Cilley-Barber  WI4

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Type:  Trad, Ice, 7 pitches, 1000 feet, Grade IV Consensus:  WI4- [details] FA:  Glen Gilley, Henry Barber 197? Season:  December-March Submitted By:  Patrick Bagley on Nov 14, 2007 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (5) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

The Cilley-Barber route is the weakness up the hea...

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Description 

This broad snow and ice gulley is the most distinct line in the Chimney Pond Cirque of the Katahdin Massif. When I did it, there was more ice and less snow than usual. The first two pitches are usually ice climbing at NEI2-3. These top out into a large bowl-like snow gulley that continues for the majority of the climb. Simul over some ice bulges and steep snow for a couple hundred of feet. The crux pitch is somewhere around what would be Pitch 9. This pitch can have wind-swept overhanging mushrooms of ice, but we were able to skirt around them. The last two or so pitches are cruiser snowy and rocky climbing. Top out to the infamous Knife Edge Ridge.

Location 

The route is the most obvious line up to the Knife's Edge, topping out to climber's left of Baxter Peak. Approach via the inlet creek to Chimney Pond. Descend via Cathedral trail if visibility is good. Otherwise, continue along the ridge and descend the Saddle Trail.

Bring and use a map and compass.

Protection 

Standard ice rack.

Photos of Cilley-Barber Slideshow

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Topping out on the Cilley-Barber	Cilley-Barber in winter 2002.	BETA PHOTO: The line.
BETA PHOTO: The crux pitch.	2 pitchs below the Crux ice mushroom	Below the Crux ice
looking twords the armadillo from the crux ice on ...