Cold Standard  M7

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Type:  Trad, Mixed, 160 feet, Grade II Consensus:  M7 [details] FA:  Dave Rone Submitted By:  Dave Rone on Dec 4, 2012 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: The Cold Standard, with Whimpsicle to the left and...

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Description 

First ascent on a -20C day! Climb an obvious right-leaning crack to an ice and snow-covered ledge about 30m up. Once on the ledge, climb a small crack a few meters, then traverse left to the ice dagger hanging from the top. Pull onto the dagger and climb ice to the top. For the full beta, continue reading.

Climb mainly edges about 3m to the first pro, a #2 Camelot. From this point on, the route gobbles up gear! In the first wide-section of crack, use a # 4 Camelot and slide it along as you climb. When the wide crack ends, place a #12 stopper and continue to the next wide-section (crux). Place a #3 Camelot and slide it along until that section ends. As you near the ledge, you'll come to a triangular chockstone wedged in the crack. It's bomber for tools and gear, and it provides a decent rest. A little higher and slightly left there's a big flake which you can use to kind of shake out, but the feet are bad here. Gear the crack above and scratch your way up and right onto the ledge.

From the ledge climb and protect (long runners) a small crack until you can get a good tool in a small hole/flake in the wall above. I pounded a Spectre in the hole and then stemmed left to the ice, getting a good tool in a small alcove along side the ice. I stuffed a #3 TCU down into the back of alcove and backed it up with #0 C3. Commit to the ice, and climb to the top. I got 1 screw in before the top.

Location 

The route is about 15m north of the Thermocules Chimney, on the way to Whimpsickle. Set up a belay next to a couple birch trees to the climbers left of the start.

Rappel from a tree at the top of the route.

Protection 

Stoppers 3 - 12, cams from #00 C3 to #4 Camalot, 1 spectre, a few short/medium screws, depending on the quantity of ice. No bolts. There is a tree anchor at the top of the route.