New Squamish Seven-Pitch 5.11c is Apex Predator
The crux pitch follows 55 metres of sustained crack climbing
The Fluffy Kitten Wall is found in the Stawamus River drainage, on the northeastern slopes of Mount Habrich, and it’s long been a hot-day destination for climbers looking to escape the heat. The multi-pitch granite wall is home to a number of classic trad routes.
The most recent new route is called Apex Predator and goes at 5.11c over seven pitches. Squamish-based Tom Wright and Squamish Rock Guides owner Colin Moorhead posted about the new route on the Instagram pages, which you can follow below. Their complete send was with Robbie Thibault and Oli Wood last week.
The pitches go at 5.6, 5.10a, 5.10c, 5.11c, 5.10d, 5.11b and 5.10a. The 55-metre fourth pitch is described as “The crux pitch follows steep finger cracks above the belay, switch crack systems to the left halfway up (watch for rope drag) and enter the sentry box – exiting out left to a nice belay ledge. Mega!” Read a full description here.
The wall offers a remote, adventurous atmosphere on rock characterized by highly featured faces and countless continuous crack systems. The rock is high quality granodiorite, and tends to be more fine-grained (compact) than the rock closer to Squamish. It seems to have escaped the intense glaciation which shaped The Chief. Being a north-aspect sub-alpine cliff, it gives great views of the Squamish River, Mount Fee and Black Tusk.
One of the most popular routes is The Wonderful Things About Tigers, a seven-pitch 5.11a / 5.10c A0. The FA info goes: Brian Pegg, Andy Durie (1pa on P6) / September 1997; FFA John Ford, Andy Durie August 1998; Pitch 2 Variation Don Serl, Greg Foweraker / September 1992; Pitch 3 and 4 Don Serl, Greg Foweraker September 1992.
In 2020, a new winter line was added called Blue Gold by Paul McSorley, Jia Condon and Anthony Wood, which you can read about here.
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