Five Hard Squamish Sport Routes
If you're looking for a difficult granite climb to project this summer, Squamish has you covered
Canada has a lot of hard sport routes, from 5.15s in the Rockies, to powerful 5.14s in the east to world-famous 5.14s in the west. Below are five of the hardest sport routes in Squamish.
Dark Matter 5.14d/15a: Ben Harnden made the first ascent of Dark Matter this year, and suggested 5.14d/15a, which would make it one of the hardest climbs in Canada. Harnden is one of Canada’s strongest climbers with repeats of Dreamcatcher 5.14d, Cobra Crack 5.14, The Bull 5.14R and Family Man 5.14b. In 2017, he completed the Squamish Trifecta: a 5.14 sport route, a 5.14 trad route and a V14 boulder.
Dreamcatcher 5.14d: The famous Dreamcatcher is one of the hardest sport routes in Canada. The granite line is found on the Cacodemon boulder and has become an iconic climb in Squamish. Chris Sharma and Sonnie Trotter bolted it in 2005, and Sharma made the FA not long after. Dreamcatcher went unrepeated for many years, despite attempts made by climbers such as Alex Honnold and Ethan Pringle. The route has only been successfully free climbed three times as Sean McColl made the second ascent in 2009 and Ben Harnden completed the third ascent in 2012. The most recent redpoint was by J.J. Mah, read more here.
Silent Menace 5.14c: First climbed by Sonnie Trotter, the 5.14a had a crucial hold break off in 2007. The new variation was sent in 2009 by Ben Harnden and renamed Smell the Glove 5.14c. There was some controversy about the renaming of the climb and both names are now used. The climb has been broken down into a V12 to a hard V9. Watch the flake break off in this video.
Superman 5.14c: Found on the Big Show at Cheakamus Canyon north of Squamish, this steep test-piece was first climbed by Sonnie Trotter in 2002, and repeated in 2004 by Sean McColl. In 2016, Alex Megos climbed it on his second attempt, shortly after making the fourth ascent of Dreamcatcher.
Supermanboy 5.14c: The route was first climbed by Steve “Manboy” Townshend in 2007 as a link-up into Superman. Townshend had a special 80-metre rope made for the send, as the route is 40 metres long. Much like the other hard routes on the Big Show, Supermanboy requires good endurance and a lot of power. The other climbs on the wall are: Division Bell 5.13d, Pulse 5.14a, Free Will 5.13c, Captain America 5.14b, Heat 5.13d, Patience 5.14a, and Revival 5.14b.
Check out the latest buyer's guide:
