Shad just above the 5.8 pitch, below the cowboy arete. Our day got a lot more unpleasant after this, with chest-deep snow for most of the arete. Lucky we had champion wallowers Daniel and Eric to push through the crux.

All Locations > Alaska > Interior Alaska… > Denali NP > Denali > Cassin Ridge (5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c WI4)

Shad just above the 5.8 pitch, below the cowboy arete. Our day got a lot more unpleasant after this, with chest-deep snow for most of the arete. Lucky we had champion wallowers Daniel and Eric to push through the crux.

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1. This is the top 700' of the icy monster (Japanese Couloir)! Also, known as the worlds largest spindrift funnel (don't attempt to climb it when it's even lightly snowing)! Crux is the obvious steepness in the center. Photo by Avery Nelson

Heading for the Japanese Couloir (just right of the climber).

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4.2 from 5 votes

Brian Waters

Oct 5, 2012

“Shad just above the 5.8 pitch, below the cowboy arete. Our day got a lot more unpleasant after this, with chest-deep snow for most of the arete. Lucky we had champion wallowers Daniel and Eric to push through the crux. ”

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Nearby Photos

On the summit. I think that's Mt. Huntington on the lower right.

The intimidating "Cowboy Hat" Traverse.

Beginning the first rock band.

8. The 'Secret Spot' (evidently created by prior climbers -- stacked rocks) near the top of the first rock band (climber's right). This is as good as it gets. Sheltered from the horrible wind we had to sit out, with a steep drop off below. One corner of the tent kind of hangs off the 'edge'. Photo by Avery Nelson

Emerging atop the third rock band at 17K. Hunter (L) and Foraker (R) behind.

Cassin Ledge. Foraker in the distance.

5. Jason C. coming up the terrain immediately below the Cowboy Arete. Photo by Avery Nelson

The very top of the Japanese Couloir.

6. Jason C. on the Cowboy Arete. Photo by Avery Nelson

4. Beautiful sunny day on Cassin Ledge -- the day AFTER we climbed the Japanese Couloir. Photo by Avery Nelson

3. Jason C. getting ready for the crux of the Japanese Couloir (A.K.A SPINDRIFT FUNNEL) and the climb. A short section of solid WI4 with a 50lb pack. Photo by Avery Nelson

The Big Bertha Bergrschrund in May 2001. Apparently much easier than it in prior years.

11. The camp at ~17,200' (?) above the 2nd rock band. After a few days of horrible wind and being shy on food we decided to make a run for the top. When we arrived here, we welcomed the large 'somewhat flat' area, but found it to be sloping ice, which was a lot of work to chop out. Beneath the boulder, you can find an extra rope, full sized spatula (!), and a copy of Tolkien's "Lord of the Rings"! Not sure why we didn't read it, given the bordem induced by the long storm... Photo by Avery Nelson

somewhere above the cowboy arete, NPS recon trip in 2000

Camp on the West Rib. Cassin is the striking ridge in the distance.

7. Typical moderate mixed terrain (gorgeous granite) in the first rock band. Photo by Avery Nelson

The view from my office. The Cassin from 12,400

In the upper stretch of the Valley of Death. I fell into the obvious crevasse in the foreground...because I'm an idiot.

10. Typical terrain for the route. Looking down a nice ice-chocked gully in the 2nd rock band. Photo by Avery Nelson

Descending the crux of the West Rib on the approach to the Cassin. Valley of Death in the background.

The crux AI4 in the Japanese Couloir

Route Photo<br>
Route diagramming by Jason C

The Seattle '72/Wickwire ramp from Cassin ledge in 2019. No rappels needed, though route finding is obviously not trivial and some of the downclimbing quite steep. Still, much more appealing to us than continuing down west rib.

The route through the 1st rock band.

Jonathan in the ice crux, the last body length was slightly overhanging, but with stemming still felt like WI4 or easier at most crags.

Close-up of the Cassin Ridge. Japanese Couloir is the gash on the right.

In the second Rock Band

9. More great moderate mixed climbing. Go up the 2nd rock band NEAR HERE (about the middle of the massif). Originally we went too far to climber's left and found ourselves in difficult terrrain. Photo by Avery Nelson

The Cowboy Arete, in easy conditions

Lower Cassin Ridge from low on the West Rib

1. This is the top 700' of the icy monster (Japanese Couloir)! Also, known as the worlds largest spindrift funnel (don't attempt to climb it when it's even lightly snowing)! Crux is the obvious steepness in the center. Photo by Avery Nelson

Shad just above the 5.8 pitch, below the cowboy arete. Our day got a lot more unpleasant after this, with chest-deep snow for most of the arete. Lucky we had champion wallowers Daniel and Eric to push through the crux.

Heading for the Japanese Couloir (just right of the climber).

Shad, Eric, and Daniel on the summit ridge. Not much to see.

Mixed climbing in the second rock band.

In the middle of the second rock band at 12:01am. Fighting for it! Photo by Kyle Tarry

Kyle leading out in the second rock band. Trip report on Spokalpine.com

Shortly after Cassin Ledge

The biggest bivy on the route: hanging glacier at 14,000 feet.

Me following the crux of the hanging glacier. Trip report on Spokalpine.com

Starting the Cowboy Arete in a light snow squall.

Me leading the rock variation to the crux of the Japanese Couloir. Extreme 5.6 at its finest... Trip report on Spokalpine.com

Kyle on the snowy rib that connects the first two rock bands. Trip report on Spokalpine.com

Following the final technical pitch of the route at 16,700'. Photo: Kyle Tarry

2. Jason C. climbing up the third pitch of the Japanese Couloir. When we climbed it, there was only ice underfoot (no snow), and not a single flat place to stand in the 900' couloir - which took an eternity or two to climb. Bulletproof ice! Photo by Avery Nelson

The Cassin Ledge, NE Fork, Kahiltna Peaks, and Sultana behind

Approaching the Japanese Couloir, descent from the West RIb; in 2000

Shad Burnham near the top of the Japanese Couloir.

The "Hidden Rock Couloir" at the entrance of the Second Rock Band is the crux of the route, in my opinion. Fantastic moderate mixed.

12. The air feels thinner at 20K' this time! Over a few more 'small' bumps, this way, to the summit ridge. Time to get down for beer. Photo by Avery Nelson

Mixed pitch before Cowboy Arete

Foraker (right) from the upper Cassin

Cowboy Arete

2nd rockband in splitter conditions

W Rib, en-route to the NE Fork (Chicken Couloir below)

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