West End, 5.6-5.11c

Mountain/Rock

West End, 5.6-5.11c

Page Type: Mountain/Rock

Location: Alberta, Canada, North America

Lat/Lon: 51.12361°N / 115.11667°W

Activities: Trad Climbing

Season: Summer

Page By: Dow Williams

Created/Edited: Feb 9, 2009 / Feb 9, 2009

Object ID: 488062

Hits: 412

Page Score: 88.26% - 11 Votes

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Table of Contents

Overview/Approach

There are over 130 published routes on Yam’s southern face as of 2009 with more being developed every year. In recent years Will Gadd spent seven hard fought years completing Yamabushi, an 8 pitch 5.13a route. The complexities of the differing walls, corners, roofs and features on Yam’s limestone make it a popular climbing area with a world reputation. Albeit the rock at times is quite suspect. The “Wast End” of Yamnuska (Yam), like the East End is chock full of less committing routes.

The 20 published routes at this end range from one to 82 pitches (crazy canuk traverse of Yam). Missonary’s Crack is one of the better moderate routes (5.10a) and Easy Street is probably the most popular (5.6). The West End is notorious for its incredibly large painted pumpkin which normally gets a fresh coat every year in October, thus the Pumpkin (aka unnamed) route.

There is a new (2008) flagged trail below Yamnuska that takes off at the base of the scree descent. This is the best approach for the western routes. At the Y in the approach trail, take the left Y versus the normal right option. Continue until at the base of the first patch of loose scree. Look for the flagged faint trail down and to the left. Continue following the flagged trail as it ascends the western treed rib below Yamnuska. This trail will put you right at the base of the obvious corner system that makes up Missionary’s Crack among other routes. An advantage to the West End is that for the most part you can leave your backpacks at the base of the route as they are relatively easy to retrieve on descent.

Route Description(s)

West End Routes, Left to Right as you Face the Wall

It’s All McConnell’s Fault- 82 Pitches- 5.11a/A0/

(no that is not a typo, it is the infamous traverse of Yamnuska completed in 2004)

How the West was Won- 6 Pitches- 5.9/

False Promise- 5 Pitches- 5.7/

Direct Mail- 5 Pitches- 5.10c/

Windy Slabs- 6 Pitches- 5.6/

Easy Street- 6 Pitches- 5.6/
After 5 pitches of Easy Street which takes you to BBQ Ledge, you can finish via one of the "West End Finishes." In the link I describe the more challenging 5.9 layback to the right, but other options from 5.6 to 5.8 exist.

King’s Chimney- 7 Pitches- 5.7/

Western Union- 5 Pitches- 5.8/
Western Union is one of the better routes on the “west end” of Yamnuska to improve your lead grade level. It is also a good route to do for more experienced climbers during early or late season conditions due to its ease and length of route. Pitches 3, 4 and 5 all give you something to work on that is out of the ordinary. Several of the belay stations are shared with other routes. The start is the same start for several routes as well including Easy Street.

Grey Goose- 7 Pitches- 5.7/

Broken Wing- 7 Pitches- 5.10c/

Pony Express- 6 Pitches- 5.10a/
Pony Express is one of my least favorite moderate routes on Yamnuska. The climbing was not sustained or unique in any fashion really. Once I reached the crux pitch and thought I was going to be rewarded for climbing some rather bland pitches below, the rock quality turned a bit ugly. Andy Genereux felt the need to put this route in (among a cobweb of other routes) in 2003. He added a left hand variation finish which I apparently missed or would have given it a go at a higher grade (5.10b). I recommend you go for it if you find the need to do this route as the 5.9 original finish was nothing to write home about.

Rejection of the Faith- 7 Pitches- 5.11c/

Pumpkin (aka unnamed)- 7 Pitches- 5.7/
I combined the 6 pitches into 4 with 60 meter double ropes. Pumpkin is set up to bypass any traffic jam by scrambling up a left leaning ramp that leads to the base of the climb and above any parties getting started on Easy Street, etc. below. This very large pumpkin was painted on the wall at the top of the last pitch in 1968 and is kept up as a tradition.

The Toe- 3 Pitches- 5.8/

Jazz Beat of the Nun’s Groove- 7 Pitches- 5.9/

Missionary’s Crack- 7 Pitches- 5.10a/
Missionary’s Crack contains one of the most debated grade allocated pitches on Yamnuska, its 6th pitch. If you spend a lot of time in the desert as I do (Lady Wilson’s Cleavage for example), the 6th pitch of Missionary’s Crack is just another pitch of 5.10a or b off-width, climbing over an eagle’s nest to boot. If a typical Yam climber however, you might find the moves much tougher than you are used to at this grade. Both my partners that day have tons of Canadian Rockies experience, however spent a lot of time trying to maneuver the 6th pitch as 2nd (s) and felt the grade was closer to 5.11a. Academically speaking, it just depends what you are used to. Rock has been lost on this pitch, including a flake used to layback on the original ascent, thus published grades are all over the place.

The Tongue (Left)- 4 Pitches- 5.9/

Hanging Out- 5 Pitches- 5.10c/

The Tongue (Right)- 3 Pitches- 5.6/

Extender- 7 Pitches- 5.11a/

External Links

Alpine Club of Canada

DowClimbing.Com

Environment Canada