 2018.

SR #1 Met to #2 BD, offset nuts (optional #4 BD for P2)

A direct, well protected line up the buttress that will test your technical skill.

• P1: Start just right of the bay below a bolt. Climb face holds and cracks to a ledge and a thin crux gaining the dyke above (3 bolts).
• P2. Climb the layback flake to a technical crux when the corner closes. At the top of the flake, gain a ramp back left to an anchor that is shared with S&L (7 bolts).
• P3. Climb the sustained, featured slab directly above. When a dyke finally provides some relief, follow it up and right to an anchor (6 bolts).
• P4. Continue straight above to a flake and easier climbing. Finish straight up or to the right in the shallow dihedral with "Snakes and Ladders" (4 bolts).

SR to #2 BD

The original route here. Snakes and Ladders was named for the weaving path the line takes up the wall, where if you step on a snake on pitch 3 you’ll end up right back on pitch 2. Carl led this ground up, onsight, while scrubbing with a brush and drilling on lead! Recleaned (by mere mortals) in 2018. Start below the obvious right facing corner near the end of the big log against the right side of the cliff.

• P1: Gain the corner from the right and exit left when possible. Gear belay near a stump up higher. The original start comes in on ledges from ~10m up the gully on the right.
• P2: Climb the fun curving corner above, then traverse a thin slabby ramp left to a bolted belay (2 bolts).
• P3: Excellent climbing on dyke features right then up to a bolted belay on a ledge. Committing moves to get to the first bolt (6 bolts).
• P4: Up dyke features on the right to gain easier ground and a ramp to the top (1 bolt).

In the highlands above Gonzales Creek Wall is a collection of crags. These are the Gonzales Heights!

Pleasant crack and face climbing with a great view of Howe Sound. The wall gets full sun after 2pm, with the bottom staying shady. Fairly quick to dry. Gear: A 70m rope and trad rack.

The first route at Above It All follows finger and hand cracks to the top of the wall.

• P1: Start up the detached boulder, head left past a bolt, and make your way to a handcrack. (1 bolt)

• P2: Climb cracks and flakes through the steep wall. Hidden jugs on both sides keep the grade reasonable. (6 bolts)

• P3: Climb the sweet splitter through a cool undercling crux. Where it ends before a tree, step right and up to the anchor.

• P4: Follow the curving flake above and face climb past two bolts. Step right at the third to gain a fun crack and follow it through the steepening wall to the top (3 bolts).

Rap the route with a single 70m rope.

Gear: .2 - 3, (2x) .3 - 1, nuts.

Steep burly cracks! A good spread from 5.10 to 5.12.

Shady and cold - good summer cragging. Slow to dry.

Gear: A 60m rope and trad rack. Crack gloves are helpful.

It’s a bit of a hike to get to this one. Bring your wide gear and offwidth stoke!

A wild adventure up a majestic wide corner. Highly recommended.

Gear: (1 - 2x) .4 to 6

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

Tricky, with a reachy gear placement.

Gear: Medium offset nuts are the key (2x) .3 to 1, offset nuts

In case you’re still not satisfied after second breakfast.

Gear: (1x) .2 to .5, (2x) .75 to 2, (1x) 4, wires

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

Awesome crack climbing through a roof. Named after a flying squirrel that lived nearby.

Gear: (2x) .2 to 2

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

A good climb for people with little hobbit hands.

Gear: (1x) .2 to .5, (2x) .75 to 1, (1) 2

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

Short and stout. The pro is bomber but hard to place. Pre-place a piece to bump it down a letter.

Gear: (1x) .5 to 1

Climb steep double handcracks to a ledge, then enter the chimney and prepare to battle the balrog.

Gear: (2x) .5 to 3

Steep burly jamming.

Gear: (2x) .2 to 1

The king line! Bouldery and sustained, with a little spice. A crash pad on the ledge makes it safe. Easy to set up a toprope from Shelob. Seeps after rain.

Gear: 000 C3 to .5, crash pad

A short but quality layback.

Gear: (1x) .4 to 5

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.

Starts on Perfect Wife and then left higher up.

There are occasional crags that are on private land (and closed) -- but generally climbing is well accepted and welcomed at the various crags and areas around Squamish.