Peanut Gallery, III, WI 4

Overview/Approach

The Peanut Gallery is the name given to the remaining ice in Planter’s Valley once you past Anorexia Nervosa, III, WI 4R on the left and Weathering Heights, III, WI 4 on the right. The first piece you come to is located where steep walls rise out of the canyon. This is an easy WI 3 undulating full pitch. Most divide it into two pitches, but we simul-climbed it enough to turn it into one pitch. As you continue south, within 10 minutes you will run into another pitch that is a classic WI 4 shorter pitch of a sustained vertical, but often wet, curtain. You can keep going for more WI 4 to your left or some mixed climbing to your right. Currently this is all considered part of the Peanut Galley.

As some of these various routes are further developed, I imagine several will be separately named. There is quite a bit of mixed back here as well.

Route Description

Once you get to the end of the canyon, rope up and scramble up the easy angled ice to the base of the first pitch. This can be done in one pitch if you simul-climb a little, thus station your belay close to the curtain. Start out left and move back right clipping your ropes appropriately. Once you reach the top, place a station where you can find solid ice. There will not be a tree close enough to use as a station.

Pay the ropes out and continue up creek to the next curtain, which is shorter but definitely steeper and more sustained, thus WI 4. The first step is easy, but the next step is a steep chandelier curtain of about 15 meters. We climbed the left center. Again you will have to set up a station in the ice.

You can continue to yet another curtain up creek to your left or do some mixed climbing to your right. The approach into Planter’s Valley is quite significant to begin with, so how much ice you climb depends how fast you climb.

Descent

On descent, you can walk off that second pitch to the right or rap. When you get back to the top of the first pitch, go to several trees at skiers left and look to dig out one of two tree rappel stations (2006). This rap will come up short with double 60m ropes. Either build an abalokov or prepare to down climb the last 5-10 meters. We down climbed no worries.

Climbing Sequence

Essential Gear

Two Ice Tools, Double 60 meter Ropes, 10-12 Ice Screws with draws and screamers, Crampons, Helmet, Warm Clothes, Full Shank Boots, 4W Drive (Preferable), Shovel and Sleeping Bag, the Ghost can be full of surprises.

External Links

• Avalanche Conditions
• 100’s of Canmore and Banff National Park multi-pitch rock climbs, ice climbs, alpine climbs and scrambles, just scroll down to routes
• OR: Best True Technical Clothing and Accessories in the Outdoor Industry
• Scarpa, has surpassed La Sportiva in terms of quality, function, value
• Osprey Backpacks, Not a Second Choice
• Great Outdoors Depot
• Mont-Bell
• Cascade Designs (MSR; Thermarest; Platypus)





Images

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