This is less than a 1000� ascent day. The ice climb itself is approximately 180 meters. Your approach to the left corner of Weeping Wall will last all of 10-15 minutes. Leave the parking area and cross the road to ascend to the base of the broad Weeping Wall. Snivelling Gully will come into view to your left as it creeps up between the rock and ice to the top left hand corner of the lower Weeping Wall. It is four pitches in total. The first and last pitch are sustained for their grade, but the 2nd and 3rd pitches are more ice scrambling than climbing. Snivelling Gully�s four rap descent off of bolted chains and a tree is used by most parties climbing on Weeping Wall�s other routes, so look for traffic on weekends. We went on a Tuesday in late December and had the entire place to ourselves. You are more likely to have it to yourself if the road is in bad winter condition which can be a good strategy to avoid crowds as long as it is not closed or they close it while you are climbing.

Route Description

1st Pitch- The guide book references that this section is often plagued by open water, During our climb however I found it to be in decent shape (photos). I noticed it became somewhat shallow up the middle and thus moved the lead back to my right on better ice. There is a station off to the left that could be used if you want to bail mid-way up I suppose. Continue up to where the gully narrows and turns right. There on the wall to the left you will find a bomber station consisting of an older bolted chain and new (2006) bolted rap rings.

2nd Pitch and 3rd Pitch- The 2nd pitch continues to follow the narrow and shallow gully as it bends back left and up to a station over your left shoulder on the wall above. I advise skipping this bolted station and just building a quick ice station at the bottom of the next pitch which is nothing more than ice scrambling up the narrowest part of the gully on mixed rock, ice and water to the upper �majestic� bowl that contains the crux WI 3 pitch which is a full 60 meters and Snivelling Direct, 125m, WI 5 which offers some serious challenge on hanging chandelier columns to the right of the final Snivelling Gully pitch.

4th Pitch- Several photos provided. Classic WI 3, offers plenty of rest stops to insert screws, yet nice sustained curtain that trends left towards the top where you will find a tree anchor with slings (2006) to start your rappel.

Climbing Sequence

Descent

Most of the routes on Weeping Wall use the Snivelling Gully descent. You rappel off of a tree at the top left (north) corner of Snivelling Gully where good webbing was in place in 2006 down across rock and ice to a chain rappel station which is on the wall to the far left of the base of the 4th pitch. The next rap takes you down and over more rock and ice to another point far left of the base of the 3rd pitch. Then rappel back down to your first station above the first pitch and make one final (4th) rappel to the ground.

Essential Gear

Two Ice Tools, Double 60 meter Ropes, 12 Ice Screws and Draws, Crampons, Helmet, Warm Clothes, Full Shank Boots. Be equipped to do a V Thread of course, but you should not have to on this descent.

External Links

DowClimbing.Com
Parks Canada
Canadian Avalanche Association
Canadian Alpine Accident Reports There have been four published accidents as of 2006 on Weeping Wall

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