Explorer's Club  5.10a/b

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Type:  Trad, 3 pitches, 300 feet, Grade II Consensus:  5.10a/b [details] FA:  Shaun Neufeld, Dave Wiebe & Drew Brayshaw, 2003 Season:  spring-fall Submitted By:  Dru on Feb 12, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (2) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Shaun drilling the top anchors in 2003.

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Description 

There are three pitches. The first pitch is a somewhat grungy approach pitch (5.7, minimal cleaning and minimal pro, 35m) that climbs up and right across an edgy slab to gain the higher ledge.

The second pitch begins near the right edge of the higher ledge and climbs up and left on a slab to gain a vertical face with good edges (5.9, two bolts plus gear to 1.5").

There are two options for the third pitch. Move well left and climb blocky arete and thin crack, then traverse far back right to belay, or climb directly up a steep slab and overlaps past 5 bolts and thin cracks to the same belay ledge at the base of the headwall.

From this ledge up the headwall to the top is another pitch or so at mid-5.11 but has not been redpointed to date due to a lack of interest by the FA party in the amount of cleaning required to remove dirt and loose rocks. A recent trail built to the top of the crag and heli-logging above the top of the cliff may make a top-down approach to cleaning these upper pitches more viable and ultimately result in a decent route that tops out. For now, the unfinished climb can be viewed as an adventure in its own right, and there are plenty of other possibilities along the cliff that deserve more attention.

Location 

From the Lost Creek FSR, hike up the talus and into the forest following a vague trail to reach the base of the cliff below a short wall with a ledge and a much larger face visible above.

Protection 

Generally thin rack to 2" plus a couple of bolts. Bolted rap stations from the third pitch down.