Alpine climbing
Two new routes in a weekend!
A lot can be done in with some motivation and a good partner. Colin Moorhead and I rolled out of golden at 6pm on friday August 19th, bound for the Bugaboos. 51 hours later, we were back having completed two new multi-pitch routes routes! The stories and beta for “Minotaur Direct” and “Sick and Twisted” are below.
Minotaur Direct was a multi year project whose first ascent story goes something like this: In 2011 Moorhead and I started on Labyrinth and but ventured into new terrain aka Minotaur, on what’s now it’s 6th pitch. We rejoined Labyrinth for it’s last three pitches but did 7 new ones, of which a couple included free variations of the aid route Les Bruixes Es Pentinen. Although it was a great day out and a memorable adventure, the King line with a direct start and finish awaited to be done.
In 2014, Michelle Kadatz and I started the direct route, cleaning many loose hanging blocks left precariously in place from the great flake that fell off the mountain in the late nineties. We soon had a five pitch direct start established to the ledge system that Colin and I had traversed from Labyrinth on. Over several sessions from the July 2015 to July 2016, we continued to work on Minotaur ground-up, cleaning the cracks, bolting the stations, and pushing the direct finish until only 60m below the summit ridge. In 2015 when Michelle’s schedule was too busy, Alik Berg joined me up the first 5 pitches until we could branch out left and establish Welcome to the Machine over two days. When Michelle’s schedule was busy in 2016, she told me to find another partner to finish the route with. On a whim, I reached out to Colin, fully expecting his busy guiding schedule to get in the way. Luckily he was psyched and cleared his schedule and made the 9 hour drive from Squamish. We stumbled into Applebee camp by moonlight on the night of the 19th. By 7 am, the next morning, we were crossing the moat on the edge of Cresent Glacier and climbing into the sunshine. It took us about 14 hours up and down, which included us bolting a the last two belays and brushing the final 60 meters on rappel.
Our day went well as we settled into a nice rhythm, swapping leads up the 500-meter face. It was fun watching Colin react to the route’s challenges and quality as he climbed it on-sight. Top quality climbing every pitch with lots of variety is perhaps the best way to describe the route, with an emphasis on hand jams in upper pitches. We expect this route will become a classic, as Welcome to the Machine seems to be already.
The next day, despite feeling quite sore and completely full with satisfaction, we decided we might as well attempt climbing a shorter route before hiking out. It so happened that Chris Brazeau and I had an un-sent project on Eastpost Spire, just ten minutes walk from camp. Chris, who was at Applebee at the time, even suggested we go for it without him, as it made sense to get it done before the short Bugaboo season ended. Chris and I had done two-and-a-half laps on it in September 2015 and June 2016, putting the route up ground-up, on gear which was definitey sparse or minimal at times, and then adding a few bolts to it after. Despite having both followed the second / crux pitch clean, we had both fallen off it on lead.
So after multiple coffees and meals and camp, we headed up to give it a go, with no expectations given the fatigued state we were in. This timehowever, as I felt my fingers wanting to slip off the crux holds, I found it in me to double the power and move through it, finally redpointing the pitch properly, as well as the rest of the route. After Colin arrived at the belay at the end of the fourth pitch he said to me “This is sick and twisted”. I agreed, and so the route name was born… I think this route was a good find and it was somewhat surprising to discover something like this right beside the main climbers campground. For me, it sure provided a fun few days of climbing.
Minotaur is in red; Welcome to the Machine is in yellow; green dots are bolted belays, purple dots are gear belays.
Minotaur Direct, 5.11+ 16 pitches, East face of Snowpatch Spire
beta: bring two 60 ropes; a double rack of cams to #3 camelot, one #4; and triples of .3, .4, and .75. One set of stoppers from #3 to #11. 12-14 draws half of which should be extendable. All belays are bolted.
p1 - 30 meters 5.10-: step across the moat which gets harder as the season goes on. Climb double cracks / opposing flakes for about 10 meters until you’re able trend right, and easily up the big scoop. Make a gear anchor before it steepens where you can find some good foot ledges.
p2 - 30 meters 5.10+: continue up the scoop via a thin corner crack, to a belay station at a good stance. (Earlier in the season it’s possible to link pitches 1 and 2 with a 60m rope, but later in the season a 70m rope is needed for the link).
p3 - 30 meters 5.10+: climb the corner above and pull through a small overhang to a stance. Step left and up a shallow left facing corner, until an easy ramp leads back right. Follow this, hand traversing flakes until a belay station below a long left facing corner.
p4 - 45 meters 5.11+: This pitch has 3 cruxes separated by good rests. A thin tips corner gains a section of cool stemming. When you get to a bolt clip it and face climb left to a stance on the arete. Do not move up to the bolted station up and right, or you’ll have to down-climb 3 meters to continue sending! From the stance on the arete, move up and right back into the left facing corner, and follow it up past one more crux to the bolted station on a good ledge. (Rappel note: the station skipped on this pitch is good to use while rappelling, but requires a directional piece to swing into it. From here, rappel directly to the top of the big scoop in 55m)
p5 - 50 meters 5.10: After a couple body lengths of fist crack, pull a small overhang to a stance. Rather than continue up the obvious corner, look up and you’ll see a bolt that can be reached via face holds. Climb up to it, and move left into the next corner system left, which is much better due to the hand crack. It leads to a fourth class ledge, which needs to be traversed up and left. A belay station with ring hangers below a groove is for Minotaur, or, continue past it for five more meters to a belay station bellow a nice looking flake which is Welcome to the Machine. If you miss the first protection bolt, the mountaineers version of this pitch exists and will get you to the same place but less directly, with sandy sections, loose rocks, rope drag, etc.
p6- 30 meters 5.10+: Follow the groove up and right past two knifeblades to belay on a good ledge.
P7- 35 meters 5.11+: Follow the obvious finger crack in left leaning corner, through the roof to a belay station. This pitch could probably be called 5.10+ with one point of aid for those that find free-climbing the roof too difficult.
p8- 30 meters 5.11a: Clip a bolt and traverse right on the slab to a shallow left facing, right leaning corner with a thin crack that takes excellent micro cams. At it’s top, step left past two knifeblades into the main corner which is followed until a belay station is reached.
P9- 5.10 55m: This pitch is mostly 5.7ish with one little 5.10 bit. Follow the corner up and slightly left. After a short 5.10 sequence it will soon be possible to start trending back right to a belay a big ledge, a belay station, and an excellent bivi spot should one be needed.
p10- 25m 5.9: Climb the best looking crack above the belay station towards a steeper wall above split by several cracks. There is a belay station on the left. (The original Minotaur route goes hard right from here)
p11 - 30m 5.11a: Hand jams up the right hand crack give way to a thin finish in alcove, and a belay station. (P10 and P11 can be linked)
p12 35m 5.10+: climb the left crack out of the belay. After about 5 meters, transfer back into the right one, which parallels the arete, and follow it to a belay at a nice perch.
p13 25m 5.9: An easy chimney leads up and right to another nice belay perch on top of a pinnacle.
p14 30m 5.11c: A left leaning crack. Bouldery moves past three bolts soon give way to easier crack climbing that leads to a big ledge and a station.
p15 28m 5.11c: a short corner with a fist crack leads to a ledge. A beautiful thin hand splitter continues up the headwall above to a belay station on a ledge. This pitch is why you need the third .75 camelot on the rack.
p16 35m 5.10+: Keep going up the same crack which has now kicked back slightly in angle and become more positive. A 60m rappel gets you back down to the last two pitches.
The North summit is about 150 meters of 4th class scrambling away. Stay on east side of the ridge if you go for it.
Rappel the route
All grades for both routes are suggested. Any feedback on grades is welcome!
Sick and Twisted, 5.12a, 5 pitches, Eastpost Spire
A good option for a short day, bad weather, or just something to play around on.
Rack: double rack of camelots from #.3 to #2, one #3, one of each size below .3; 6-8 stoppers. If rappelling, a 70m rope is needed although two ropes is nicer, especially if you want to haul a pack. All belays are bolted.
P1 25m 5.11d: Climb up and trend right to a corner. follow it out below a roof until it’s possible to pull the roof, then up the groove to a belay. This pitch has four protection bolts. The in the first half of this pitch is unfortunately a bit crumbly but the rest of the route is a lot better.
P2 30m 5.12a: Climb up a few meters, then traverse below the big roof to the left for about 15m until it’s possible to climb up a left facing corner to a belay on a good ledge. The 12a grade is a combination of the sustained 11+ climbing and the intimidation of the traversing style. (35m to the ground from here)
p3 30m 5.11a: Start up a left facing corner to a ledge, move left to the next left facing corner and climb it past some funky features. Move right to another big ledge but make steep moves upwards at it’s left edge, and belay at a good stance at the right end of the big hanging slab. There may be a bit of suspect rock on this pitch, but much better than the first one.
P4 25m 5.10d: Cross then hanging slab past four bolts, then up and across to belay below some short steep crack lines.
P5 20m 10d: start up the corner then head up the middle of three cracks. (the left one is The Flaming Hack Arete)
You can either walk off (down the trail on the other side of the ridge), or rappel. From the top, a 55m rappel makes it to a bolt station on the slab below, rightness the edge and about 10 meters away from Sheldons Corner. Another 50m rappel hits the ground.
A few action shots of the two route:
Michelle Kadatz on P11 of Minotaur direct, 5.11a
Colin on pitch 15, of Minotaur Direct 5.11c thin hands!
Chris Brazeau on the first pitch of Sick and Twisted. There are now a couple more bolts in this section.
Me on P4 of Sick and Twisted, the hanging slab pitch. Photo: Chris Brazeau
Chris on the last pitch of Sick and Twisted. A fun finish!
Scotland Trip Report 2016
Since participating in the BMC winter meet two years ago, I’ve been dreaming of returning to the Scotland. Although it has some of the most persistently appalling weather imaginable, it’s stunningly beautiful, and is home to one of the most interesting styles of winter climbing I know of. A strict code of ethics prevents any bolting in the mountains. The rock is typically granitic and well featured, and the wild north atlantic weather plasters the cliffs in ice, rime, snow and verglas, thus creating conditions where you’ll often be dealing with 4 or 5 different mediums at time. Mix that with some frozen turf and neve, it’s about as mixed as it gets. Although all the climbing I did seemed quite sustained and technically in the M6 to M8 range, placing the protection was often the crux as most of it needed to be pounded in. Camming devices were almost completely useless!
During the last week of January and first week of February 2016, a small group of Canadians including myself, Michelle Kadatz, Paul McSorley, Marc Andre Leclerc, Ian Welsted, and Paul Bride, settled into a little rental cottage in the village of Glen Coe, a little village situated in Scottish highlands. Over 12 days, the milder than average weather we experienced only permitted about 6 days of climbing, which I suppose isn’t too bad for a trip of this nature. A couple of days were spent taking the gear for a walk, also known as hill walking, only to find the cliffs “black” and out of condition due to rainy weather with higher than mountain top feeling levels. It needs to be frozen / look white in order to preserve the turf, but fortunately, as soon as the temps drop, many routes are instantly good to go.
Down time involved a good mixture of cruising around the country side sampling the local flavours, checking out castles, lochs, pubs, towns, and couple of trips to the worlds biggest indoor climbing gym in Ratho to keep the form. All said and done it was a great trip, the locals were really helpful and I look forward to honing my mixed climbing skills in highlands many more times.
Much of climbing we did was on Ben Nevis, and I also visited Stob Coire Nan Lochan at Glen Coe, and Coire An Lochan in the Cairngorms. My favourite route of trip, and also the hardest one I climbed was definitely Knuckelduster on Ben Nevis. It was so plastered in rime and verglas that route finding was really difficult as there are many small precarious holds and very in obvious gear through the crux, although I've never climbed anything with such a truly mixed feel to it. It was definitely a battle to put it together and was of very high intensity at much of the time. A really cool line that I’m stoked to have on-sighted, especially considering difficult conditions.
Scottish grades don't make a lot of sense to me, but I've never really felt that grades mean very much in this style of climbing.
The following photos are some highlights and maore interesting photos of what we got up to:
Michelle climbing the Gargoyle cracks during a link-up of Hobgoblin (VII,7) into Babylon (VII,8) - Number 3 gully buttress of Ben Nevis - a fun warm up day
Michelle and Marc enjoying some blustery conditions on the rim after Michelle and I finished Hobgoblein / Baylon, and Marc had just finished his 8th route of the day!
The coveted Stob Coire Nan Lochan. A nice venue to have in our backyard, stacked with classic routes up to 200 meters high
Me starting up the first pitch of what I called Impulsive Inclination (VIII,8). It starts at the base of the Unicorn (summer start to this route?), and heads up and left. After 20 meters, it joins Inclination for its second pitch which I linked all the way to a big terrace after 40 meters of climbing. It may or may not be a couple of new variations to the routes around it, but either way it was top quality climbing and a lot of fun! photo: Michelle Kadatz
Looking right from the end of the of the first pitch, Ian Welsted seen here, and Paul McSorley were trying to find the way on Scanzor (IX,9) - Stob Coire Nan Lochan
Looking up p2 of Impulsive Inclination. It climbs an
unprotectable series of edges up and left for about 7 meters towards the
obvious hand crack, up that for a bit, and then moved right into a groove. After about 20
meters, it joined Tilt which was followed to the top.
Here is Paul Bride's view of me, leading the second pitch.
Upon reaching the summit, we met up with Marc Andre who had just soloed 5 routes! Here's a link to a raw video clip of what he had to say about his day: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R0nr9pa5To4
The next route we did and the highlight of the trip for me was Knuckleduster, a burly VIII,9 on Ben Nevis. Here's Michelle following the first, and a link to Greg Boswell's take on the route http://www.scottishwinter.com/?p=2264 with a cool photo of him entering the crux, although for me is was completely plastered white with rime and looked a bit different.
Rocio Siemens snapped this shot of me (center of photo) making the final traverse left to the belay stance at the end of the crux second pitch. It was the third traversing bit of this wild pitch that involved a nice mix of corner, face and arete climbing, and is a cool overview of one of Scotland's finest crags.
Michelle making precarious moves around the arete to the belay back in main corner of the summer route, at the end of pitch 2 on Knuckleduster. It's about the same spot I'm in in the previous photo. This was definitely the hardest pitch of the trip as it plastered white with rime, and coated in verglas, which made for very tricky route finding and gear placements. It also felt a little on the bold side as I was never quite sure whether or not I could trust my gear, although judging by how hard it was to clean for Michelle, it must've of been adequate!
Michelle happy to be off the traverse and at the anchor. A week later and she still seems traumatized by this pitch!
Me climbing pitch 3 of Knuckleduster with burning forearms. I think this is the direct finish or the summer route. A nice crack in the right wall of the corner provides sustained climbing up a slightly overhanging for about 15 meters, followed by a short ledge traverse and another 15+ meters of slightly easier terrain to the top. As usual, the crux was hammering nuts into the iced up crack. Photo: Michelle Kadatz
Marc Andre Leclerc trying to find the Coire an Lochan in the Cairgorms, in sustained 60 mph winds (at least that what was forecasted and i don't doubt they were at least that!) and zero visibility.
Marc Andre Leclerc on sighting the first pitch of Happy Tyroleans (X, 10) in howling winds and constant snow. Fortunately the overhanging nature of the pitch kept too much snow piling up on the ledges.
Marc Andre Leclerc following the second pitch of Happy Tyrolean. Vertical climbing soon kicked back a bit, and storm snow was piling up fast! Also a great pitch, and about two grades easier than the first one.
Scotland is famous for its pubs and this was our local watering hole. From L to R: Marc Andre Leclerc, Ian Welsted, Will Woodhead, Paul McSorley, Paul Bride, Jon Walsh. Photo: Michelle Kadatz
The East face of Snowpatch, the gift that keeps on giving
Over the last decade or so, the 500-meter high East face of Snowpatch Spire has been transforming into one of the finest alpine rock faces in North America. What used to be a face known primarily as an aid climbing venue, is now covered in free-climbing lines, although mostly difficult ones, usually reqiuring at least a couple pitches of 5.12. But perhaps the most amazing thing about it is that almost every pitch is good! I don't think there's another mountain in western Canada that can boast that! Like a big crag offering pure rock climbing in the alpine, it offers an easy approach from the nearby campground, belays on most routes are mostly bolted, there are no "approach" pitches, and there's no tedious summit ridge. The climbing is almost entirely traditionally protected, although most routes have a few protection bolts where cracks need to be conected by face moves, and face holds are plentiful. It has been one of my favorite zones for over ten years now.
Last season, Michelle Kadatz and I investigated the sector in the Bugaboo guidebook where the great flake fell off the lower middle section of Snowpatch Spire, taking the first three pitches of several routes including Les Bruines Es Pentinen, Deus Ex Machina, and the original Sunshine Wall with it. The obvious scoop at the bottom went ok, but the next 80 meters required extreme care to remove the left over debris from the major rockfall. Once it was gone, it didn't take much to buff it into a nice free climb and a fairly moderate one by East face of Bugaboo standards. After five pitches, we had established Minotaur Direct, which seemed like a better start than the original version that climbed the lower pitches of Labyrinth and traversed over. We returned this year, adding stations and continuing up the amazing middle section of Minotaur, a route I put up several years ago with Colin Moorhead. We gave this a good clean up too as this section of the wall is becoming a popular option amongst both Bugaboo regulars and visiting climbers. People seem psyched to have good pitches within a close proxitimity to Applebee and often set out to climb only half the face.
Alik Berg and I teamed up in mid July to venture out left from Minotaur into the obvious corner system that splits the big roof in the middle of the face where the Deus Ex Machina goes. We were blown away by the quality of the climbing and the softest pitch gradewise out of all the routes to go through this continuous roof system that runs the width of the face. Above it we ventured into new terrain but a couple of mossy cracks slowed progress about ten pitches up. We cleaned them out and rappeled. Two weeks later we were back with plans to finish the line. On the first day we climbed the first four pitches and fixed our two ropes. This allowed a bit of head start for a bigger day the next day. It was nice to sleep in the evening after hiking up, and fun to have Taran Ortlieb join us for this. The next day, we ascended the two lines, then made the continuous free ascent to the summit, adding four more pitches above our previous high point and sending every pitch first try! A very satisfying day, on a fun route with a lot of varied climmbing.
The East face of Snowpatch Spire with the line of ascent.
Taran Ortlieb joined us as we fixed two ropes on the first four pitches. Here he is crossing the moat between edge of the glacier and the face. Exactly four weeks earlier, it was easy to step across the gap and be standing on the ledge his left hand is at. As the summer goes on, and the snow melts back from the rock, the first pitch can get 5-10 meters longer and a grade or two harder!
Taran a few meters higher on the first pitch, now enjowing perfect hand jams on perfect granite.
Alik leading off on the second pitch of 5.10 tips.
Having Taran join us to climb the first four pitches and fix our ropes, allowed me to lead the fourth pitch, and then take photos of Alik leading it. It's got four 5.11 sections to it over 45 meters and is delightful to climb!
Another from the fourth pitch - Some face moves protected by a bolt connect two corner systems.
Alik hiking last crux of the fourth pitch with a combination of chimneying, steming, and edge pulling.
Alik climbing the splitter flake at the start of the 6th pitch.
JW in the first of four cruxy sections on the 7th pitch - the roof pitch of Deus Ex Machina, previously A3. It's the only one that we think shared any terrain with any of the old aid routes.
Alik nearing the top of the 55-meter 9th pitch.
Alik starting up the 10th pitch.
Some fine heel work high on Snowpach, with magical jugs in the all the right places; Alik getting starting on pitch 12.
Another from pitch 12
On the North Summit of Snowpatch with the summit ornament, and views of the Howsers.
Welcome to the Machine
5.11+, 13 pitches
First ascent: Pitches 1-5 - Michelle Kadatz and Jon Walsh; Pitches 6-13: Alik Berg and Jon Walsh
August 2nd, 2015
p1 - 30 meters 5.10-; step across the moat which gets harder as the season goes on. Climb double cracks / flake for about 10 meters until you’re able trend right, and easily up the big scoop. Make a gear anchor before it steepens where you can find some good foot ledges.
p2 - 30 meters 5.10+; continue up the scoop via a thin corner crack, to a belay bolted belay a good stance.
p3 - 30 meters 5.10+; climb the corner above and pull through a small overhang to a stance. Step left and head up a shallow left facing corner, until an easy ramp leads back right. Follow this, hand traversing flakes until a bolted station below a long left facing corner.
p4 - 45 meters 5.11+; A thin tips corner gains a section of cool stemming. When you get to a bolt clip it and face climb left to the arete. Don’t move it up to the bolted station up and right or you’ll have to down-climb 3 meters to continue sending! from the stance on the arete, move up and right back into the left facing corner, and follow past one more tips crux to the bolted station on a good ledge.
p5 - 50 meters 5.10 ; After a couple body lengths of fist crack, pull a small overhang. A #5 camelot is useful here for the crux move. Rather than continue up the obvious corner, look up and you’ll see a bolt. Climb up to it, and move left into the next corner system which is much better. It leads to a fourth class ledge, which needs to traversed up and left. A bolt below a groove is the start of Minotaur. Continue past it for five more meters to a two bolt station bellow a nice looking flake.
p6 - 35 meters 5.10; Climb the flake up, then hand traverse it left. It turns into a walkable ledge. At it’s end, move up and left though small overlaps, then face climb left, and then back right to a bolted station.
p7 - 45 meters 5.11+; This is the roof pitch of Deus Ex Machina. Move left off the belay, and then climb up a small right facing corner on face holds. Move left into the main left corner and follow it though a series of small roofs to a bolted anchor.
p8 - 60 meters 5.10; Climb the right hand crack for five meters to a ledge, Move left into a corner which is wide but easy. Follow this to a good ledge. Continue up another short right facing corner with couple of tricky moves and make a gear belay another good ledge, with some very nice looking corners up to the left. This pitch might be better to split into two as rope drag is a factor. Either way, a gear station needs to be made.
p9 - 55 meters 5.11; An amazing pitch! Start by climbing double cracks, with a mix of gear and bolts for protection (3 protection bolts total). At a small stance there’s a fixed wire and a bolt for an optional belay, however the FA team linked the next 30 meters of sustained 5.10 to a great ledge and bolted belay.
p10 - 40m meters 5.11-; climb the nice finger crack up and right. After a section of fist crack, two bolts on your left traverse to a ledge system, and a two bolt anchor at the far left of it.
p11 - 50 meters 5.10-; A clean corner above goes from hands to fists to off-width. After it gets too wide for a # 5 camelot, two body lengths of easy lay-backing passes it and gets you to easier terrain with small gear options. Continue up the groove above to a two bolt station below some black overhangs.
p.12 - 25 meters 5.11+; The last two pitches were nearly linked on the first ascent with 68m rope, but this is not recommended. Start by climbing through some overhangs with some great and unlikely moves. Belay at a good ledge.
p.13 - 45 meters 5.11 ; Follow the crack up and left, until a big ledge is reached. This pitch is a bit dirty but will clean up with a more ascents.
A scramble for a couple of ropelengths up and left gets you to the North Summit. You will pass the top station of Sendero Norte on the way which is probably the cleanest descent option. Of course if you don't know it, it might be more difficult.
The other decent option is as follows:
At the big ledge at the top of the last pitch, a sling around a pinch between boulders was used for the first rappel, to get back to the top of pitch 11. From here, rappel to a nut station about 10 meters climbers right of the station at the top of pitch ten. Careful of the rope eating crack below. Best to just rappel to the top of pitch 9 from here to keep the rope out of the crack. Then rappel to the obvious bivy ledge, on skiers left. On the far side of this ledge, rappel down Minataur on bolted stations. The first one is 55m. The second one is 30 m and it’s best to clip a bolt on the way down as a directional. Another 55m steep rappel gets you back to the big ledge at the top of pitch 5. Continue down the pitches you’ve already climbed. From the top of pitch 4, it's about a 65 meter rappel to the top of pitch 2, so if you have 60 meter ropes, it's best to place a directional or two to get into the optional station on pitch 4, and then rap to the top of pitch 2 from there. One more 50-55 rappel puts you on the glacier.
Recommended rack:
2 x 60m ropes
Double set of cams from tips to #3 camelot.
Triple set from tight fingers to loose fingers (#.3, #.4, #.5 camelots)
1 #4 camelot, 1 #5 camelot
One set of nuts
12-15 quick draws (half of them should be extendable)