The Barbarian: Squamish’s newest hard big route

Gripped Magazine September 8, 2014

Luke Neufeld has made the first ascent of one of a route which will become one of Squamish’s test pieces. The Barbarian 5.13b/c climbs the aesthetic prow on Barbarian Wall left of the Slhanny.

By Luke Neufeld

This fall I finally managed to send a long-term project of mine. Over three years I spent about 10 days scrubbing, bolting and generally figuring out how the climb would go. This spring it all came together and I began heading up there to put lead burns in. I made quick progress at first, but then an injury to my groin while attempting the fifth-pitch led to a summer siesta from the route.

After a few months off, I felt good and was ready. On the second trip up there, everything came together and I dispatched the last two pitches. In all I spent five days up there sending all the pitches individually. I’ll go back for the continuous. The climbing is fantastic with many styles, but is ultimately characterized by laybacks up an arete with your feet pasted on glassy smears, sort of like Eurasian Eyes meets the Opal.

I’d like to thank all my partners for making the trek up there with me, very much appreciated.,Richie LaPenotiere, Ben Harden, Marc Andre and Luke Irwin. I’d also like to thank Sonnie Trotter and Scott Milton who both put efforts into cleaning and prepping the route before I turned up. I ended up calling it Barbarian 5.13b/c, seven pitches.

For a pitch-by-pitch breakdown, visit Squamish Climbing here.