Type: Trad, Mixed, Ice, 500 ft (152 m), 6 pitches, Grade III
FA: Duncan Ferguson
Page Views: 2,914 total · 26/month
Shared By: Eric Wright on Feb 5, 2015
Admins: Edward Medina, Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

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Description Suggest change

This is a great route.

If climbed to the top of the wall, it is one of the longest routes in the Skylight. It has Bird Brain Boulevard quality climbing that can be done in full sun with a descent involving one short 25 meter rappel. This route goes to the top of the wall following an obvious line of gullies and chimneys.

I have not spoken to Duncan Ferguson yet, but I imagine that he soloed to the
top of the wall, then walked right and with a short downclimb, escaped back to the road. Duncan was famous for that sort of behavior. He ticked one after another sketchy, mixed climb au vue and alone.

P1. Climb steep, often thin ice and rock ending at two horizontal bolts (placed to close together IMHO) (70'). Or you can climb the fatter slabby ice to the left and traverse right, M4/5.

P2. Climb the left-facing corner that may or may not have ice to a ledge belay on the right (75'). There is no fixed gear at this stance.

P3. Climb the chimney which has a steep, chockstone blocking exit to another ledge with a nest of ratty fixed gear on the right (75'). Noah seems to think Eric Wellborn left us a pin anchor years ago, and there is a very nasty, old, fixed cam now too.

P4. Continue up the easy chimney and belay at a huge tree on the right (75'). This is a huge ledge that gives access to several different finishes, but please, "no coloring outside the lines" :-)

P5. Climb the chimney with maybe some ice in the back. You will have to find some suitable place to belay, as there is no obvious sheltered stance.

P6. The last pitch has the "sting in the tale" finish. A quite steep exit to the chimney system.

Descent: the route tops out in a pleasant flat forest of mixed trees. Five minutes to the right of post holing will bring you to the the power lines. Rap from some aspen trees 25 meters. Then continue following the power lines until you can clearly see the road. Then it's a short walk back to road. This is the fastest and safest way off the wall.

Please be aware that you are climbing right above the road. All debris from the first four pitches lands right on the road. Don't be the party that breaks the windshield of a miner's truck. We are sharing this amazing resource. So walking off is the most elegant way to climb this route.

Location Suggest change

This route is the obvious chimney/corner system right of the huge overhang of the perma draw strewn Poser's Lounge. There are two routes with bolted anchors about 70' up, this is the one on the right, below the inside corner facing left.

Protection Suggest change

As for pro, this route is similar to the pro one might take on BBB. If it's covered in ice, you will need more screws. If it's dry/thin, then you are going to need a full rock rack. Pins will get pounded if you have them.

If you are going to finish the route, as you of course should, then one fifty meter rope is enough.

If you plan on rapping off, 60 meter doubles are needed. Rapping after pitch four could be complicated. We found several old pins with rotten old slings in several locations on pitch five and six indicating folks had rapped or bailed from these points.

Photos

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