Squamish Access Society

As is evident from the blasting and clearing still going on, the entire season of climbing at the Papoose was lost due to highway construction. Needless to say, the extensions of closure from the first anticipated date of May have been a disappointment. Of course, this was due in large part to circumstances beyond the control of the contractors. Nonetheless, it is with regret that we still note the closure sign indicating May as the opening date, despite our best efforts to request updated signage.

The latest indication from the highway work contractor is mid-to-late October.

A major new trail is being planned which will connect the Apron parking lot with the old highway trail near the end of the Apron descent trail. The trail will be 6 feet wide and bike friendly, and will start behind the current outhouse at the Apron lot, skirt below The Bottom Line area and connect just past the Porn Boulder to the existing Hydro access point. Climbers will now have an alternative to the narrow highway shoulder when returning to the parking lot and it will improve access to some of the boulders and climbs in the area. The trail will additionally provide a pleasant entrance for hikers, climbers, cyclists and other members of the public approaching the Chief front country from the North. Working together with the SAS, local Park staff have been diligent in ensuring the new trail construction does not affect any existing boulder problems.

The trail is made possible by the generous funding of the Sea-to-Sky Highway Improvement Project (SSHIP), which has budgeted for recreational enhancements as it upgrades Highway 99. In addition to the funding for the Apron trail, the SSHIP has offered to put $15,000 towards other climbers’ trails within Stawamus Provincial Park and will make a one time $5,000 contribution to the SAS. Pursuant to the SSHIP initiative, the SAS has agreed to provide input to parks regarding the best use of the additional trail funding. We intend to gather suggestions from the climbing community and collate them for BC Parks to consider.

Rough work on the new Apron trail has started and the majority will be accomplished in November 2007, with a project completion date set for December 10, 2007.

With the help of Rona, Climb On and Mountain Equipment Co-op, the SAS has been able to create a significant tool chest for use on trail days. The spades, cutters, pick-axes, etc… are housed at Climb-On and are available for crag/crag trail maintenance upon request and approval of the SAS. Contact info (AT) squamishaccess (DOT) ca or drop by Climb On. The inaugural use was on Saturday July 21st on the SAS sponsored trail day during the Squamish Mountain Film Festival. The eroded trail to the Apron was de-commissioned and, with the help of Parks, a substantial new switchback was created.

We hope to expand the tool chest to offer up brushes and various vertical access gear. Some of the first users will be volunteers signing up under a “Crag Keepers” initiative, where climbers can adopt certain climbs, trails or areas to maintain. Stay tuned for more details on how to get involved; we hope to have Crag Keepers up to full speed in early 2008.

SAS Apron Trail Work Day

On September 1, 2007, Squamish hosted the premier of this year’s Reel Rock Tour. Tommy Caldwell presented slides and footage of his climbing feats in Yosemite, and the film “King Lines” featuring Chris Sharma, and an out-take of “Committed” (about bold British trad lines) were shown. A silent auction raised $1,200 for the Squamish Access Society and The Climbers’ Access Society of BC.

Thanks again to all the volunteers and sponsors, in particular Ivan Hughes and The Squamish Mountain Film Festival for putting on the show.

The following press release refers to an extension granted to the fund raising initiative around Skaha Bluffs:

Purchase deadline extended to January 15, 2008 to support funding partners…

Due to the complex nature of the funding negotiations for this purchase TLC asked for and received an extension to January 15, 2008 to secure all funds need to complete the Skaha Bluff Campaign securing access forever, for everyone. MEC member donations to help secure public access to Skaha bluffs have made a significant difference. To date, members have donated over $100,000 toward the cause. Through MEC’s matching contribution and $250,000 land acquisition grant, together we’ve contributed $450,000. To all members who contributed - thank you!

Donations will still be needed to complete the dream following the purchase…

The Land Conservancy is confident that at all the funding partners will provide the money required to complete this sale.

It is also important to note that in the future, additional funds will be required to provide the road access, services and parking that climbers and hikers will call for in years to come.

Make your contribution to the Skaha Bluffs campaign.

Work continues in the Smoke Bluffs Park with substantial upgrades to some of the trails. Climbers will have noticed the new stairs at Octopus Garden this year, and work has already started on the Eastern section of the Loop trail. Improved access due to the investment in trail building will make crag maintenance easier and hopefully spread some traffic out from the more popular areas to lesser frequented yet equally deserving climbing areas.

New Octopus Garden Stairs

Loop Trail East Work

The ease of accessibility granted by the placing of new anchors at Neat and Cool Southside led to some interesting visitors this year:

Because of its proximity to the Smoke Bluffs Park, the SAS has formulated an official position on the Redpoint development plans:

The Squamish Access Society wishes to express some concerns regarding the Redpoint development currently proposed near the south-west area of the Smoke Bluffs Park. The SAS has taken note of a recent resolution passed by the Smoke Bluffs Park Committee which calls to attention the lack of planning and consideration of impacts to the Park by a development of this size and nature. The SAS asks the District of Squamish to take due consideration of recreational assets and trail infrastructure during any and all development approval processes. As climbing resources are a defining element of the Smoke Bluffs Park, we look toward the District of Squamish to provide the necessary planning before approval of the Redpoint development application.

Highway work near the Drive By and Dump boulders is imminent. Current flagging indicates the limit of intended brush clearing and orange stakes indicate the location of the toe of the slope of the new highway bed. Some boulders will be affected as they lie within the expansion zone (for example Loaded). Shots Fired lies just outside the zone, and it is hoped that in the process of construction, the actual rock remains untouched. The SAS is in communication with the contractor in attempts to gain clarity on what exactly will be affected and, where possible, prevent unnecessary damage to the boulders.

There will be a commercial film shoot in the Chief boulders just after the Thanksgiving long weekend of Oct 6-8th 2007. The area affected is generally the Kacodemon area, with the “room” (of The Singularity, Silent Menace and Dream Catcher fame) and the area near ATD most affected.

The current time-frame for filming is Tuesday the 9th, when climbers will be asked to limit their activities in the area. Set-up work may take place as early as the afternoon of Monday the 8th, however it is our understanding that this will not interfere with climbing. It is also our understanding that climbing access may only be impacted in a minor way during take-down (either Wednesday the 10th, or Thursday the 11th.) The draws on Silent Menace, Dream Catcher and Permanent Waves will be taken off on the late evening of the 8th and replaced (same draws on same hangers with same orientation) on the evening of the 9th or early morning of the 10th. A climber will be hired to do this.

Despite the presence of a large crew and dozens of trucks, it is important to note that access to other areas of the boulders or the Grand Wall will not be affected.

Check out the following two documents provided by the film crew:

» the notice (45 KB PDF)that will be posted on-site by the filming crew, and;
» a letter (35 KB PDF) outlining the specifics of the type of scenarios being filmed.

“Zone 2″ on the notice refers to the main bouldering corridor, however the only closures will be in the immediate vicinity of the Kacodemon.

Click here (31 KB PDF)to see the filming grid which was drawn up by the SAS after the fall-out of the filming of Pathfinder in 2005. It is meant to provide guidance to Parks as to the acceptable timing of filming in the Parks in the Squamish area. While the optimum suggested time frame of November 1st or after was not met in this instance, Parks requested and the Filming Company agreed to moving the dates from October 1 to after the holiday long weekend.

We are working on obtaining the latest news on the Papoose opening delay, now extended into it’s fourth month. It looks like the blasting is in it’s final stages. Unfortunately, negotiations to obtain a partial opening on Fridays and Saturdays during the month of August did not end successfully. Nor have repeated calls to have the on-sight signage updated, which still state May as the proposed opening.

The Ministry of Transportation has asked to be included in the most recent communications with the contractor regarding information on the Papoose. As a result, we will hopefully have an indication of the latest estimated date of opening by the end of the first week of September. Ideally, we would be able to report the opening at that time.