Kain Route (South Ridge)  5.6

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Type:  Trad, Alpine, 4 pitches, 1500 feet, Grade III Consensus:  5.6 [details] FA:  Mr. and Mrs. A.H.MacCarthy, J.Vincent, C.Kain - Aug 1916 Submitted By:  Chris Owen on Nov 22, 2006 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (31) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Conrad Kain, alpine superhero.

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Description 

By way of the N. lateral moraine of Bugaboo glacier and snowfield to the Snowpatch-Bugaboo col above which the S. arete is followed. Scramble up ledges easily for more then 500' to the base of a steep chimney where the rope is put on. Climb chimney (120';two leads; strenuous) to crest of ridge leading to base of formidable gendarme. Two leads on the gendarme reach groove where belay is established for the crux. Leader moves up vertical wall in cracks and over left-hand corner brings him to the base of a steep, curving crack which is ascended, leading to a short finger traverse (left) into a gully. Climb gully (10') to belay ledge behind gendarme. Thence a short climb to the summit, a second point of equal height at the N.E. being reached over a short but difficult bit of broken arete, in the middle section of which a 20' doubled rope is used to facilitate return.

The above taken verbatim from the 1955 AAC publication "A Climber's Guide to the Interior Ranges of British Columbia" by James Monroe Thorington.

Conrad Kain considered this his hardest lead - although modern techniques and equipment has certainly knocked the edge off. His Mount Robson route remains quite an undertaking.

Descend the route via rappels and scrambling.

Protection 

Standard alpine rack. Ice-axe and possibly crampons.

Photos of Kain Route (South Ridge) Slideshow

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Vista on the lower part of the route.	More vistas from the scrambling part of the route ...	BETA PHOTO: Picture of the Kain Route taken from Pigeon Spire.
BETA PHOTO: Upper section of Kain route showing the Gendarme (...	BETA PHOTO: The hordes waiting to rappel (left) and climb (rig...	Looking over at Snowpatch Spire from the summit of...
Approaching the gendarme on the Kain route. Climbe...	BETA PHOTO: Kain Route, Bugaboo Spire Photo by MP conributor K...	BETA PHOTO: Kain Route Map contour interval : 100 feet Green ...
Crux pitch on the Kain route,	BETA PHOTO: Applebee Camp Info	BETA PHOTO: Route Overview
BETA PHOTO: Upper Route Beta	Applebee Camp	BETA PHOTO: Bolted belay at the base of the Gendarme pitch.
View from the South Summit	From the base of the final belayed pitch	The added hike from the Kain hut to Applebee
Snowpatch-Bugaboo Col. Small crevasses and bergsh...	BETA PHOTO: The scrambling up to the roped pitches.	Looking down from just below the Gendarme pitch.
A look at the easy climbing to the south summit.	Start of the roped climbing	The 4th class intermediate ridge.
Some of the lower roped pitches	BETA PHOTO: A key, inobvious rap station on the descent.