It was a classic climb that was now officially legal.
I was looking up at the finger crack snaking its way up the 70-foot rock face.
For a climber, this route, The Zip, is a sight to behold. It’s vertical seam that rises upward and swerves slightly right before shooting straight up again, flaring a couple of times before it reaches the end.
It’s an exciting climb that offers a lot of places to put your hands and feet. There’s also plenty of spots to place good protective gear, but at the same time, it’s no gimme — it will leave you feeling a bit pumped and tired.
The Zip has been a Squamish classic since it was first ascended in 1979, but because it has been on private property, the legalities of having recreationalists climb the route have been rather fuzzy. The same applies to several other climbs in the area, such as Ferret’s Folly.
However, as of early August, the District has acquired that land, known as the Drenka property for $650,000. It lies right by the Smoke Bluffs, just east of the Mamquam Blind Channel.
Many who’ve been in town for a while will recognize that parcel as the former domain of John Drenka, the figure behind Squamish Mills.
As one might expect, the Squamish Access Society was quick to applaud the acquisition.
“We are obviously delighted,” said the society’s vice-chair, Brian Moorhead. “It puts a significant amount of climbing on crags back into play that were theoretically off limits for many years. Clearly it’s a win-win as far as we’re concerned.”
In addition to protecting high-quality climbs, it also offers a waterfront view to many of those who stroll through the area’s trails, Moorhead said.
“It’s a big win for the walking public, not just the rock climbers,” he added.
Search and rescue also uses the area for training exercises, and a municipal waterline crosses the land.
However, let’s make this win a permanent one.
At the moment, the municipality has said the area will remain as greenspace, but no formal decision on the land’s future has been made.
Land like this is precious, and it would be in the interest of all park users that it be officially recognized as such.
As a result, it would be a good gesture for the District to officially make this land a part of Smoke Bluffs park, and protect it permanently as designated parkland.
We would do well to capitalize on this win. Why not make it official?
