Squamish (Hardwear Sessions)

Squamish: The Grand Wall

By Will Meinen

On the west coast of Canada, just north of Vancouver, you can find one of the best climbing destinations that the country has to offer.

With a slow start to the alpine rock season here in the Rockies, I've been doing a lot of road tripping to less wintery destinations, such as Red Rocks and Zion, trying to get my fix of long rock routes. On a whim, I booked some tickets to Squamish. It had been several years since my last visit there, and I figured it was time for a return visit.

With only a three day window between my arrival and departure flights, it was next to impossible to decide what to climb. At the top of my huge list of climbs to do in Squamish was the Grand Wall. The guidebook states, "The Grand Wall is a world class climb with exceptional exposure. Clean sweeps of perfect granite drop below your feet as you pump your way up the steep corners. This climb is a must-do for those with the prerequisite experience."

Now that I had found the route, all I needed was a partner. I called up Jeremy Smith from Climb On (the best gear shop in Squamish) and he was stoked to rope up. I picked him up in the morning and we headed to the route. We blasted up the route. Pitch after pitch of impeccable rock, amazing jams, beautiful views, and awesome exposure brought us to the belly good ledge. It was impossible to wipe the smile off my face. The best climb I had done all spring, hands down. With sandals on our feet we bounced down the trail back to the parking lot. It was that easy; the perfect way to spend a morning.

A big thanks to Jeremy @ Climb On for draggin me up the Grand. If you are ever in the Rockies and want to climb a loose and run-out limestone route let me know. I'd gladly take you out! Unfortunately, I don't know if the experience will be quite as first-class as climbing on the Chief.