Western Dihedral

The route is named for the large, reddish right-facing corner with its big cracks visible from the base—the Western Dihedral. Both pitches 2 and 3 feel like crux pitches, but are completely different. Pitch 2 has lieback and stemming moves, and Pitch 3 has delicate smearing on an exhilarating finger traverse. The rest of the route is pleasant smearing and easy cruising.

Pitch 1

Follow a left-facing edge with face moves past two grassy ledges and a bolt at each. Walk up the interesting angled dike to another bolt, 5.8. Alternate smearing and ledges lead to the anchor.

Pitch 2

A pitch of varied charms, an area classic. Start up around the bush to its left side. Walk up a trough with minimal gear to a short wall crowned with a vertical 2" crack. Pull over this onto a ramp rising leftward. Pass some flakes with gear and continue to a bolt on the face. Pull over this hump into the Predihedral. Filled with beautiful finger edges, this is an enjoyable feature with good stemming. At a bolt at its top, cross left on a sloping wave to the Western Dihedral. Placing gear here will result in a sharp zigzag in the rope(s) unless mitigated. Climb the various cracks, 4"+ wide, in the big dihedral to a nice ledge out left with the anchor, 5.8.

Pitch 3

Lower back out into the dihedral, pad up it a bit and clip the first bolt. Smear up to reach a fine finger traverse across the wall to the right, 5.8. Cruise up a couple of cracks for pro until a bolt appears one to the right. Cross a dirty hump rightward, then some fine, clean smearing past two bolts to the anchor.

Pitch 4

The angle eases off even more, so this pitch is an easy ramble straight up the slab for 40m. Then look right for one bolt, leading one to the anchor, 5.5.

Pitch 5

Setting a course for the large-looking Headwall Block above, cruise up shallow troughs and slabs with at least one decent pocket for pro, 5.4. Get right up to the block, a flat vertical wall, and clamber left around it.  Blocks and ledges lead to the summit, where a sling belay is threaded around a pinch point.

Descent: rappel the route.

Follow the approach directions on the South Face page to the grassy saddle, then left, up to the base of Skeena26. Do the class 4 scramble, and on up to the far western wall.

About the class 4 scramble: choosing the easiest way, this can be done with easy scrambling and a few low class 5, low-angle moves. One way, from the base of Skeena26, is to first trend leftward on easy humps and grooves, then back right when they end. With a few smearing moves go up grooves to a white tree stump. A couple of face moves lead to the top of the dark green gully on the left, and the huge shelf system.

Once at the top of the talus field at the base of the far western wall, follow the wall closely to the right. Pushing past tree branches in two places, drop down to a nice ledge with a belay bolt.

Time: 1 hour from the grassy saddle, 4 from trailhead

The far western wall of the South Face of Squire Creek Wall

Single standard rack to 4", a dozen draws plus some long ones, two 60m ropes

All of the holes on this route were drilled with hand drill and hammer. As the route is within the boundaries of designated Wilderness, power drills are not allowed. All bolts are 3/8" stainless steel wedge bolts. Hangers are modern, stainless steel, mostly powder coated. Anchors are mostly Fixe stainless steel two-hanger chain with equalized ring.