1977 - Skiing at Diamond Head, Little Smoke Bluffs, The Apron, Clean Crack, Happy Trails, Cookie Jar

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Skiing at Diamond Head
Location of the Skiing area at Diamond Head

Chris enjoying the snow.

Cold? Me cold? Diamondhead has been the site of many an enjoyable ski trip.

Taking a break at high point on Paul Ridge.

Note the change in clothing. I gave up wool, and I think Chris doesn't wear his Egyptian cotton any more!

Malamute Bluffs - Crescent Crack
Location of the Malamute Bluffs

A lot of crack cleaning in those days.

Crescent crack is an ever steepening thin crack climb. Back in those days, we were honing our aid climbing skills. Here in the picture Chris is making his way up to the top.
One of the interesting sidlines of climbs down on the Malamute Bluffs was the the Royal Hudson steam engine pulling a load of tourists just by where you were belaying.
Sadly, climbing is now banned from this area close to the tracks.

The Apron - Squamish Chief - Slab Alley
Location of the Apron and Slab Alley

Chuck belaying on Slab Alley.

When we first started climbing on the Apron of the Chief, you could still hear the ping, ping, ping, of pins being hammered. We even pounded a few ourselves, but chocks were the obvious way to go considering the damage that had already been done by pins, and the traffic the routes were beginning to take.

This picture shows one of the amazing runnels that makes up part of "Slab Alley".

Keith enjoying a break.

Lycra had not made its mark in 1977. A lot of climbers wore baggy pants that allowed freedom of movement, but probably most important, were cheap!
There was little need for a helmet on Slab Alley, but I have always been the cautious type.

The Little Smoke Bluffs in the background of the picture were largely unused, compared to ten years later.
Climbing was a wonderful form of relaxation, especially sitting up by Broadway, glowing in the enjoyment of a climb, and looking out over Squamish and the mountains beyond.

Little Smoke Bluffs - Happy Trails
Location of the Little Smoke Bluffs

Chris doing some more cleaning.

Chris named this one Happy Trails I believe, and I think we might have done this during the winter months during a particular warm, dry spell. With all the aid climbing we did during this period, we sure found out quickly if our chock placements were good!


This area is in the Little Smoke Bluffs, on the eastern edge of Squamish.

Malamute Bluffs - Clean Crack
Location of the Malamute Bluffs

Keith hanging around.

During these days, we often spent days cleaning cracks of moss and dirt, and spending time aid climbing to do it. Here I am (Keith Rajala) on Clean Crack down by the train tracks in Squamish. Did I climb if free? No, I wasn't good enough, but it was fun trying and watching tourists go by in the train just a few feet behind me!

Squamish Chief - Cookie Jar
Location of The Grand Wall area.

Ryan making the big step.

Here is Ryan Shellborn doing the first pitch of Cookie Jar on the lower parts of the Grand Wall area. You have to climb up some slabs, climb half way up the tree, then lean over as he is doing and clip into a bolt ladder. Higher up you get to do some free climbing. It was about half way up on one of these Cookie Jar adventures that rocks started to hurtle down from above. All we heard was a whistle, a slight blur, and the sound of rocks crashing into the trees below. Our helmets didn't seem to be so effective at that point.