Weather forecasts

Apparently a super high quality climb!

Gear

• 60m rope
• #0.3-4 with doubles through #2, single #3-4
• Nuts

Approach

Approaching from Colchuck Lake is about 3 miles one-way shorter than Snow Lake, and possibly a little less elevation gain although ends up being close since on the way back you’ll have to go up some first before going down.

Ditching gear at the saddle near the start of West Ridge might be a good idea, and then walk barefoot/in climbing shoes to the base of the climb.

Seems like you approach to the saddle and then split off to the right side of Prusik, just under 8 miles one-way, with 5,400 ft gain.

P1 – 5.8

Climb a 5.8 wide hand crack to the left of the chimney to gain low fifth class terrain with trees. Linking with P2 sounds possible, ends up being close to full 60m.

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P2 – 5.6

Scramble up to the last tallest tree, facing a knobbed wall with a thin crack going up.

P3 – 5.8

Climb the crack and exit right on large knobs until you reach the deep gully. Linking with P4 sounds possible, although it’s more like 70m if you want to get on top the chockstone.

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P4 – 5.8

Climb the gully and ideally climb through the chockstone and belay on top the chockstone. Alternatively, can belay underneath a good ledge below the obvious chockstone. This pitch has an optional 10b hand crack described below too.

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Optional 10b hand crack variation for this pitch. If you climb this, you’ll likely have to belay below the chockstone and extend the belay down so in line with the traverse back over from top of the crack, and then do another small pitch to get above chockstone. Otherwise you get horrible rope drag. To find the crack, go around to the left and you’ll see a hand crack on the face to your right) and worth doing. However, when you get to the top of the crack think the anchor opportunities are poor there. Then you have to go right and step across to get to below the keyhole, and if you’re not careful rope drag will be bad.

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P5 – 5.9+

If still below the chockstone, tunnel between the chockstone, then climb nice cracks up into a flaring squeeze chimney. Build a belay atop the chimney.

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P5 to P6

Move the belay right across the large (exposed) ledge to start P6.

P6 – 5.9+

Climb up the left facing corner and summit! Long sustained pitch, can consider breaking up if running out of medium to large cams.

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