Squamish, Polaris
Posted: Wed Jul 24, 2013 12:38 am
Salutations from a relaxing day in Vancouver! Yesterday Naomi and I climbed Polaris at Squamish. It felt "full value." We implemented our standard crack-of-noon start.
My first lead, pitch 2, wet 5.11c felt very burly. Maybe it was more moist than wet but it was fully wet by my high desert standards.
Pitch 4 is a 40-m bolted crack, primarily off-width but transitioning to squeeze then chimney near the end. I heartily approve of the bolts. They were far enough apart in places that I still got my special off-width feeling.
It ends as a legitimate birthing pitch.
I felt like a ninja after the ninja move on pitch 6.
These really are perfect hero hands.
Naomi led pitch 7: 55 m, mostly a stellar crack, then finishing with traversing moves where all the holds are in kitty litter, to a beached whale maneuver.
Then there is a long pitch of balancy thin face and slab moves to "The Roof."
Naomi follows the thin stuff.
Pitch 8 has a classic squamish finish: hugging some trees along a ledge traverse.
Naomi prepares to lead the crux pitch, exhibiting immaculate hair and side cleavage with lovely Howe Sound light in the background.
The final pitch was not quite a gimme and ended with a mandatory belly flop.
Some wet, some dirty, but all around a very good route.
My first lead, pitch 2, wet 5.11c felt very burly. Maybe it was more moist than wet but it was fully wet by my high desert standards.
Pitch 4 is a 40-m bolted crack, primarily off-width but transitioning to squeeze then chimney near the end. I heartily approve of the bolts. They were far enough apart in places that I still got my special off-width feeling.
It ends as a legitimate birthing pitch.
I felt like a ninja after the ninja move on pitch 6.
These really are perfect hero hands.
Naomi led pitch 7: 55 m, mostly a stellar crack, then finishing with traversing moves where all the holds are in kitty litter, to a beached whale maneuver.
Then there is a long pitch of balancy thin face and slab moves to "The Roof."
Naomi follows the thin stuff.
Pitch 8 has a classic squamish finish: hugging some trees along a ledge traverse.
Naomi prepares to lead the crux pitch, exhibiting immaculate hair and side cleavage with lovely Howe Sound light in the background.
The final pitch was not quite a gimme and ended with a mandatory belly flop.
Some wet, some dirty, but all around a very good route.
