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Southeast Face

5.10-, Trad, Alpine, 150 ft (45 m), 2 pitches, Grade II,  Avg: 2.9 from 10 votes
FA: Jim Nelson, Jim Martin, Kit Lewis, Bill Liddell, Dave Bale - 1990
Washington > Northwest Region > Hwy 20 & N Casc… > N Cascades > Boston Basin > Sharkfin Tower

Description

The Southeast Face of Sharkfin Tower has solid granite, fun moves, and an unbeatable position.

P1: Step onto a detached block, then work up a widening seam, starting with fingers, then ring-locks. Protection is good once the crack gets wide enough for fingers. The seam zig-zags a bit, just left of the arete. Follow it to the two-bolt anchor in a notch on the ridge.

P2: From the bolted belay, traverse left past two bolts and then choose your own adventure on the face. Gear is somewhat sparse and often best in thin cracks or horizontal seams. The upper section has more lichen and will be better if it cleans up more.

To descend, follow the beta for the Southeast Ridge.

Location

On the clean Southeast Face of Sharkfin Tower, visible from the notch at the base of the Southeast Ridge. Climb the first two pitches of the ridge and find a fixed anchor to rap from. Make two 75' raps, keeping in mind the notes from the section above on protection with respect to anchors.

Protection

Single/light rack with gear to 2" and some runners.

A fixed anchor exists at the top of the route. Rap from this or build your own anchor to rap from since you'll be back. There is a two-bolt belay at the top of P1, but there are no chains or rap rings, so you'll leave gear here to rap down to the base of the climb. There is no anchor at the base of P1 (a bolt with no hanger exists), so build your own anchor for the belayer here.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Sweet position at the belay on top of P1
[Hide Photo] Sweet position at the belay on top of P1
Jake, following P1 of the SE Ridge, just getting into the fingers section of the crack
[Hide Photo] Jake, following P1 of the SE Ridge, just getting into the fingers section of the crack
Pitch 2
[Hide Photo] Pitch 2
Pitch 1, going from below the detached block to the notch
[Hide Photo] Pitch 1, going from below the detached block to the notch

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

Josh K
 
[Hide Comment] Excellent route, if you're going through the effort of getting to Sharkfin you'd be crazy not to get on it! Uncharacteristically bomber granite splitter fingers with excellent exposure over the impressive Boston glacier below.
To clarify a few things, this is a top-access route, which admittedly feels a little ridiculous given the location (it's worth it). Climb the first two pitches of the ridge, set an anchor and do two raps down to the start of the route on the big block. Bolts are currently still good and in place for the intermediate anchor and beginning of P2.
Gear was perfect, a light single rack and a set of stoppers protects it just fine, but bring a few micro stoppers or a BD .1 for P1 (10b) if you fancy staying on the face in the crack proper. This can be bypassed by 8ft of 5.9 on the arete, but doesn't change the overall grade. P1 is fantastic with an exhilarating step over crux, but P2 (5.9+) is the victory money pitch with excellent gear and variable face climbing! Jul 22, 2024