Nimue

This is a fun route with relatively consistent climbing up a cool formation at a moderate grade. Four of these pitches would be fairly classic at roadside crags, and stacked on top of each other make for an excellent day of well-protected crack climbing. The rock is quite good and clean for alpine standards.

We are not claiming first ascent credit with this route as we do not know the climbing history of the formation beyond the Secor guide. We are just sharing a route we think others will enjoy as much as we did. The name is only for fun: if anyone has done this line previously, fill me in on the details and I can add it to this page. 

P1: 5.10- 35m Head up the flake/ crack to a little ledge below the small left-facing corner. Follow this as it narrows from hands to tips, then widens again at the top. Upon reaching the cleft, boulder up a final step to a belay at the base of a hand crack system on the main wall.

P2: 5.9 35m Charge up the steep hand crack system navigating crack switches, roofs, and a final step right to the large chockstone at the top of the chimney. Belay on the party ledge. The Secor guide reports this pitch (and one easier pitch below it) was done back in ’89 at 5.8. Certainly, a burly 5.8 for modern tastes. 

P3: 5.9 45m Move belay ~10 feet right to base of thin hand crack. Climb this into the large, right-facing corner. Ascend the techy corner with good stances to a sloping ledge below a roof. The path of least resistance exits right over a flake to a hand crack, ledges, a thin crack, and a short traverse back left to a good, small ledge. 

P4: 5.6 45m From the belay, a smorgasbord of cracks and solid blocks unfurl above. Trending generally left, choose your own adventure up this cruiser face. Aim to belay in a large sloping alcove at the base of a headwall with some flaring splitters.

P5: 5.10- 20m Climb up the corner off the belay, then step right into the thin hand crack splitting the headwall. Easier than it looks! Enjoy this while it lasts, then climb the exposed slab to a good ledge on the ridge.

From here, traverse the easy but exposed ridge (~20m) to the summit. To descend head skiers left to a 3rd class descent gully west of the formation. 

As a final note, P3-P5 have many opportunities for variations, some of which I have noted on the topo. In general, trend right for easier climbing.

(Nimue is the principal lady of the lake in Arthurian Legend. Among other tales, she is noted for providing Excalibur to King Arthur, and accompanying the King to Avalon after he was mortally wounded in battle.)

Slog up talus to a good ledge where one can access the large cleft/chimney, and the buttress to the right. Nimue starts in the third (smallest) left-facing corner from the right, right of where the cleft meets the ledge.