Edward Corder, JOEY T, workn in to the crux of the...
Description
I've done this route three times and enjoyed it every time.
The first pitch is normally about half rock and half ice, though this year I got exactly two ice sticks on the entire pitch. The first half is well-protected chimney climbing, one foot on rock, one on ice. At a ledge halfway up, step left to place small wire pro as high as you can reach, then step back right to the crux, a reach high to good ice (hopefully), with poor feet. This section has ledge-fall potential if, like this year, the ice is thin or poorly bonded. In good years, you quickly reach solid ice and the wire to the left is sufficient pro. Carry on up more chimney climbing, in thin years like this, or good ice when it's fat. Easier climbing leads to a big tree ledge on the left at about 175 feet, or a stance lower on the right if you have short ropes.
Two options for pitch two; I've only done the left. Move the belay up left to the base of an obvious iced-up corner system. Easier-than-it-looks rock climbing and thin ice to the top. Seemed about the same difficulty as the first pitch. The right-hand variation is steeper, supposedly harder and forms more rarely. In three visits, I've never seen it formed properly. Great climbing -- mostly very well protected, and hard enough to be interesting but easy enough to be accessible to us mortals.
Conditions vary a lot on this one -- I'd say anything from M4 to M5+. Right-hand is supposed to be M6.
Protection
Bring a full set of wires, cams from finger to hand size, a small selection of pins, and a few short ice screws. Two ropes for rappels.
By Leo Paik Administrator From: Westminster, Colorado Nov 16, 2002
There was a manky old bolt on this first pitch about midheight, right at the crux of the rock climbing version. The wallow approach can be longer than it appears. Addendum: felt easier without ice to me.
Early bird gets the worm, on this [moderate] mixed gem. An all star route. Small window for [opportunity]. Formed up only for three weeks in the begining of this winter, and fell apart during the warm spell we had. Edward and I sent this trad mixed climb in the first week of December 2002.
We climbed Challenger Glacier the other day, in the Indian Peaks. Conditions were great for this time of year. Neve at the bottom, alpine where it starts to get steep, then bomber *water* ice for the cruxy parts. 6 screws are just enough pro, assuming 2 screws for belays. And 2 shorties for comfort. Up to maybe 60 degrees, not much more than that. Lots of fun to be ice climbing in late summer! We did it in 3 pitches, with the last pitch kind of short (enough to get over the short bulge above the Schrund). Cheers.
I used your comment as an excuse to skin up 4th of July Rd. The chimney has ice but I wouldn't call it fat, it looks discontinuous in a few spots. Probably only need hiking boots for most of the approach, although maybe snow shoes to get to the base. Lots of snow on the ledges. Eager to hear how it was after you climb it.
Did route 3 Feb--It was as fat as I've ever seen it! 1st pitch has ice all the way down, relatively fat, with all kinds of new fixed pins. The 2nd pitch (Right side) is mixed, sporty and with protection that is less than assuring in spots. Nonetheless, there is some ice on it, but finesse is paramount to keep it there. At the top, there is a fixed rap anchor on the L, but you may have to dig into the drifted snow to find it. It's 10-12' from the last ice curtain, in the chimney above. STELLAR pitch-- different that Left one- sl longer, perhaps better, although the left side is excellent also.
Climbed this on March 11. Lots of rotten and delaminated ice on both pitches and everything was covered with snow. The right variation on P2 is very good and should not be missed. I found it equal or better than P1. The pro is there but you need to look for it, its not obvious.
For P2 move the belay up 20 or so, to a safe spot or be prepared to simul-climb for about 20. The belayer and leader will be on easy ground for this. About a third of the way up the dihedral, where the pro appears to run out, move 5' to 7 up and out on the right face and you will find cracks for pro then move back to the left and continue up to more 1/2" to 3/4" cracks on the right face, solid cam. There was a small column of ice in the dihedral and a 10' ice cap above. Surmount this and head up a 50 degree deep and narrow chimney with a couple of short vertical steps, under some large chock stones and pop out at the top, belay here.
The rappel is a tree located between the L and R variations close to the edge, look for slings at chest height. Two 60 m ropes will put you on the middle of the first ledge. The second rappel is a tree like the upper one.
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