Due to some very close calls over the last few months, route cleaning (in particular on the Chief) has become a matter of deep concern for the SAS and BC parks.  There have been instances of intentionally trundled debris coming very close to hitting people at the base of the Chief.  The SAS urges extreme caution by anyone retro-cleaning or establishing new lines anywhere in Squamish, but especially in Stawamus, Shannon Falls and Murrin provincial parks.  To date climbers have had the liberty to self-govern their actions, and cleaning routes is a vital part of a sustainable climbing environment.  However, the SAS strongly suggests any cleaners think long and hard about the merits of their activity and follow logical steps of communicating and carrying out their intentions, the most obvious one being to ensure by all means necessary that no one is below the cleaning area.

Death or injury to anyone would obviously be a tragic result of any cleaning activity, but as well prove to have huge implications for climbing and new route activity in the parks and most likely other jurisdictions in the Squamish area and province wide.

Route cleaning has come up as part of the discussion taking place at the newly formed Squamish Climbers’ Advisory Group, a group of climbers and BC Parks staff tackling immediate and strategic issues related to climbing matters.