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Lake Willoughby
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Last Gentleman 
Who's Who in Outer Space 

Who's Who in Outer Space 

WI5

   

FA: Mark Richey & Neil Pothier
Type: Ice
Consensus: WI5 [details]
Length: 3 pitches, 550 feet, Grade IV
Views: 234 page views

Submitted By: Chris Hillios on Feb 26, 2008


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Dan Erickson on the crux first pitch of Who's Who ...


Description 

This classic route forms as a thin flow just left of Last Gentleman's and is typically very thin on the first 30 meters of the first pitch. P2 eases off a bit, followed by a steeper and more sustained P3.


Location 

The route follows a thin left leaning flow left of The Last Gentleman.


P1:The first 30 meters of thin ice is followed by 30 meters of thicker ice to a good stance at 60 meters.
P2:Easier ice(WI4) for 60 meters leads to the final pitch
P3:A sustained curtain leads to some off-angle climbing to the trees 60 meters

Reference: An Ice Climber's Guide to Northern New England by S.P. Lewis and R. Wilcox


Protection 

Ice Screws and V-threads. Rap from the trees (multiple raps)



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Who's Who - Location

BETA PHOTO: Who's Who - Location

Steep Ice at the beginning of P3.

BETA PHOTO: Steep Ice at the beginning of P3.


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By Dan Erickson
Aug 17, 2008
rating: WI5

Yeah so I finally signed up, better late than never.

This route was amazing and just one of many classic, harder routes that Chris and I did that season. The lower pitch of Who's Who supposedly comes in on most years, but does not last long. You can't tell from the photos, but the ice was pretty thin on that first pitch. That was not really an issue since there was enough to climb, the problem was trying to keep the ice there since it was not bonded to rock for the first 60' or so! The pitch gets steeper towards the belay (after what I am climbing in the photo) and the ice gets thicker. The belay for the second pitch is good.

Chris led the second pitch, WI 4/4+ steps trending a bit right to the crux column pitch. The ice on this pitch was very hard and somewhat brittle. Chris set up a great belay to watch me lead the 3rd pitch, but managed to stay out of the line of fire.

The last pitch was a bit of a horror show, probably the hardest section of steep ice I've ever climbed. The ice was brittle/hollow, 100% virgin, and did not take screws well. Needless to say I had visions of my ankles shattering into bits more than once on this pitch! I would have decked for sure if I fell while topping out. I think I broke my personal record when placing a screw after finishing this pitch, it must have taken all of 5 seconds to place it and clip! The rest of the climb rambles a bit up and left to the top on 3/3+ ice bulges.

I highly recommend this route, it's on my top 10 list of all time favorite ice climbs.