Squamish Access Society

Colin Moorhead recently replaced the anchor on Old Age in the Smoke Bluffs. Thank you Colin for your continued work updating our hardware here in Squamish! Visit the SAS website (link in bio) to report bolts needing replacement. To learn more about bolt and anchor issues, SAS Board Member Alex Ryan Tucker made an informative Bolts and Common Issues video for the @arcteryxacademy with @paulmcsorley which can be found on YouTube. ... Don’t forget your wrench when you head to the crag and take some time to educate yourself on how to identify bolts that need professional attention vs those that just need some quick TLC. SAS DOES NOT-tighten loose nuts, replace missing hangers or replace fixed quickdraws. #squamishaccess #climbinganchors #bolts

A big thanks to the folks at Valhalla Pure Outfitters Squamish for taking on the project of rescrubbing One Toque Wall in the Smoke Bluffs. They’ve done a fine job at this often overlooked crag up in the top of the Park. You can follow their example by getting involved in our Cragkeepers program - send us an email or use the contact form at https://squamishaccess.ca/volunteer-donate All you need is a motivated group of friends or coworkers who can commit a day or more to restoring one of the many crags that are becoming overgrown. We can choose projects and provide direction for you to suit your group’s technical knowledge, experience and the time you can offer. If you’re curious about the equipment and process then check out the video we made this summer about rescrubbing boulders https://youtu.be/sxuDkL9xmiM

We’re very excited to announce the installation of a UDT (Urine Diverting Toilet) near the Electric Avenue crag at Chek Canyon. SAS wants to extend a big thanks to Tony Rainbow and the Squamish Lillooet Regional District for their support, and Todd Nichols and his contracting company for the installation. The project was also supported by a generous private donation SAS received earlier this year. Electric Avenue and the other new South Chek crags have been a massive success... since their release a couple of years ago, and this new facility will go a long way to reduce the impact of traffic in the area. Please make sure to bring your own toilet paper, and don’t dispose of any garbage in the toilet. You can help support other projects like this by becoming a member of SAS - it’s just $10 for a 5 year membership. Squamish-Lillooet Regional District See more

BEAR AWARENESS As climbers we are often climbing on land shared with our local black bear population. Please follow the best practices available on government websites to ensure both your safety and the safety of bears in the vicinity of crags. We have received several reports of a bear in the Blind Channel/Free and Easy area that isn’t frightened by humans. This location has added complexity in that bears are penned in by the fence at the end of the trail, the waters of th...e Blind Channel and the cliff band, so humans on the trail effectively block any exit for bears at the crag. Consider these factors if you encounter a bear there. The Conservation Officer can be reached at the phone number pictured. #squamishaccess #bearaware

The picnic table at Parking Lot Wall is ready for fall sending. A big thanks once again to the anonymous donor who funded the table and the forthcoming UDT toilet at Electric Avenue. The table is a great addition to one of Squamish’s most accessible crags for adaptive climbers, youth and instructional groups. A big thanks to John Harvey for the installation work. Please avoid using the table as a gear storage site and leave it available for people eating and lounging. #squamishaccess #picnictime

MISSING PERSON'S VEHICLE LOCATED NEAR FERN HILL/PLAYGROUND. If you are in the area PLEASE WATCH FOR DARCY WILD Should you locate him, call 911 and reman on scene until first responders arrive.... Details from 29 Sep news report.

All of us at SAS are deeply saddened by the recent damage to the Sea to Sky Gondola. Our thoughts are with all of the staff with the @seatoskygondola team. We know you will bounce back stronger than ever and you have the support of the local climbing community behind you. Climbers-please avoid the crags above the gondola due to the ongoing investigation and safety hazards. Please also be observant for other potential related BC Parks closures at Shannon Falls and the Chief. of the beautiful alpine terrain above the gondola by Tom Hatfield. #squamishaccess #seatoskygondola

All of us at SAS are deeply saddened by the recent damage to the Sea to Sky Gondola. Our thoughts are with all of the staff with the @seatoskygondola team. We know you will bounce back stronger than ever and you have the support of the local climbing community behind you. Climbers-please avoid the crags above the gondola due to the ongoing investigation and safety hazards. Please also be observant for other potential related BC Parks closures at Shannon Falls and the Chief. of the beautiful alpine terrain above the gondola by Tom Hatfield. #squamishaccess #seatoskygondola

Lake Lovely Water; Access Consideration Despite clear signage at the yellow gate and surrounding area there has been a dramatic increase in overnight parking(up to a half dozen at a time). This is no longer a few climbers a season, it has been a weekly occurance. Much of the additional traffic is hikers and backpackers, but as Squamish climbers we must set an example for the waves of people poking their head into the backcountrysome for the first time!... This summer has been wierd all around and everyone is still trying to work through the new challenges but we have to do all this together, as a community. It is unfair to our Skwxwu7mesh neighbours to ignore the signage at the gate and it puts pressures on a relationship that is built on mutual respect, please walk softly and be understanding; we are only visiting these places, and so we are guests.. The Skwxwu7mesh community is on the land as the Salmon are returning. It is a time of great celebration, please be extra considerate. If you notice friends or loved ones or even strangers who may not understand the sensitivity around this please show and promote best practices. Thank you.

Bolt Issues - how to resolve/report them In the past couple of weeks there have been quite a few posts on Facebook and reports through our webform (https://squamishaccess.ca/rebolt) about bolt issues. It’s great to see people identifying issues and passing them on, we just want to make some clarifications and clear up a couple of misconceptions. This information is also contained in the following video that we put out this summer, check it out if you haven’t already https://w...ww.youtube.com/watch?v=c9kp4LbAYcM&t=1s 1. SAS contracts guides to replace old and damaged hardware. This includes bolts that spin in their holes, old bolts that aren’t up to modern standards, bolts damaged by corrosion and rockfall, permadraws that are worn out. All these issues should be brought to our attention directly at https://squamishaccess.ca/rebolt 2. SAS does not contract guides tighten loose nuts or replace missing hangers/nuts. All you need to fix this issue is a crescent wrench, or for most of the bolts in Squamish a 9/16 wrench will do the trick. It’s also worth carrying a spare nut, washer, and hanger - they might have already fallen off or may do so as you fiddle around fixing the problem. All components must be stainless steel and you can buy them in town at Climb On. If you aren’t equipped to tighten a nut or replace hangers/nuts, then ask climbers around you or throw a post up on facebook to let other climbers know. Hopefully someone comes along prepared after seeing your post and resolves the issue. 3. It’s important to note the difference between a bolt with the stud spinning in the hole and one where the nut is loose and the hanger spins around the stud. The former needs to be removed and replaced with a new bolt, but a spinning hanger is typically just in need of the nut being tightened down. 4. Posting on facebook can be a useful way to warn people of issues, but if the problem needs our attention please also report it directly to us!

In celebration of our founding member, Brian Moorhead’s recent birthday we would like to acknowledge the generosity of our mystery donor. $5000 towards @squamishaccesssociety projects! $2000 will be going towards a picnic table at the Playground crag @ smokebluffs $3000 towards a UDT toilet system for Electric Avenue @ Chek... Many thanks to all who support these efforts whether it be blood, sweat and tears of physical labour or through donations such as these. It takes a village!

One of the most polarizing issues you can bring up with Squamish climbers (other than perhaps an anchor on Penny Lane?) is the role of dogs at crags. With that in mind, SAS would like to remind dog owners to be responsible crag stewards. The following guidelines should be followed. . Dog Owners: -Ensure dogs aren’t interfering with other climbers (stepping on ropes, getting into bags/food, jumping on belayers, making excessive noise) ... -Clean up and carry out poop -Follow local rules for dogs (dog bans, leash required) -Consider climbing at less frequented crags if taking a dog -Actively listen to concerns from other climbers and relocate if unable to agreeably share the crag -Don’t take your dog to the crag if the above can’t be adhered to for any reason . Climbers: -Speak up politely yet assertively for your right to an unimpeded climbing experience if a dog is negatively impacting your climbing or crag experience. . Pictured is Roti resting between burns at Cat Lake. #squamishaccess #dogsofsquamish See more

https://youtu.be/c9kp4LbAYcM As part of the Arc'teryx academy we put together some videos on stewardship, including this one with Paul McSorley where we talked about bolts and common issues you might see when out climbing. Check it out, and have a look at our page on the Academy website for the others! https://squamish.arcteryxacademy.com/sas

Chief Clean-Up, Friday 10AM: As part of the Arc’teryx academy program we’re running a cleanup around the Chief this Friday morning. We do require signups, and the deadline is today, so please head to https://squamish.arcteryxacademy.com/sas and scroll down to the bottom for the form. It’ll just be a couple of hours so you’ll still have plenty of time to get out climbing afterwards! The event is scheduled 10-1 but we will not need all that time. We’ll be splitting volunteers i...nto small groups to maintain distancing and while we want you to bring your own gloves and garbage bags we will also be able to supply them for those without. The timing is a little awkward because the Vehicle Residents of Squamish group is also running one on Saturday and Sunday, but we’ll be coordinating to make sure we don’t overlap. If you can’t make it on Friday then we encourage you to join their effort! See more

The Arc’teryx Climbing Academy kicked off yesterday in a digital format, and in place of our usual stand in the park they’ve set aside a page on the website. We took the opportunity to create some videos about stewardship, covering topics like rescrubbing and common issues with bolts. Head on over and check it out, and while you’re there you can see all the other stuff the Academy team has put together - films, clinics, a photo competition, prize draws and much more. https://squamish.arcteryxacademy.com/sas

Great news for the Smoke Bluffs Park: The District of Squamish has acquired the private land near the Mamquam blind channel. Climbers will know it as the location of classic route ‘The Zip’ 5.10a, singled out in Marc Bourdon’s new Squamish Select as one of the top 100 climbs in Squamish. The Smoke Bluffs Park is one of Squamish’s most important climbing areas and is a great success story of access advocacy and collaboration with municipal government. This latest development ...is another important step in protecting the recreational areas that we all treasure. From the DoS website: The acquisition of this property enables us to preserve our natural environment and support convenient access to parkland and outdoor recreation as our community continues to grow, says District of Squamish Acting Mayor Jenna Stoner. The District wishes to acknowledge and express thanks to the Drenka family for working with us to secure this important acquisition that will bring lasting benefits for the community."

FALCON CLOSURE LIFTED: Climbing around Memorial ledge is now permitted, but give the falcons space Heading up the Chief? You’ll be glad to hear that the falcon closure that was affecting the area around Memorial ledge has been lifted. Thank you for spreading the word and staying away. Please continue to be mindful of their presence, here’s how B.C. Parks want us to handle encounters: Use caution in the vicinity of Memorial Crack and areas in and around the Apron. If you encounter a falcon, keep your distance. If the birds appear agitated, leave the area as soon as possible.

Hi All, I see a lot of posts from climbers stating they did climb X and a nut was loose on bolt Y. I thought I'd share my kit I have in my climbing bag when s...port climbing. A crescent wrench (fits all size nuts you may encounter. You do not need to crank the nut /bolt into oblivion roughly a 1/4 turn past finger tight. Spare stainless steel nuts and washers (I've got on routes with the hanger sitting at the base of a climb). The lock tight (blue tube) is for hangers that frequently come loose where there is a lot of shearing on the nut like the first draw or crux draws. The quick link is for fixed (perma) draws often the original ones are damaged. See more