Page Type:
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Route |
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Lat/Lon:
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49.79000°N / 125.828°W |
Route Type:
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Trad Climbing |
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Time Required:
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Most of a day |
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Rock Difficulty:
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5.10b (YDS) |
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Difficulty:
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D+ |
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Number of Pitches:
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8 |
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Grade:
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IV |
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Overview
A steep line up the centre of the wall flanking the south (left) side of Elkhorn Mountain's East Ridge. Originally conceived as a direct start to the East Ridge it joins the ridge crest in the upper two-third point. There's some excellent rock and some of the highlight pitches include a 10b finger crack and a 5.9 chimney dyke that are simply stunning with around 5,000 ft of vertical exposure below them. Good protection on the more difficult terrain but a little sparse on the lower angle rock.Getting There
Follow the approach details for Elkhorn South col as described in Island Alpine Select. Cross the base of the upper southeast cirque on talus or seasonal snow to the centre of the base of the steep wall left (south) of the East Ridge.Route Description
P1 - Start up face moves to gain a finger crack left of a left-facing corner (5.10b).P2 - continue up cracks direct.
P3 - Gain the base of a vertical chimney lined with a dark dyke. Climb the dyke direct finding good pro in the cracks between the intruded rock and the surrounding basalt (5.9).
Scramble up low angle ledges for about 100m of 4th class to low 5th class
P4 - Gain an arete to the left of two parallel right-facing corners and climb the edge to a ledge.
P5 - Continue up the exposed arete
P6 - Climb a left-facing corner just right of the arete crest.
P7 - Climb exposed face toward the East Ridge crest (5.10a)
P8 - Continue up to gain the ridge crest and a slender gendarme.
The route itself ends here and the first ascentionists rappelled off to the left down a gully system. Otherwise continue up the East Ridge to the summit and descend either the west gullies or west rake to the south ridge and 5 rappels off the ridge to the south col.