"Perfidious Albion offers a striking twist on Squamish's usual traditions, blending slab and corner climbing with technical stemming and solid protection. This single-pitch trad route challenges climbers to engage with sharp, angular features in a style closer to sport than the area's typical splitter cracks."
Perfidious Albion stands apart from the typical offerings at Squamish, inviting climbers into a bold, angular world where the rock’s sharp edges shape a climb closer in style to sport routes than the classic splitter cracks that fill the area. This single-pitch, 100-foot trad route challenges you from the first moves on a dark, slabby face marked by a crack dotted with pods. While the crack can hold some dust and debris, it never feels overwhelming, allowing focus to settle on technique and balance. About 25 feet in, a sizable ledge provides a moment to catch your breath before the wall swings into a striking left-facing corner on your right. Here, the climbing intensifies, requiring firm, precise moves as you crank over a bulge and then shift leftward into a steep, right-facing dihedral. This section demands technical stemming, a dance of athletic positioning that pulls you up and through with both strain and rhythm.
The final sequence stops short of sheer ease: a puzzle-like crux nudges you toward the bolted anchors, where the climb finds its satisfying conclusion. Protection ranges from small stoppers up to hand-sized cams, with a critical fixed pin set in a tiny opposing corner high up in the dihedral—a reminder that the route balances on a knife-edge between placing your own gear and trusting the fixed piece. Packing a broad collection of slings is smart for navigating tricky placements and extending runners.
Situated in the Smoke Bluffs area near Squamish, British Columbia, this climb offers an experience that’s part technical test, part physical puzzle, framed by some of the Coast Mountains’ iconic granite. The approach is straightforward, and the route’s distinctive style serves as a refreshing contrast to the usual lineup of splitter cracks, offering a taste of sport-like movement without abandoning traditional anchor points. If your fingers crave variety and your mind a mental challenge, Perfidious Albion punches above its grade with compelling moves and a unique texture of rock. Weather here can swing quickly, so aim for stable, dry conditions to make the most of the slab and clean cracks. Avoid wet seasons as the slab becomes slick and protection harder to place safely.
Climbers coming to Perfidious Albion will find a route where the rock almost dares you to test your balance and gear strategy. The atmosphere is intimate and focused, far from crowded routes, making this an inviting choice for those eager to push into Squamish's less traversed trad terrain with a sporty edge. Draw on your experience with stemming and slab tactics, pack smart gear, and take your time reading the moves—this climb rewards attention and patience with a blend of dynamic movement and secure, thoughtful protection.
While the slab section can hold moderate protection, the upper dihedral requires careful placement and trust in a fixed pin that should be tested. Rock here is generally solid but watch for occasional dust in the pods early on. Avoid climbing in wet or rainy conditions, as the slab quickly becomes slick and dangerous.
Approach when the rock is dry to avoid slick slabs and insecure gear placements.
Pack a wide range of small to hand-sized protection to cover the route’s varied crack widths.
Use slings to reduce rope drag and extend tricky placements, especially near the bulge and dihedral.
Check the fixed pin before trusting it; it can be a critical piece high on the route.
Small stoppers and cams up to hand size secure the route, with a key fixed pin located in a small opposing corner near the upper dihedral. Bringing an assortment of slings will help extend protection where needed. Bolted anchors provide a safe, reliable top-out.
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