Routes

Jump up to the 45 degree sloper. Don't get too excited and fall onto your back. It happens, I don't know why but it happens. Maybe because people jump forward as well as up, their legs swing underneath them and they can't hold on.

Jump straight up to the 45 degree sloper. Campus your way up, grabbing for the back edge when available. Rock over and rock on (dude).

Somewhere between easy and moderate, a fun route for its grade. Drop down into the pit, and climb your way out using the vent and features on the north wall.

Directly to the left of North Parkade Dyno. Use your head on this climb. Literally! Weeeeeeee...

Getting into the chimney is the tricky part. Once in, shimmy up and out.

Brand new, just for you!

Head up the windows. The tricky rock-over at the top can be practiced on a lower tier. Descend to the climber's right.

Shimmy up the pipe to the left, and traverse across the I-Beam on the underside of the breezeway. Gets strenuous.

It is possible to top-rope this route by throwing a rope over the breezeway. You'll need four people: one to climb, one to belay, one to walk along the roof of the breezeway and scoot the rope along, and one to take pictures.

Pinch the pillar and then dyno out to the lip of the overhang. Yeah right! A spooky landing has deterred any serious effort of climbing this route. Best bring a huge crash pad, or do it the old school way...

The late great Guy Edwards claimed someone fell off these pillars in the '80s, breaking his back on the stairs. This event apparently sent buildering into a dark age, as security cracked down on the activity. However, a search of the UBC archives for some mention of this event yielded no results. It could be that the student newspapers didn't report it, or perhaps the whole story is an embellishment of the following story:

In any case use the utmost caution if soloing this route.

See: Featured Route

A great rock route worthy of a rock climbing grade. Climbing shoes are expected.

The roof of Hennings can be gained by a large sturdy pipe on the south face of the building [see inset]. Drop a rope down the north west corner of the building and top-rope the arete [5.12] or just left of the arete, using sidepulls [5.11-].

In pre-pipe days, parties would throw a rope over a branch of the nearby tree. A set-back anchor plus a cruxy top section must've made for some exhilarating climbing.

This is a high traffic area for pedestrians. Best climbed on dark foggy nights. Throwing your rope bag over the nearby light helps. Otherwise, good social skills or a cell phone blocker is a plus.

The 1968 description of "fairly firm" still holds somewhat true. Just be gentle. You can slip a sling behind the pipe, a short bit of clothes hanger wire would aid in this. I wouldn't bother doing this in two pitches. Just sling the spout and go for it. The top move is tricky, be mindful of a few sharp metal edges.

Climb it while it's still there.

Route 1: The right chimney. Bring a rope. Solo up to where the white part of the building starts. Easy but spooky. There's a great piece of protection, a metal bar connecting the white part of the building with the concrete under it, about 12" to the right of the chimney.

Head up the now narrower chimney, with a nice crack in the back. Laybacking is trickier, but much easier on the knees. The crack takes #1 and #2 Camalots, but the real bomber pieces are hexes where the crack widens at the horizontal ribs.

There's a similar climb around the front of the building. It is one story lower, the crack in the back is thinner (#2 Metolius), and it has a much larger bust factor.

Route 2: See: Featured Route. The arete. A recent addition to the building, the large air ducting pipes, offer points of protection for this climb. Solo up to left chimney. Sling the first bracket, and move right to the right rib. Sling the brackets.

Descent Go through the unlocked door, through the maintenance room and out. Roof access doors are almost always unlocked out to in, and locked in to out. Therefore, it's best not let the door shut behind you before you know there's a way out of the building.