Routes in The Apron

The Great Arch is one of squamish's very best difficult stemming corners. With no moves being too difficult, it will stay on you till the VERY end and leave you wondering why your legs still hurt 3 days later. The guidebook gives a 13a rating but locals believe it to be more in the 12+ range. A fantastic route. Location The Great Arch is located just left of the second pitch of Rock On. It is accessed via the top of pitch one from rock on or a dirty 4th class low 5th pitch lookers left of the climb. Protection It was originally climbed with fixed pins, then retro bolted after the removal of the pins. The climb has been done (twice) by my knowledge on gear (I watched my partner send skipping the bolts and placing 25 pieces.) However, if you don't have the time to figure out the gear and are less inclined for that challenge, there are 8 bolts. The climb still requires a set of micro nuts, and doubles from very small to .5 camelot and one each from green camalot to gold. An all gear ascent will require the full gamet including brass nuts, 000 c3s etc.

Optional trad gear at overlap. (0.3-0.5BD cams, medium wires)

After 3 moves into the touch, going right from the jug to an undercling, with some hard core tension moves and bad feet fight to get to the good holds then top out.

Starts at the Memorial Ledge. climb up the obvious crack. 40m Belay off of hidden bolts on the boulder at the top.

The last two pitches of Long Time no See can be used to climb from the top any North Apron route to above Memorial Ledge. Start at two bolts at the scramble below Memorial, just to the left of Karen's math start.

Overgrown, Bring a brush!

Overgrown, bring a brush!

The first route climbed on the apron. Run out with intriguing rock features known as "The Elephant Steps"

First two pitches can be done through the trees if starting on the right hand side or do Calculus Direct and start in Pitch 3 of Calculus Crack route;

1. Start as for St Vitus' Dance to tree belay in ledge

2. Keep going up through the trees with a hard move right of the ledge 3)Step left into two bolt anchor so you get belayed with no rope drag, and follow the double crag until gets steep, step left and build gear belay small ledge at the start of finger crack, long pitch 50m

3. Climb the finger crack with solid finger locks and solid gear, a few more meters of easier climbing and build belay at start of next steep ramp

4. Continue up the crag and keep going up until the angle eases into an easy slab and angle right to a two bolt belay 6)Keep going up through easy terrain to the ledge, we did it unroped or possible to combine with previous pitch just continue going up until you reach the trees and memorial ledge

5 pitches, all bolted belay stations. Rappel descent. See quickdraw publications free topos for details.

1. Starts up a finger crack at the base of the v-groove on the approach to the start of Diedre, Banana Peel, etc.

2. Head up the crack on the right of the belay, it gets thinner as it goes up and ends with a short slab section protected by a single bolt. Same anchor as pitch 1 of Dirty Little White Boys.

3. Go up and right through the trees and up the ramp to the bolted belay just above the fir tree.

4. Enjoy the laybacks right up the dihedral until you reach the bolted belay. (If you plan to skip the final 5.10 pitch head right to the rappel anchor just before the top of the pitch.)

5. Thin corners with a bolted face climb in the middle and ends with a short downclimb to reach the final anchor. Rap from here using the dedicated rappel route (climbers right of the trees), or quest onto the blank slab above (pitch 5 of Dream On).

Start as for Boomstick Crack, moving right to the crack via the bolt, then up the crack for two long pitches, passing a second bolt about 1/3 of the way up the second pitch. Tree belay at the top, then rap the route via 4 rap anchors. WARNING: The second rap is about 33m, so stop at the tree just above the chains!

Start at the left side of the lower apron.

1. (5.7 30m) Climb up a shallow groove, then past a bolt then up slab to an anchor.

2. (5.7 30m) Foot traverse up and right along the crack, then up a bulge and a few face moves to an anchor.

3. (5.7 20m) Follow the bolts (6?) to the next anchor.

4. (5.8 10m) Follow the bolts up the head wall, then up to the anchor. Rappel; or continue past the anchor to trees if continuing up the Apron.

Can be linked into just two pitches.

Direct start for Calculus Crack so you don't have to start in the trees on the first two pitches of St. vitus Dance.

P1: Start up passing a bolt and head toward an obvious left facing crack. Pull into the crack (crux) and continue up insecure moves to you can step right and up a flake. Gear Belay above the flake.

P2: Long pitch starting up multiple flakes and continuing on easy ground to some flaring crack moves near the top. Bolted belay.

In order to arrive at Baseline ledge (and access St. Vitus, South Arete, etc.), one has to climb two marginal pitches in the trees.

This pitch (the first pitch of St. Bernard), offers a better variation to the second pitch in the trees. It is the obvious hand crack that starts above a stump.

I believe the left hold mentionned in the guidebook is gone. The logical start begin high on a slopy sidepull and a right pinch on the arete about face level. Amazing problem.