RRC Archives

Local RRG duo Niles Barnes and Aaron Kupferer climbed the Grand Wall Route (11a A0) on the Stawamus Chief in Squamish BC, Canada Wednesday August 22. The two started up the granite wall at about 7 am waiting behind two other parties and finished off the Bellygood Ledge (leading to the Backside Trail of the Chief) around 1 pm after climbing a total of 11 pitches (including 2 aid pitches) about 1500 feet off the deck.

To say the route is truly amazing, inspiring, and beautiful is an understatement. An accomplishment truly appreciated by those who've done anything big-wall related.

Over the last two months the two climbed as many cracks as they could find, placing lots of gear this summer in the Southeast to prepare for their goal. The hot & smarmy summer "trad" climbing payed off as the quickly honed their skills, and after doing only 2 other (5-pitch) multi-pitch routes they gave it a go for the Grand Wall ascent.

Congratulations to both!!

good job, guys.... sounds fun!

Sweet. Got pics?

Nice work Aaron and Niles!

nice work!

are you talking in the third person though a_l_k?

Is this an FA?

while it is the preferred mode of writing for technical papers and journals. it is the experience of the author of this reply, that writing in third person sounds kinda twottish.

the nasty is becoming randy and needs to rub one off.

Worse than twottish, it sounds like a press release meant to warm the cockles of (potential) sponsors... (No biggie, except for the issue that if "a | k" is, in fact, "Aaron Kupferer", then the bit at the end ("Congratulations to both!!") would be pretty wanker-rific)

Nonetheless, the author of this post feels that the ascent, assuming it can be independently confirmed, is justafibaly worthy of praise.

come on, the Chief, the weather is perfect, the rock is perfect, the chicks at the coffee shop are perfect... if you want some action this time of year you need to launch an ACLU fund raiser at the Nicholasville walmart