P1- Climb up a left facing shallow runnel with the occasional step. We protected it with KB's and a stubby. Belay on nice ledge. W3 100+
P2-( 2 options). Option 1- Climb the thin, steep smear on the left with little to no protection to a nice ledge and better ice. W? Option 2- Climb out right around the corner on a nice foot ledge. From here find the path of least resistance pounding pins up a low angle rock face, aim for a flake in a right facing corner (this took an OK nut). Mix your way to the lip and (hopefully) good ice and a belay. 5.8 W3 120ft.
P3. Climb up a good low angle ice ramp to the snowfield and dig yourself in. W3. short
P4-9. Depending on your conditions this could be a snow wallow or a cruise up frozen crust. The view from the ridge is really worth while. As you can see the AF/LCC ridge-line on your right and the upper reaches of Timp. on your left.
Descent: We walked down the north-east ridge eventually dropping down some steep bush lined gulley's to find the Aspen Grove Trail.
Location
Park at the Aspen Grove Trailhead. From the parking lot you can see the Roberts Horn. Find well traveled path leading you west. You will see some ice falls http://www.mountainproject.com/v/utah/wasatch_range/wasatch_>>>>> on your right as you approach. Keep following the switch back trail as it eventually brings you from the valley up to the north ridge where it will then cut back under the Roberts Horn itself. This approach AND route would be best approached in low avalanche conditions. If the snow is too deep it wouldn't be worth the time as most of the route would be under snow. Approach time: 45 min to 1hr depending on how deep the snow is.
Protection
A few thin pins, (1) baby angle (1) medium LA. A couple of screws (stubbies helped us) and a rack of nuts. Slings.
Very cool to see this route in here. I looked at it for years and never got up there to check it out. Always wondered if it had been climbed or if it would be as good as it looked. Sounds like I missed out on a good moderate, long route. Looking forward to the photos.
From your far right line on the photo: We climbed that black streak to the right (It had ice when we did it) then straight up the rock steps joining up w/ the upper part of the drawn-in line on the right.
Hope that helps and thanks for a great photo!
Cheers
On a big snow year I bet you could ski most of the righthand drawn-in line.
ticked a line back in Nov. of '00 directly above the switch-backs on the left side of photo, with the features climbed being out of the frame to the left. It was the most obvious line from the parking lot at the time. 3 pitches. first being a right leaning gulley with good sticks in ice WI2+, followed by a second pitch of sticking frozen alpine buns in a corner system M3-4, followed by 5-10 minutes of mountaineering up and left to a short (50-ish feet?) but wide curtain WI3+. slings for the ocassional alpine tree/shrub, pins for the broken cracks/fractures, and an ice screw or two for early season skill-honing on the 3rd pitch. walk off left for the descent. glissade to speed things up.
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