It is likely every Squamish rock climber’s dream job.
Well known local climber Luke Neufeld spent three days last week about 500 metres above the ground in and around the scar on the north wall of the Stawamus Chief.
Neufeld was the site supervisor and one of the expert climbers from Squamish company Global Rock Works, which was hired by BC Parks to clear any loose rock fragments from the scar created by the April 19 rockfall.
“We’ve basically just been clearing all the debris that kind of caught up – rock sitting on ledges and stuff,” Neufeld told The Squamish Chief over the phone on Friday afternoon, while perched on a ledge for the interview.
“[We’re] prying off a couple bigger flakes that are coming off easier, not too huge or anything. The biggest one is probably about the size of a fridge.”
Neufeld said the workers used static climbing ropes and rappelled down, either tying to trees up above or using an anchor bolt. They used pry bars to work precarious rocks free, he said.
That afternoon, the last on the job, there were three climbers doing the scraping, one support worker in Valleycliffe and one on the Forest Service Road below monitoring to ensure no one was entering the area below, according to Neufeld.
It was a shock even to the seasoned climbers to discover close up how big the scar actually is.
“Just seeing the force of nature here is quite incredible. The first time we rappelled in it was just like, whoa, this is immense. This isn’t just like a little scar,” he said.
Neufeld saw the rockfall happen from downtown Squamish.
“It is hard to imagine just exactly how much rock came down here.”
Usually the crew from Global Rock Works gets called out to work above highways or in tunnels, Neufeld said. On this job, the hour and a half hike up the Chief to repel down was different and made it a more physically demanding job than others with which he has been involved.
“That is slightly unusual,” Neufeld said, with a laugh, the sound of voices over a walkie-talkie suddenly interrupting the call as the crew checked in with each other.
Working on the Chief was also a vastly more personal job than usual, Neufeld said.
“The Chief is my playground in Squamish. Most weekends, or several days a week when the weather is good, I come up here and climb or put up new routes or just go explore and take my dog for a walk, so it is definitely a favourite spot of mine in Squamish, and it is pretty unique to have the opportunity to come and work here and make it safe for others,” he said. “It’s fun.”
According to a ministry of environment spokesperson, the province covered the approximately $15,000 cost of the job so far.
The affected section of the Chief remains closed as geo-technical engineers assess the area, according to BC Parks staff. Check the Stawamus Chief page on the BC Parks website for updates.
