Brain Freeze 

Jack Roberts and I did this route on the first day of spring. The weather was not spring-like, and the spindrift was in force. This is a very fine route that felt a bit like Hallett Chimney, but with more variety and more continuous climbing. To fully appreciate it, you have to be a fan of snowy mixed climbing and chimneying with crampons. I think it would be in shape from mid-January to mid-April, though you'd want to avoid it on a warm spring day or anytime after a big snow storm.

We did a different first pitch about 50 feet to the right of the original, mainly because it looked easier (about M3). We also did a more direct finish, straight up a short rock band with pumpy dry tooling in a left-facing corner. This seemed like the logical way to go above the final snow field, and it provided a well-protected hard finale (around M5+). We rapped the route, leaving a sling anchor on the top, a good two-nut anchor in the gully above the wild cave pitch, a sling around the big icicle in the Changing Gullies pitch, and another sling around a boulder at the bottom of the snow field. (Didn't find the good two-bolt anchor there...doh!) Two 60-meter ropes for the rappels.

The gear list on this page is perfect, though we never used a Specter. Do NOT leave home without a 10 or 11 hex, which is crucial for protecting the exit from the cave on pitch five.

See more photos at themountainworld.blogspot.com.

Kelly & I also enjoyed this route tremendously, on March 31, 2008. Kelly ran pitches 3 & 4 together, and I ran 5 & 6 together, which seemed to flow well. Sling and/or nut stations are in good position for descent. Excellent find.

The route photo with the red line marking the route doesn't seem to match the route photos. I climbed a route with Chris Erickson matching the line in the photo and it consisted of two pitches in the M4+ range. It pretty much eliminated the snow pitch by climbing a long (65 meter) mostly offwidth pitch to the right of it. Recommended and no piece of cake, be ready to haul packs. The regular line is the deep inset further left.

A lot of ice on the route right now! Changed the rap anchor on the third rap - 60 m ropes just reach.

Fun route! We encountered the "brain freeze" recirculating sprindrift at the crux as well. Classic!

When I climbed this route in early April, I finished on a dihedral about 40' left of the top of P6. It seemed a bit easier but still challenging in the M5 range. Another variation.... Excellent climb!

I soloed this route today. Pretty damn fun. There's a fair bit of ice on it now, and if things don't get too warm my guess is that it will only get better. I walked off via the major gully to west. Simple and easy, just plug west along the ridge for 10 to 15 minutes, looking for the first obvious, big gully. If it's not dead-easy, you're not there yet. Would save bringing two ropes for the raps. Also can't imagine needing pins on this route. Cheers!

As of 5 May 11 no ice on top pitch, lower pitches are still in.

A 10 hex on P5 was tipped out making the pull pretty exciting.

A tipped out #10 hex, now that's Old School! I Love it!

Great route. #11 hex fits nice and tight!

Climbed route yesterday. Some ice at lower chockstone cruxes but not enough for ice screws. Upper headwall is dry. Many have been using the Horrorshow boulder pile for a topout rap point. Take a look at how these blocks are stacked, this is a no-brainer jenga pile, just tap any of the rocks with your hammer and you can feel how they are precariously joined. There is even one rather large one that juts out from the mass unsupported on one side with about a 1cm square pivot point partially supporting the major pile above it. Yikes!

Anyway, added a much safer top rap anchor straight North along topout about 15-20'. Anchor consists of new 1" tubular green webbing with locking biner. The pull is obviously not as direct as the previous anchor, but we had no problems with double 8.1 mm ropes. You might make sure rope is left of vegetation for smoother pull. 60m ropes with a little stretch will get you to the next fixed rap anchors.

Bring tat/leaver gear as anchors are not always usable or easy to find.

Otherwise, Climbing is Stellar, great route!

Fear not if you don't have the necessary hex. A foot higher than the hex placement is a chockstone that one can sling.