THE Grand Wall Rappel

PanShiBo

On May 24, 2017 two of us rappelled The Grand Wall of the (Stawamus) Chief, Squamish, BC.

An epic trip, unreal day out. 8)

PHOTO: Our route with rappel stations on "The Grand Wall" of the (Stawamus) Chief, Squamish, BC - CANADA

googoo

恭喜恭喜！

PanShiBo

Our original plan was to follow Squamish Select book's topo. That was only the theory, as we found out. Always, when rappel is involved, prepare mentally for the unexpected, keeping in mind that there is no way out except to keep going down (if you can).

PanShiBo

TRIP'S STATISTICS

Elevation Drop, total: 350 m
Pitches: 10
Time: 8h48m

PHOTO: Pitch 6 - Airy transition from one rappel rope onto another, 150m vertical above the deck.

PanShiBo

The infamous Bellygood Ledge is one of the main features of  the Grand Wall. It is supposedly called "Bellygood" because it is very narrow and much exposed, that often the climbers prefer to crawl on their bellies other than "walk".

Most climbers exit on this ledge and don't go to the summit. This is the logical destination for many climbs.

As far as rappelling The Grand Wall, the Ledge is three easy and comfortable raps down from the rim, and can be the (safer) exit for those who want to avoid (or not yet technically ready for) long wild free-air roof rappels down below on the Black Dyke.  We plan to include the Upper Black Dyke portion (rim-Bellygood) in our First Peak's "Alpine Edition" route. 8)

PanShiBo

The alpine success or failure is always determined by the ubiquitous combination of  controlled and uncontrolled factors: skills and luck (or unluck). It is not uncommon when one factor compensates  or cancels another: one without skills will  succeed when luck is there, and another one with skills will fail when luck turns into unluck. Even though one can't control or be able to generate luck, it is important to look for and pay attention to the weak signals available and be ready to react properly, especially when other more reliable data is missing. This is most commonly called "intuition".

On the way to the rim, I spotted a medium size black raven sitting calmly on a tree branch, almost at the eye level. It was as if having a purpose being there, and trying to make an eye contact with me. I looked at it and it looked back at me, then croaked. Despite rushing water nearby I heard its call clearly. I remember I turned away to keep going and thought, "if you want to tell me something, then you have  to repeat it": shortly after the same call was repeated, louder and more insistently. Now, from the place I am coming from, ravens are believed to represent souls of fallen alpine climbers. I was very curious what exactly the bird was trying to say. Soon the two of us will know exactly.

Pitch 1
Start: 10:58
Duration (to the next pitch): 38min
Station elevation: 545m
Vertical Drop: 35m



Last check of the topo of the first pitch.


The view from the rim (1st rap station)



1st rap station (tree)

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Station 2 (@ 510 m)

We arrived at the 2nd rap station along the Upper Black dyke in high spirits - "that was not hard" we thought.



2nd rap station is two bolts.

vera

Station 2 (@ 510 m)  - contd.

PanShiBo

Video - Part 1 - Approach

LilyQ

看着好紧张啊，等待续集...

PanShiBo

LilyQ
看着好紧张啊，等待续集...

!

PanShiBo

Pitch #1 - was the easiest on the entire route - low angle short section with comfortable big flat platform at the bottom.

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Pitch 2 ~ 45m, ending at station #3 under small roof with two bolts.

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Station 3 - nice platform under small roof, 2 bolts.

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Station 3 (contd.)

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Pitch 3 was so "normal" and smooth that we both won't remember we have taken it without this video. We secretly believed it was going to be something like this all way down (it won't) 8)

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Station 4

The main reason why we went to rappel The Grand Wall was that at the Squamish Visitor Center we came across a commercial promotional booklet among others, offering guided Grand Wall Rappel trip, "No experience required" they claim. So naturally, the same idea occurred to the both of us, I think simultaneously, "Why not?". Of course, without mentioning, we wanted to do it "alpine style", unguided that is.

After all, rappel is fun, the required skills set is minimal (no glacier travel, no climbing of any sort involved and no avalanches to be paranoid about). We even teach basic rappel techniques in our beginners course "Alpine 101". All you do is just slide down the rope on the friction of your belay device enjoying the fine views under your feet and across the valley. Now, after we have rappelled The Grand Wall, I am not so sure which route the guides take their clients ($500 per person per day), but if I were a guide, I won't take anybody below Bellygood Ledge, unless I have personally checked and checked again the entire set of skills called "What can go wrong on a free-air rappel and how to deal with it". I must be happy with the personality too: hysterical or emotionally unstable characters would never be allowed regardless of their training and experience - of course the problem is that often under "normal life" circumstances we can't tell for sure if a person won't snap and loose head upon encountering unexpected quite-likely-fatal extremes when time is limited and one must act fast.

PHOTO: Four rappel stations of the Upper Black Dyke, Stawamus Chief Grand Wall. Squamish, BC.

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Station 4 (contd.)

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Pitch 4 is the last rappel on the Upper Black Dyke. It ends at the infamous Bellygood Ledge. Theoretically (we still have  to prove it) from here it is possible to "walk out" to the regular tourist trail.  It is exposed, so roping up is highly advised in all guide books - we spotted at least one bolt for that. This is the last chance to change mind: below Bellygood begins The Black Dyke proper which certainly is not "no experience required" type of rappel. Be prepared mentally, physically and technically for the wild stuff.

PanShiBo

Station 5 (Bellygood Ledge)

Bellygood Ledge is the last chance to change your mind and walk out to the safe tourist trail. Or better be ready: if you keep going and the things go wrong, they will probably go wrong big way. Think about this:

- The two-way radio can stop working (battery dead or just accidentally dropped) - then you won't know what your partner is doing:  if she is stuck down on the rope or needs your help, you won't know - you can't see her and yelling won't be heard. Of course you have cell phones, but calling someone hanging in free air with only one hand available is not so great idea.
- There could be no more rappel stations on the fall line, but the deck is still 100m down below.
- The rappel rope could be too short to reach the next rappel station.
- You can forget to undo the stop knot and so will lose the rope.
- You can accidentally drop the rope.
- You can accidentally "close the system" and won't be able to get out of it.
- You can only hang in free air on your harness for a very short period of time, or soon the blood will stop coming to your legs because of the harness pressure, in an hour the legs will go numb, and in another few hours they will go blue.
- The rappel rope you are hanging on can be cut by a sharp edge.
- The rappel rope may accidentally form a knot on itself below you  and that must to be dealt with. Passing the knot even if you were trained how to do it is a very bad idea - by passing the knot instead of untying it you will lose the rope.

If you have mathematical mind, you can estimate the probability that nothing of the above will happen - even though the odds of the each single factor is small, the odds that nothing will happen is not.

Remember that all problems will have to be dealt with one (left) hand only, another one holding rappel rope, unless you locked your belay device.