The Inquisition  WI5 M5

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Type:  Trad, Mixed, Ice, 4 pitches, 550 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  WI5 M5 [details] FA:  Greg Sievers & Brian Verhulst (*incomplete) New Route:  Yes Season:  FA - October 29, 2007 Submitted By:  Greg Sievers on Apr 3, 2008 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Inquisition (M5) shown on Vanquished Wall.

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Description 

Located on the left side of the Vanquished Wall, just right of the base of a large buttress. This route climbs up and right from the start in a large RFD at the base. the first two pitches trend right.

P1 - stem past several small loose blocks and ice blobs and up 30' into a dish (the bigger gully contiinues left - don't bother). Step right into a a pair of cracks and climb directly up until they peter out. Step right, and make a 15' traverse right into a 5' wide chimney. Continue til you use up most of your rope, and have a 2' square ledge to belay on. (M4).

P2 - follow the chimney directly above until in constricts down to a squeeze. It will slant up and right, and continue in that style until it opens into a large basin. (M4).

P3 - climb up ledges in this 30' bowl and aim for the obvious, ice-plastered wall above. There is a 5' kite-shaped chockstone above, and the ice flows around that. Move up this WI5, pass the kite stone and belay on a large ledge immedately below a verglas ramp. (M5).

P4 - use the RFD for nuts to protect the verglas for 20', then commit to the ice for another 30'. Scratch up over the bulge and continue past ledges, aiming for a 12" rising (to the right) fold in the rock. the upward rising crack continues above the fixed (current final) station.

• * We ran out of day here, but it appears the line continues for about 2 more pitches on this wall.

Location 

This is 150' left of Vanquished.

Circumnavigate Sky Pond, and depart the shore up into the gentle valley/gully headed toward the Vanquished Wall. This gully will lead directly to the wall, but instead of turning right toward Vanquished, continue up and left into a large cleft and big, right-facing dihedral (see image).

3 rap stations descend the wall on a plumb line:
Top rap station = sling & nut, 150', step 10' right.
2nd rap station = nut & sling atop groove. rap 135'.
3rd rap station = land on a 12" ledge, step 5' left to 2 nuts, rap 135'.

Protection 

The usual alpine mixed rack and 6 stubby screws.

Photos of The Inquisition Slideshow

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Looking up at P3, where the WI5 & M5 moves around ...	BETA PHOTO: Brian Verhulst leading the start to P4, on the ver...	Most of P3 in view. GS just completing the crux.
BV followng P1.	BETA PHOTO: View looking up from the start at P1 & P2. The rap...	BETA PHOTO: Sky Pond below & the path of access.
Route topo.	BETA PHOTO: The developed line thus far.	BETA PHOTO: BV leading P4.
The Vanquished/Inquisition wall on Powell Peak (zo...