Grand Fall on the Grand Wall (GoPro)

Climbing the Grand Wall (5.11a A0) in Squamish. The Sword Pitch.
To see the full video check out • Climbing the Grand Wal...

[@freitag314]

What's with all the complaining about grabbing the chain anchor? It's the end of the pitch, there is no stance. It's a hanging belay. Pretty sure that's the way everybody does it. And yes, I have climbed the route (5-1/2 hours with the Apron Strings/Cruel Shoes start and one 45 meter rope, maybe 27 years ago). Nice video, I totally understand falling there. It's pumpy for sure. Next pitch, even more strenuous. Some of the people commenting below are not people I would ever want to meet. They are embarrassingly rude and must be unhappy with their situation in life. My advice? Go to Squamish, find out how awesome this climb is (and many, many other lines), and if you're still a grumpy know-it-all, post your own video to show us how you think it should be done.

[@bman6065]

@@Jonathan-wj6uh sounds like all you do in life is troll

[@FallLineJP]

Clearly a *real* climber would just glue themselves to the wall to belay. *eyeroll* Thanks for the comment. That looks like a beautiful and super tough line. So many walls, so little time....

[@giacomocasanova2893]

amen

[@spruceg00se]

@@bman6065 stop snowflakeing, snowflake

[@jamiemusclip1606]

Peace!

[@transientdreams]

I have an 8 foot ladder. Anything out of my reach with that stays just as it is.

[@aspire2inspire4]

ROFL dude

[@JohnSmith-wo1hu]

My feet were tingling while I was watching this. I don't see the appeal.

[@transientdreams]

Nicholas Gregoire You are fortunate. When I watch the MOST extreme freestyle climbing, my feet feel like they being beaten by thick, bamboo sticks. I kid you not!

[@reddeadjuju]

🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣👏✊

[@LeaveNoTraceExplorations]

Well done man. The skill of placing that cam to hold that fall is equal to the ability to climb that pitch. That granite looks so slippery for the layback.

[@krist.7419]

granite never slippery.....

[@krist.7419]

@@TeamFortressTwoGaming you are. probably right....

[@arnabmalakar5660]

ay dude its been 10 years how u been

[@11Bulletstopper]

Daaamn bro, you must have been gripped out of your mind not even being able to hang on the anchor...and fuck the people talking crap about grabbing the chains...if you can reach'em after a heinous layback, fair game.

[@LeadBeIIy]

Ha, my first lead of the sword almost ended exactly like this. I got my whole arm through the chains but I was so drained from that last layback and the chains were so slick that I just barely managed to get my personal anchor onto the chains before my arm gave way. I think they're perma-oily because everyone ends up grabbing them with sweaty hands.

[@isaacmartin6984]

Chains have to be oiled or they'll rust

[@gdog9010]

Or just get a stainless steel chain...

[@anthonymendoza1327]

My memory of the belay was clicking into the bolts (no chains 40 years ago) and getting settled into my belay seat. Then I looked around. Oh my God! What a view. I had been so focused on climbing for the last 300 feet that I had no idea where I was. It was incredible. I still get shivers from the thought.

[@bshandro]

haha climb this pitch then comment on grabbing the chains

[@user-fs5bg1xj8t]

People that just sport climb Don't understand what comes into play when you are trad climbing a multi pitch like that... you can't risk as much, ethics can go f*** themselves

[@BonnChnd]

I thought you did great!

[@tallasianguy42]

Chains are meant to be grabbed. And yes, I have done this pitch.

[@Nuttyirishman85]

@@tallasianguy42 footy or it didn’t happen.

[@tallasianguy42]

@@Nuttyirishman85 it's funny, we were about to bring our film crew and stylists out and post some sick vids to the 'Gram but then we realized it was 2004.

[@scottitheyogichef]

Well done!, Bellingham boi here, Squamish handed me many ass kickings in my day! That was one of them! The layback is pumpy AF! Lots of sends and greasy hands upon them walls of glory.

[@4thlinerferlife]

The sword pitch is so slick from all the years of acents I am glad I got the Split Pillar pitch on my lead. Thanks for the vid. Been a few years since I have been on this climb.

[@marlonmendez5176]

People talking smack in the comment section about your climbing while they're on their desk. Thanks for the vid!

[@overthetip]

At least I've climbed my desk successfully.

[@leoingson]

The fear in your breath adds a nice touch ;)

[@TheCanadianBubba]

Lived in Squamish many years, only ever took the trails. The last time descending I fell and started leaking all over the place. Cannot imagine climbing the faces, you that can and do are in incredible condition. Thank you for sharing this !

[@seanieizcool]

Leaking? Shit?

[@TheCanadianBubba]

@@seanieizcool Yes, shit, red shit all over the fucking place.

[@seanieizcool]

@@TheCanadianBubba oh you were bleeding. My bad lol.

[@MotherAlgorithm]

Don't let the jam out

[@Lucuskane]

Awesome climb, good fall. Beautiful rock quality.Thanks

[@evanbarnes9984]

Damn dude, that put me right in the headspace I occupy when leading trad. There's nothing quite like the thrill of pumped out exhaustion with a background of mild terror!

[@DansEarway]

3 seconds in and my palms are pouring sweat. I know the sharp end of the rope all too well. Terrific route, thx for sharing. 👏👏👏

[@fatalfrizzl]

Got to love them master cams

[@miguelcastorena4293]

that pitch looks so sick, i hope i can make it out to squamish some day

[@dereks7061]

My thinking - hmmm, he’s not far from the anchor… must not be too bad of a whipper. With each step up… my hands started sweating myself and seeing how far the set places trad anchor was… you got balls of steel and climb like a boss. Great job, and surprisingly smooth fall lol hope you’re having a great year (in 2022!)

[@Mrdevs96]

fuck dude this looks nuts. Props for filming in BC, some of the best spots in the world! the views are always incredible

[@Kragatar]

1:44 That's what she said.

[@mikebarter387]

did that pitch 25 years ago just relived the adventure

[@SethDRiddle]

Heart stopping. Glad you're okay!

[@brendanrodgers5044]

Great video. Props for giving it full steam.

[@kentonanderson3089]

lol "i think someone oiled them", has to suck to fall holding the chains xD glad to see you were fine

[@tommym875]

The haters coming out hard in the comments section! I know the feeling of being to pumped to hang on to anything and knowing you're going for a ride!! Awesome work!!! Great video!!

[@bretb8799]

Did some beginner climbing with Boy Scouts this year. It was the hardest thing I've ever done. Anyone who climbs anything anyway is a stud in my book.

[@levermanna]

Man I wish I had the means to get out and do this! Looks like indoor is my only option lol nice climb Bret

[@jonathansummerfield8390]

Wow that Granit is beautiful!!

[@raymondnavarro9798]

Balls of steel... skill and courage man.....I can have all the chains in the hardware store and still won't be able to do what you guys do...kudos to you....

[@jefffski]

i remember the epic battle with that corner. You did great.

[@subjax1]

Holy cow, this brings back memories... I remember making a desperate lunge for those same chains at the top of the sword. Granted, Squamish 5.11 is pretty much equivalent to Index 5.9, but its still a scary and thin layback finger crack a long ways up.

[@Madmindman]

The caption makes this so much better.

[@gimme80s]

amazing! i’ve always admired climbers

[@FCBayernFan85]

I have some serious respect for rock climbers. You hands and callouses are comparable to the points on my ice tools! haha

[@NinjaBenification]

so you had to climb it again, but with an oiled hand? sick vid buddy, iv never had a pop at anythin that high, the view looked epic!

[@chipper442]

All set. I’ve climbed a few times and was scared the entire time. I totally enjoyed climbing up the “side” anchoring in and repelling, but for some reason, trying to climb the face made my knees knock every time.

[@lifeisgood070]

wow.... the gear held. Epic gear placements :p :)

[@torreyintahoe]

epic? perfect cams.

[@michijimc9753]

Stood at the base of el Cap and watched tiny little colored specs climbing waaaay up on the wall. Anyone who climbs rock walls has my absolute respect. Watching this completely reaffirmed my lifelong rule to live by. If I get over 8 feet off the ground it will be only in something made by Boeing or Douglas Aircraft, period.

[@BushCampingTools]

MAN! What happened when u grabbed the belay chain, were u just so pumped? or something else? Fantastic video felt like i was there!

[@mountainssea9642]

Holy cow. So intense.

[@sprayjacket]

Bret Shandro, You are my hero xxx

[@williemash]

What is going on with the extra carabiner you have on the pro at 1:48? It looks like a double length sling over a horn left of the arete, which makes sense. Did you have both of them racked on the double-length, then decided to leave the extra when you looped the horn as a natural anchor? Thanks, just curious.

[@bshandro]

W Mashburn It is a 60 cm sling over a horn. Yes two biners on the sling when racked to double as a draw when needed, which usually just stay on the sling after being used on a horn unless a shortage of biners is anticipated.

[@doransshield9176]

damn I drive by this all the time, need to get into this

[@Freshmanrob]

That was a nice catch!

[@Buchstabensuppe75]

wow cool video. i´m new into clean climbing and i couldnt believe that a small cam like that could take a fall of this size :)

[@bman6065]

It's not that small

[@whiskeybeardoutdoors6568]

Much respect. That shit is super hard.

[@josiahdood]

Weeee! Let's see it in regular motion too!

[@tomwolfe1983]

Cool, you got to do it all over again. Mike Barter you're full of it. There was so a guidebook, a yellow covered paperback with sweet hand drawn topos. I don't remember chains but I do remember the two pitches of old fuzzy marine rope used to hand over hand it past the rivet ladder -- I imagined this as the cord that dangled the Sword of Damocles, ready to break at any moment.

[@sushiman12121212]

Hola

[@thewhistler9775]

Haha, you did the same thing I did. You put your camera on the top of your helmet instead of the side, so it bangs against the rocks when you climb too. Still I like that angle better then on the side.

[@r3l4x69]

thats some beautiful granite

[@DemolitionPaintball]

wish it wasnt slow mode

[@bshandro]

well DemolitionPaintball you are in luck... go to 27:00 in this --> Climbing the Grand Wall (5.11a) in Squamish, BC (GoPro helmet cam)

[@dancer1]

28:00

[@dreads9536]

@@dancer1 Yet still ruined it with captions.

[@dancer1]

@@dreads9536 yeah like wtf he doesn’t know how to make a vid

[@mitchellsurtees7601]

snap man what went wrong? did your hand slipp off of the chain?

[@Sovietllama965]

damn, nice whipper. also nice sportivas

[@Nuttyirishman85]

Nice send!

[@scherenschnitt6333]

Wow. Thats so exposed. Good placing of the Friends

[@bshandro]

thats rad, in contrast we read every comment on MP and sewed the climb up with flexible cams... and at the end of the day feel adventurous

[@partykrew666]

Dude that layback looks heinous. If I'm forced to layback something, I'm definitely not having a good time 🤣

[@mikebarter387]

Honestly I am not 100 percent certain. I think it was a pile of tat. I do recall launching for it and making the grab. Back then there was no guide book for the route somebody just pointed it out from the parking lot and away we went with half dozen stem cams.

[@johnprocter7545]

good cam placements.

[@bshandro]

Mike, where there chains there 25 years ago?

[@addsbyyahoo]

Is catching chains along the route so safe?

[@ZayyanAjaz]

Thanks God you safe.

[@gardenstate761]

Thats the exact moment where i think I would have shat my pants.

[@ronlawrence5021]

I love watching these rock climbers using their gear. They find a crack that is separating a 1000 ton slab of rock. And what do they do? Trust their lives in a little tool that essentially acts as a wedge between the two slabs!

[@masonicmachine]

Not one but 8!

[@Henry_L]

damn chain oilers

[@atjkhs7592]

+Henry L What is a chain oiler?

[@terenceb8053]

People that put oil on the chain so the cord doesn-t get burnt

[@AaronMartinCOOLVIDEO]

Dam looks hard.

[@davidcross30]

Nice video man. So close eh!

[@richlukl]

where is this looks like a awaome bit of rock

[@bshandro]

gloves for a finger crack?

[@tested123]

ya i drove by there a few times

[@calebmallory4595]

Kept thinking this was a "ground fall" which is unsurvivable at that height...

[@bshandro]

There are survivals of skydiving accidents when the parachutes doesn't open... I would say that it is highly unlikely instead of unsurvivable.

[@calebmallory4595]

Bret Shandro Ah yes very true, pardon my choice of words.

[@ryanketler5742]

Bret Shandro in the cases of skydivers surviving huge falls, the parachute opens enough to slow the fall. In this case the climber would die 100 %. It is a straight free fall of a couple hundred feet.

[@kvltizt]

A woman survived a free fall from a disibtegrating passenger jet at 33000 feet, so yeah, you can survive falls that are considered 100 percent lethal. However, the chances are so slim that you still call it a 100 percent fatal fall.

[@Rowganlife]

falling with grace.

[@Ls1opSS]

so im new to climbing, if that cam didnt hold or blew a chunk of the wall out, would he have fallen to his death?

[@mack7371]

That would be a questions for google

[@aidanmiddleton8972]

+owen panick Not if he has Other pieces underneath it which I believe he does.

[@ctbsancho2516]

Until the next cam catches him, and if those go he has the anchor and belayer and if he falls past them, then that is called a factor 2 fall and is really bad because if the anchor fails, both of you go.

[@WithoutAtaste]

That Was scary.. I thought you made it... and then wow

[@MorganBrown]

Heheh, you must be French Canadian? 😂 Seriously, great rock and footage. I couldn’t lead this and if I could I would totally grab the chain! (I literally am 25% French Canadian)

[@ChileThailandtravel]

Amazing but scary

[@windworldone]

Nice video

[@jogonabandeja6145]

I think i shit myself watching this

[@alan23nala]

Rock climbing fall climbing in Cape Town 6c+

[@Fogmeister]

OK that was weird. When the video first started I thought that was an almost horizontal ledge that you were traversing. Only when you started climbing did I realise it was actually a vertical crack. Haha :D

[@dizzyvizion5069]

Pumpy stuff!

[@sonnydean3187]

Cool video. Those who partake in this sport must maintain there wits about them. I personally could not do it. My fear of falling would overtake me. :-)

[@g.e.b.8159]

It's not a sport. A real sport won't put your life in jeopardy.

[@rainbowGZUS7]

@@g.e.b.8159 Football isn't a sport then cause one wrong fall and your braindead

[@Dexter_Morgan.]

@@g.e.b.8159 if it's in the Olympics it's a sport (and even if it isn't in the Olympics that doesn't mean it's not a sport) also have you never heard of football boxing mma hockey skiing or snowboarding all of which are sports and all of which can cause serious injuries or death

[@mellifont96]

@@g.e.b.8159 ever heard of extreme sports? There’s a shit ton of them at this point. Google it.

[@Khilalblax]

My hands are all sweaty now thanks -_-

[@MrKankuamo]

The slow motion protected my from shitting my pants :)

[@rockclimbinghacks9222]

Nice

[@ludmilascoles1195]

Gee I think I put in some of the piton on scars on that one back in 84

[@johnbrown5787]

how do u get down

[@JohnDoe-xu2vx]

Wonder how often climbers wish they were safely on the ground....terrifying

[@TheOhfishes]

Props on the gear placement. That was a big fall.

[@nandakanda32000]

He believes that wall doesn't peel off at all? Or he may think "It's also my fate."...

[@oldschoolhawking8191]

How bout a explanation for the dummy over here. What happened when the climber grabbed the chain? What caused the fall? From behind the steering wheel of my big rig, everything looked great. :--(

[@adsssdfcv]

old school hawking chain was greasy

[@nater567]

he was climbing using layback technique...pushimg with feet and pulling with hands to keep from falling, but when he got to the top and grabbed the chain, his left hand was just too tired and he couldmt hold on any longer and he fell. but at least his safety pro was there and the rope caught him like its supposed to

[@telestix6606]

Essentially his feet slipped and the one arm on the chains wasn't strong enough to hold him.

[@bobbypatton4903]

lay backing freaking burns! What a struggle!

[@blacksun32]

Chain oilers are out to get chain grabbers, beware!

[@esandoval901]

Wow... somebody MUST have oiled those things

[@JohnWick-lu9mk]

It's all about endurance because his breathing so hard

[@davidevans9000]

Bro… That was close!

[@davidevans9000]

You were definitely going for it!

[@1over137]

When I watch these climbing videos I always find it difficult to work out what angle the rock is at. I get it that photographers are always wanting to exaggerate the steepness. This video is obviously someone with an action camera so can't be that. However if you watch something like "Free Solo", there are hardly any camera angles showing the horizon. Every shot is tilted to show the section of wall he is on as vertical. It took me a while to realise it's not vertical, it is terrifyingly steep with many vertical sections and the slope probably just makes the fall more painful. If you look at shots from the bottom of El Cap, it looks like the first section is vertical and the upper wall is over hung by 20*. When in reality the bottom section is laid back 30* and the top cliffs laid back 10*... with many vertical and overhung parts. Sometimes it takes you watch the ropes and how they hang, or watch how the climber uses their shoulder and hips against the wall, suggesting there is some gravity holding them against the wall.

[@1over137]

I suppoose the question is, what difference does it make? You are still going to die if you miss place your step and don't have a rope and to avoid falling off, you really will have to get down against the rock and climb up it as if it was vertical. It's just that anything i have climbed where I know I can take a foot hold and lean into the rock, lie against it and take my hands off is much more comfortable than to literally be hanging like a boulder problem. The slope is steep enough, if you even slide one foot, you won't stop. But it still gives you a little gravity on your side to keep you on the wall. Or am I miss reading this? Highest thing I climbed was a slate cliff of 70ft when I was 15. No ropes, no gear. Stupid, risky, especially as it was vertical and the upper slate holds where actually full of wet grass and mud which I didn't expect and could have cost my life. So I'm no expert.

[@whimseyOFC]

I have a great challenge for you Paul. If you have a refridgerator or a smal moveable closet in your house, or something other you know is vertical, place it in the middle of a room, and use your phone to film it. Start holding the phone at floor level, and film straight towards the legs of the closet. Now start moving towards the closet while keeping the camera level with the floor, and filming the closet legs. Onc you are 9ft or so away stop moving. Now tilt your camera upwards so you can film the top edge of the closet. I am willing to bet you money that it is not going to look vertical as vertical, but more sloped, like some of the close photos of el capitan does. I think to truly appreciate how steep and vertical el cap mostly is, you need to go there and see for your self. When it comes to the filming of Free Solo, of course they are going to use dramatic camera angles and some trickery here and there for even more dramatic effect. But from my understanding, you seem to try to discredit, or gaslight, which I find a bit odd, and kind of disrespectful. If you want to try to gaslight someone, you best be sure you have outmanned the person in question with a greater feat. If not, it's just pointless and makes no sense. I say that because most pictures of any wall or near vertical hill, will not look vertical at all. If you watch cross country skiers skiing up an alpine slope, you will get what I am saying. On camera it looks like you could run up that hill. In real life it looks near vertical, and nere impossible to get up at all On a final note, you bring up boulder problems. El capitans boulder problem is probably on of the scariest ones out there, seeing as you have to either dynojump or literally fall off the wall controlled to hit the proper set up with your ninjakick.

[@whimseyOFC]

Also, lense must be wide angle for it to have the most dramatic effect when filming the closet

[@1over137]

@@whimseyOFC I wasn't "gaslighting". I just realised most footage delibrately makes it look more vertical than it is. As you point out, camera lens do odd things, both promoting and hiding the true angle. Even looking at the topography of el cap there is a significant, non 90* gradient. But I've stood above a 30* scree slope in the mountains and choose to back-track a mile to avoid going down it. I understand that anything laid back less than 45* is equivalent to vertical. I also understand there are a "lot" of unavoidable vertical parts and overhung parts. I'm not belittling the achievement. I'd make it up the initial 10 foot of 30* laid back and freeze. I know my limits. I lost the "balls" from my teenage years after I matured. The other thing that strikes me watching these videos and why I can't do it, is my feet tingle and twitch. I've felt it with heights before, the feeling you can't trust you limbs, but it's literally like they aren't under my control. They fiss and burn with nerves and crumple. While I would like to feel I could train myself to overcome the fear, I wonder if my hippocampus would agree at 47. That said. I suffer depression. Watching these videos challenges me. It challenges tweaking my anxiety forcing me to control it while my feet crawl and twitch. It also has given a "sport" option that I can do, in a gym setting. I can also include my 5 yo daughter and make it a bonding exercise. I'm going to take her to the local climbing gym, make it about her to start with, she badly needs confidence training and the ability to pause, relax and think things through. Surely a kids climbing bolder wall with a huge big mat like jumping on a bed is a perfect thing?. But I can have a go too. ;) Maybe I can use the descenders and "fall practice" to stop my feet buzzing. So apologies I sounded like I was belittling things or gaslighting.

[@1over137]

@@whimseyOFC When I was about 16, as the tree climber I was I choose to ascend a "conker", horse chestnut tree in autumn. Jump on a main limb to shake dozens of conkers loose for my friends below to race around and collect. The main limb was about 30ft up and about 6 inches thick. The upper limb I had my hand around was 1 inch thick. The lower 6 inch limb broke away and fell. That left me hanging in free air 30ft up from a 1 inch thing branch which was bending excessively. I immediately shuffled to the root of that branch and started calling for help. The main tree trunk was 6 or 7 feet from me I couldn't reach it. I looked down and as this tree was on a building site, my landing zone turned out to be a broken pile of concrete blocks and bricks. I noticed in response to my calling "Help!", my "friends" had all got on their bikes and fled. At first I paniced, cried out for help, felt like wetting myself. But it quickly became apparent, nobody could help me, my grip would not hold long enough. I looked at the main trunk, a sinking feeling as I'd never tried anything like it before, but if I could swing to it, I could catch it with my legs, I'd be practically upside down, but, ... it was my only choice. I made that swing. I grabbed the trunk between my legs, wrapped it tight, moved my hands and slowly, inch by inch rotated around it to be above it. You can imagine the sigh of relief. Dropped back down out of the tree was easy. I thought it was only in emergencies I would understand that level of thought, decision and commitment to implementation, but I took up paragliding and feel I've saved my life repeatedly many times now :) I hope I continue to do so. Live, love, hope or heal.

[@sgnt9337]

OMG that was scary.

[@subjax1]

The next pitch (that starts at those chains) is a mandatory A0 bolt ladder. Most people link the two pitches into one, so by any reasonable definition it's an A0 pitch anyway... but more importantly, who gives a shit?

[@mykam1337]

you are one of these guys that have socks on in their climbing shoes, right?

[@bman6065]

I'm "one of those guys"

[@Dexter_Morgan.]

@@bman6065 so am I

[@cassiusdio6048]

Some climbs aren’t made to top out and walk off, I too have hung on the last bolt, no big deal, it’s like ringing the bell at the gym. Lol