Type: Trad, Alpine, 1000 ft (303 m), 6 pitches, Grade III
FA: unknown
Page Views: 16,306 total · 90/month
Shared By: Lee Frazer on May 28, 2009
Admins: Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC

You & This Route


41 Opinions
Your To-Do List: Add To-Do ·
Your Star Rating:
Rating Rating Rating Rating Rating      Clear Rating
Your Difficulty Rating:
-none- Change
Your Ticks:Add New Tick
-none-
Use onX Backcountry to explore the terrain in 3D, view recent satellite imagery, and more. Now available in onX Backcountry Mobile apps! For more information see this post.

Description Suggest change

Fun alpine climbing on Grenadier quartzite. Exposed, but you won't find the climb to be difficult if you're in climbing shape, have mountain experience, and come prepared to be in the mountains (this is still remote alpine climbing).

Instead of climbing the "casual" route, which is the true ridge line of Wham Ridge - i.e., sticking to the right-most ridge line (arete) - climb straight up the middle/center of the Wham face. Again, the climbing's not difficult, but a little harder than the 5.3-5.4 along the ridge. Gerry Roach's 13ers guide rates this a 5.7. If there's 5.7, there's not much. Most of it seemed to be in the 5.3-5.5 range. We encountered two short 15-20' sections that were pushing 5.7, all of which were blocky and easy to protect. There are a couple of lines up the middle, though the steepness and rock type doesn't change.

We simu-climbed most of it in approach shoes, pitched out two full rope lengths about 600' shy of the summit, and free-soloed the last 150-200'. Carried climbing shoes, but never used them.

"Center Shift" is the name Roach uses in his 13ers guide.

Location Suggest change

Start early. The route is very exposed to weather.

Protection Suggest change

Good pro on hard, slick quartzite. (If you haven't climbed quartzite, you're in for a treat.)
No fixed gear. Pack a small alpine rack w/ an assortment of stoppers and cams, long runners, etc.

Photos

loading