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Tunnel Vision
WI4+ M4+
Avg: 3.5 from 2 votes
Type: | Trad, Mixed, Ice, 800 ft (242 m), 5 pitches |
FA: | Edward Corder and Steve Su, 2004 |
Page Views: | 2,597 total · 23/month |
Shared By: | Erik Rieger on Nov 5, 2014 |
Admins: | Leo Paik, John McNamee, Frances Fierst, Monty, Monomaniac, Tyler KC |
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Description
Tunnel Vision ascends the prominent S/SE-facing cleft and chimney system just left of Sublime Buttress and right of the Womb. It's likely been repeated a few times since the FA. A rare former with incredible climbing and disastrous icefall potential on warm days. Choose your timing wisely as conditions will vary tremendously. The grade listed is the one given by Steve and Ed, but I've heard others call it M6. Enjoy.
Pitch 1: Climb up the steep snow cone to reach a short and steep groove which may have ice, then continue up plastic alpine ice and moderate mixed climbing to a fun crux. Belay off whatever you can find on the slope above.
Pitch 2: Climb up the harder-than-it-looks chimney, which contains a continuous runnel of ice in its back. The first few moves are wild and not well protected, and the pitch is sustained. Belay off pins and small gear in dark rock at the chimney's final opening. A great pitch.
Pitch 3: Ascend the vertical, shoulder-width ice runnel with some mixed climbing and turf climbing up higher. Continue up steep snow until the rope's end. There is a fixed nut anchor up and right on the right wall. Another good pitch.
Pitch 4: Continue up the deep cleft on steep snow past a chockstone and more snow until reaching a steep, ice-plastered wall/corner on the left side. Continue up the thinly-iced, vertical wall, and belay at a pin anchor or continue up steep terrain in a corner. ("Sublime Vision" ascends the corner system on the opposite wall of this steep and rad cleft.)
[Erik Wellborn and I tried this line in May 2014 but bailed after four pitches. So the rest is a guess. Chime in.]
Pitch 5: Continue up icy mixed terrain in the large corner system, possibly past an enormous snow mushroom. Then burrow through the "holy shit, Batman” passage to finish the climb.
Rappel the same route, rap the Womb, or walk off. There are a few bail anchors of varying quality on the climb. Read the AAJ report: publications.americanalpine…. I haven't done the Womb, but Wellborn thought this was better and more sustained.
Pitch 1: Climb up the steep snow cone to reach a short and steep groove which may have ice, then continue up plastic alpine ice and moderate mixed climbing to a fun crux. Belay off whatever you can find on the slope above.
Pitch 2: Climb up the harder-than-it-looks chimney, which contains a continuous runnel of ice in its back. The first few moves are wild and not well protected, and the pitch is sustained. Belay off pins and small gear in dark rock at the chimney's final opening. A great pitch.
Pitch 3: Ascend the vertical, shoulder-width ice runnel with some mixed climbing and turf climbing up higher. Continue up steep snow until the rope's end. There is a fixed nut anchor up and right on the right wall. Another good pitch.
Pitch 4: Continue up the deep cleft on steep snow past a chockstone and more snow until reaching a steep, ice-plastered wall/corner on the left side. Continue up the thinly-iced, vertical wall, and belay at a pin anchor or continue up steep terrain in a corner. ("Sublime Vision" ascends the corner system on the opposite wall of this steep and rad cleft.)
[Erik Wellborn and I tried this line in May 2014 but bailed after four pitches. So the rest is a guess. Chime in.]
Pitch 5: Continue up icy mixed terrain in the large corner system, possibly past an enormous snow mushroom. Then burrow through the "holy shit, Batman” passage to finish the climb.
Rappel the same route, rap the Womb, or walk off. There are a few bail anchors of varying quality on the climb. Read the AAJ report: publications.americanalpine…. I haven't done the Womb, but Wellborn thought this was better and more sustained.
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