Mountain Project: Climbing Canada

Submitted By: Peter Spindloe on Mar 22, 2006
Administrator: Peter Spindloe
Latitude: 49.7061 Longitude: -123.1401
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Description

This semi-residential area of Squamish has a large concentration of small crags (twenty or more depending on how you count). They tend to be single pitch, but there are a few multi-pitch routes.

The routes are on generally excellent granite with a great mix of pure crack, friction slab, and delicate face. There are some overhangs, some wild ones even, but the vast majority of the routes are vertical to slabby.

The access issue relates to parking. There is an excellent parking lot available (thanks to the BC Climbers Access Society, I believe), but people continue to park in the residential areas anyway.

Getting There

Driving north into Squamish, after passing the Chief, the hospital sign, and going over a bridge, you come to a traffic light. The intersection has a McDonalds and a mall on the left. Go right onto Logger's Lane and follow the curve of the road around left. A few hundred meters down the road there will be a turnoff to the right marked with a sign that indicates the climbers parking lot.

Once in the parking lot you will see Boulder Gully to the west and a gravel road to the south that gives access to the rest of the crags.

The Classics

Mountain Project's determination of some of the classic, most popular, highest rated routes for The Smoke Bluffs:

Cat Crack 5.6 Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet Neat and Cool

Laughing Crack 5.7 Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet Wall Area

Pixie Corner 5.8- Trad, 1 pitch, 45 feet Pixie Corner

Mosquito 5.8 Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet Wall Area

Phlegmish Dance 5.8 Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet Wall Area

Octopus Garden in the Shade 5.8 Trad, TR, 1 pitch, 60 feet Octopus Garden

Quarryman 5.8 Trad, 1 pitch, 75 feet Penny Lane

Penny Lane 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Penny Lane

Wonderland 5.9 Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Pixie Corner

Neat and Cool 5.10a PG13 Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet Neat and Cool

Flying Circus 5.10a Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Neat and Cool

The Zip 5.10a Trad, 1 pitch, 70 feet The Zip

Jabberwocky 5.10b Trad, 1 pitch, 60 feet Wall Area

Popeye and the Raven 5.10c Sport, 70 feet Penny Lane

Centre Street 5.10c Trad, 1 pitch, 150 feet Crag X

Supervalue 5.10c Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Boulder Gully

Climb & Punishment 5.10d Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Penny Lane

Partners In Crime 5.11a Trad, 1 pitch, 100 feet Penny Lane

Kangaroo Corner 5.11a Trad, 1 pitch, 50 feet Neat and Cool

Crime Of The Century 5.11c Trad, 1 pitch, 40 feet Penny Lane

Featured Route For The Smoke Bluffs

Unknown climber in the middle of a mini-epic on Supervalue. His partner has lowered off the last bolt before the climb moves to the face and into the tough face cracks. Unfortunely, he didn't tie into the leader's end of the rope before starting up, so when he gets to the bolt the leader lowered on, he will have unclipped from all the rest of the gear. I'm sure they figured it out in the end.

Supervalue 5.10c International : Canada : ... : Boulder Gully

Lots of action here. Start with an undercling traverse left (~5.9). Then up a pretty easy left facing corner until you can traverse right to a series of bolts which diagonal up and right. Face climb past the bolts (10-) with a long clip at the 3rd or 4th. After the bolts, follow a crack until it seems easier to move right to a parallel crack; switching cracks is the crux. Follow this crack to the top where you can either traverse...[more] Browse More Classics in International

Comments on The Smoke Bluffs

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By Peter Spindloe
Administrator
From: North Vancouver, BC
May 10, 2009

There have been many changes in the Smoke Bluffs recently. The trail from the parking lot now runs closer to the base of the cliffs, avoiding the steep gravel road. This helps climbers avoid getting plowed by mountain bikers as that road is part of very popular loop. It also brings people closer to some often overlooked crags like Crag X and Easter Island. Trail work on the Loop Trail has also been very positive.

There has also been a ton of scrubbing, entire crags have reappeared out from under the moss. Harry Young in particular deserves a great deal of thanks for this. The Funarama crag, for example, is now almost entirely scrubbed. New route activity has also flourished with much activity on the right side of Penny Lane and others scattered around. Between the scrubbing and the new routes I wouldn't be surprised if there is 20% more climbing available now compared to three years ago. One thing that will keep the moss from taking over again as quickly has been some judicious pruning of trees. Many formerly shaded and gloomy crags get good sun now.

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