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Driese-Kehoe

5.10, Trad, Alpine, 850 ft (258 m), 8 pitches, Grade III,  Avg: 3.4 from 7 votes
FA: Ken Driese & Mike Kehoe 1981
Wyoming > Wind River Range > Cirque of the T… > Wolfs Head

Description

One of the longest routes on the Wolf's Head. Long pitches and clean corners make up the majority of this fantastic route. Route finding becomes very easy after you have climbed the first couple of pitches. Generally just keep climbing the corners towards the really big roof.

Grades are approximate, We did the route in 5 pitches with a 60 and some simul-climbing skipping the first pitch due to snow cover. As such some of the climbing was really draggy and hard to put a grade on. If I were to do the route again I'd stop at the belays described, avoiding all weird intermediate hanging belays. P4 & P5 may link with a 70m and a lot of drag, P7 & P8 will link with a 60m rope.

P1: Locate a right facing corner low on the Wolf's Head. This pitch was still entirely under the snow when we got to it, so we scrambled above it to start the route. My understanding is that this pitch is well protected and not harder than 5.8.

P2: a long pitch up a slightly ledge-y right facing corner system to a ledge with a black band of broken rock going through it. 5.8/5.9?

P3: Go up from the belay skirting a roof feature on its right side. Once over the roof, follow a low angle ramp to the left to another ledge, passing a tatty rap anchor. The rock quality here is a little worse than the rest of the route, but it's very easy terrain. Belay on a giant grassy ledge at the base of a large corner system with a black dike at the bottom. 5.7

P4: Long pitch, follow right facing corners with a lot of liebacking for close to 200 feet ending with a couple moves on spooky flakes. On the right a small ledge can be reached about 40/50 feet below the gigantic roof. 5.10/-

P5: Short pitch, to get to the pedestal at the beginning of the roof traverse pitch. The best way to do this is to traverse left across the spooky flakes again and up under a cool left facing roof/corner feature. Pop up over this and follow a fun flake/crack to the base of the roof. 5.9/10

P6: Big awesome roof traverse, undercling and smear your way out this thing whatever way you can. Good edges allow you to stop and place gear pretty liberally. Finish the roof and pull up and through a techy corner, making a belay at the base of another corner system. A money pitch, and probably the crux. 5.10

P7: Sweet fingers in a left facing corner! techy edging, great gear, and wildly fun climbing all around. Make a belay at a good ledge below a flake and crack system that leads to a flaring chimney. 5.9/10-

P8: Climb up and towards the flaring v-slot chimney. Climb through the chimney and belay on a fat ledge just below the east ridge. 5.10/-

P8+ - Finish the rest of the East Ridge and do the well defined descent, do not rap the Becky route.

Location

On the south face of the Wolf's Head, locate a massive roof at the end of a left facing corner, with a right facing corner system below it.

Protection

Doubles to #2, 1 #3, and a #4. nuts, many slings. one rope to descend, 60 or 70 will be fine.

Photos [Hide ALL Photos]

Coming up the 150+ ft layback corner
[Hide Photo] Coming up the 150+ ft layback corner
Roof Traverse
[Hide Photo] Roof Traverse

Comments [Hide ALL Comments]

AMT
[Hide Comment] we linked 4 and 5, as well as 6 and 7. Seemed pretty good, especially if you are careful with slings linking 4 and 5. Really cool route. You top out way on the east side of the formation so descending to the west involves climbing most of the awesome East Ridge route. Rapping the Beckey route (which we didn't do) might be more straightforward or a better option if the weather is looking ominous. Aug 15, 2019