Two easy slab pitches lead to a clean, steep corner about 100 feet right of the low point of the McHenry's-Arrowhead ridge. Two more pitches up this corner, passing several overhangs, gain the ridge itself.
Artemis is too short to be a destination route, but is worth doing if you happen to be in the cirque without the time, weather or energy for a major climb. If this route were in Eldo, it would see heavy traffic.
Artemis was named in memory of onetime Boulder climber Diane Hunter.
Jason Seaver and I climbed the splitters out right on 7/21/02, stellar fingers and hands with feet stemmed off the arete. Shown in red on the photo below.
On our way up to the Clyde Frog splitters, we also did a new pitch of good 5.10 off the ground. It starts 100 feet or so right of Artemis' normal start, follows a set of two rt. facing corners/flakes, then traverses left to a rt. angling RP seam. This ends on a ledge. The next pitch went left to join Artemis for its crux pitch, then the third pitch took the unbelievable splitters that Justin described. I cannot say enough about that pitch. It's incredibly exposed, it's on perfect rock, and the cracks define that word we all love......SPLITTER. These cracks are actually mentioned in Gillett's guidebook in his Artemis description.
Clyde Frog Splitters variation pitch is excellent. Great finger locks with an unbeatable view. Wish we had done the lower variation Jason and Justin took - the opening pitches of Artemis lack the excitement of the upper wall. I thought the move past the roof on the 3rd pitch (lower part of the main corner) was pretty exciting, although my partners had no problem following it. Maybe it was just the gravel and lichen, or maybe my poor roof climbing skills..., it can be protected fine with small stoppers though. The first three pitches can easily be combined into two, leaving a short final pitch up the splitter.
Arrowhead
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