Continue with onX Maps
Sign in with Facebook
Routes in The Lions
|
North Couloir WI3-4 |
|
Northeast Buttress T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b PG13 |
|
|
Standard Route, West Lion T 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b |
Order Wrong?
Sort Routes
| Type: | Ice, 1000 ft (303 m), 6 pitches |
| FA: | Matteo Agnoloni, February 10, 2018 |
| Page Views: | 846 total · 15/month |
| Shared By: | Matteo Agnoloni on May 30, 2020 |
| Admins: | Mark Roberts, Kate Lynn, Braden Batsford, Mauricio Herrera Cuadra |
Your To-Do List:
Add To-Do ·
Your Star Rating:
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.
Access Issue: A few access issues here.
Details
Parking in the town of Lion's Bay is a constantly changing situation. Watch the signs carefully and be willing to park down the road from the trailhead and walk.
The East Lion is off-limits due to its location in the GVRD watershed.
The East Lion is off-limits due to its location in the GVRD watershed.
Description
This route offers a wonderful journey up the northern flanks of the West Lion. With good conditions, you will be rewarded with sticky alpine ice all the way up one of the most iconic peaks in the North Shore Mountains. This climb is similar in difficulty to the Northeast Ridge route, though with much more actual ice climbing. Do not plan to attempt this route unless the avalanche conditions are in your favour. Access to the start of the route involves crossing large avalanche paths over cliffs that run to size 3 every year. Best times to climb this route are when the freezing levels rocket over 2000m, with maybe a little rain, and then drop to below 500m.
The route was solo'd on the first ascent, so the following pitch-by-pitch breakdown has been taken from parties during subsequent ascents.
P1 - AI2+ (70m)
P2 - AI3 out of cave (60m)
P3 - Short step of AI3 then steep snow leading to the notch (30m)
Chop through the cornice and excavate the snow, looking for a Hail Mary root in the left rock face. Rappel approximately 20m down the opposite side of the notch until you see the amazing alpine ice leading up the northwest ridge. Alternatively, climb directly out the notch for a few body lengths at M5 (North Couloir Direct, Berman, Nielsen, 2018). You can build a piton belay at the crest of the notch.
P4 - AI3+/4- in an amazing setting (50m)
P5 - 40 degree snow to the base of the last pitch (70m)
P6 - AI3 step then easy snow slopes to the summit
Descend the scramble route down the south face. The descent starts immediately south, the slowly loops around to the west until you are in a notch. You can either down climb, or alternatively, 2 x 60m raps off trees will get you to the ground, then climb back up to the notch.
Relevant links:
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214757/West-Lion-North-Couloir-Direct
https://northshorealpinism.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/fa-north-couloir-on-the-west-lion/
The route was solo'd on the first ascent, so the following pitch-by-pitch breakdown has been taken from parties during subsequent ascents.
P1 - AI2+ (70m)
P2 - AI3 out of cave (60m)
P3 - Short step of AI3 then steep snow leading to the notch (30m)
Chop through the cornice and excavate the snow, looking for a Hail Mary root in the left rock face. Rappel approximately 20m down the opposite side of the notch until you see the amazing alpine ice leading up the northwest ridge. Alternatively, climb directly out the notch for a few body lengths at M5 (North Couloir Direct, Berman, Nielsen, 2018). You can build a piton belay at the crest of the notch.
P4 - AI3+/4- in an amazing setting (50m)
P5 - 40 degree snow to the base of the last pitch (70m)
P6 - AI3 step then easy snow slopes to the summit
Descend the scramble route down the south face. The descent starts immediately south, the slowly loops around to the west until you are in a notch. You can either down climb, or alternatively, 2 x 60m raps off trees will get you to the ground, then climb back up to the notch.
Relevant links:
http://publications.americanalpineclub.org/articles/13201214757/West-Lion-North-Couloir-Direct
https://northshorealpinism.wordpress.com/2018/02/19/fa-north-couloir-on-the-west-lion/
Location
Approach up the regular Lions Binkert trail; same as for the Northeast Ridge route. As soon as you get out of the trees, there will be a large open bowl on your left. Cross this bowl (high avy danger) and aim for the notch in the ridge that makes up the "tail" of the West Lion. Downclimb the notch (40 degree snow), gaining access to the north face. The entrance to the North Couloir is on the right side of the north face. 2.5 - 5 hrs approach depending on snow conditions.
0 Comments