Jenn wants to get better so I have slowly been taking her out on littler trips to see what her pace is like and what kinda terrain she can handle etc etc. The chief is boring from the popular side so I figured why not try a route I haven't done before. You park a couple km's up the Mamquam FSR.





It's a well define footbed as most things are in Squamish, trails that take you all over the place for bouldering or route climbing. It was straight up and to the point at the start which is always nice to tick off some elevation fast.





After doing a very long traverse that takes you below the back side of 3rd peak, you finally start making your way up again. The closer you get to the summit of 3rd peak the more fixed ropes appear. Since it's covid times I made it a challenge to get up without grabbing any of the lines. It wasn't pretty but it worked, Jenn didn't buy into my silly game and just used them when needed. Before you know it we are ontop of The Chiefs 3rd peak.






The perk to starting so late on a Saturday is we only saw a few people heading down on the trail below and the alpine all to ourselves. We slowly made our way over to 2nd peak watching the sun start to slowly set.



Arriving at the notch between 1st and 2nd there is the via ferrata that Jenn has never done, this saves you having to drop all the way down to 1st peaks main trail, and then having to go back up. I like shortcuts and this is a fun one so up we went.




We got to 1st peak with a tiny bit of daylight left and a search and rescue chopper was landing below us dropping off rescuers. Later we would discover a paraglider who jumped off 1st peak got stuck in a tree.





With day light almost done we started down and as soon as we entered the forest put the headlamps on to walk out. Of course there was a group of 2 without lights slowly trying to find their way down. We made it to the main parking lot, walked along the climbers and boulder trail at the base of the peak that would take us to the Mamquam FSR and inturn completing our loop. Every trip I had a tailgate shot and this was the only 1 for some reason got missed. All I have is the 6 pack of shitty Sneaky Weasel beer that Jenn drinks.

That is the way to do the Chief.
Last time I did this, after 3 and 2 I looped back to Slhanney, then closed the loop via Indian FSR down to Mamquam. There is also direct descent from Slhanney to Mamquam FSR but too steep & difficult at least for me.


How did you find this bit?



Ledge is fine but I had problem pulling myself up, even with a rope. Don't think I'd be able to do it free hand

that is a great loop. thanks for the report and info

Like the loop idea. This is a good way to spice up stuff that otherwise can get to be old hat!

If I might say just one thing: Go Jenn!

Nice one Xj6response, your companion looks like a fearless one who loves the rock.

K

Done the 3-2-1 traverse many times with the same scramble features but in a smaller loop & counter clockwise (taking Slhanney off the official peak 3 trail, which I suspect is a more popular approach); didn't know this big loop to exist, thanks for sharing.