Guide's Route

"Pitches: 6, 7 or 8 

A Popular climb with easy route-finding and great sections of good quality rock. This one is a sweet adventure that will make your day no matter what level of climber you are. Hans Schwarz climbed this route for the first time in the early 1960s but saw traces of human activity when he was up there which means that the real first ascent will remain a mystery." – Northern Exposure, François Laplante

This is an excellent into to multi-pitch trad leading. All anchors are bolted and there are bolts in MOST cruxes that would be poorly protected by gear. The view at the top is great. Many pitches have good gear placements, and there are some cracks to practice crack climbing moves. First 4 pitches have loose rock, mixed quality of gear placements, and pretty easy scramble climbing. The top 4 pitches are better protected with gear and feature some nice easy crack climbing. Always be careful mantling and topping out onto gravelly ledges; this is how to reach many belay stations.

" Pitch 1: (30m, 5.3 on loose rock) Climb the obvious gully left of the fallen tree. Quite runout but easy scramble/climbing for 15m before you reach the first bolt. From there, climb slightly left and up. You will reach the start of the chimney but traverse right on a gravel ramp before going back left on the ledge above you. The anchor is on the ledge, right of the chimney."

Starts with a long easy runout. After first bolt, use gear to the anchors. Can miss the 2-bolt anchor if you climb above it.

" Pitch 2: (35m, 5.7) Excellent and steep. Traverse left and across the chimney to climb on the arête left of the chimney. Aim for the piton you can see from the first anchor. This pitch is excellent, leading you to pitons and bolts under a big gravel ledge that you can choose to belay from, or climb up the ledge to find a two bolt anchor. lf you do belay from that anchor, be careful not to rain your second with gravel."

Look for a piton about 3 m up and left of the big chimney from the belay. It's hard to see. Continue up in a crack that fits a #4 cam. A few metres above is a bolt. then climb the arête on the left side of the chimney, with bolts and pitons protecting the whole pitch. (look on both sides). Comfortable, large belay ledge

"Pitch 3: (25m, 5.4) Climb up on easy but loose terrain to where a two-bolt belay can be found just right and above the tree. From here the original route made you short-rope and walk to the right to find easier terrain and then go back left to reach the island of trees but a pitch has been added and it is possible to climb straight above. If short-roping to the right, skip Pitch 4 description."

Similar to P1, with some easy runouts and not great gear. 

"Pitch 4: (15m, 5.6) Short add-on to the route. Climb straight above, then left and around a feature using underclings to find a two-bolt anchor just before the big island of trees."

Gear is actually good. Fun little pitch. Topping out onto the gravel feels sketchy

"Pitch 5: (45m, 5.5) Walk to the wall and start just left of an obvious weakness. Climb up on good rock that takes good gear. A bolted anchor is slightly left. Beautiful pitch."

The treed ledge is fairly steep and gravelly, be careful scrambling up it. Still, it's a nice place to take a break for lunch, check out some views, and get ready for the money pitches. There is a bolt low on the wall you walk up to, then trend into the crack. There is a piece of wood in this wide off-width crack, just like Pitch 6. Confusing as this wasn't mentioned in the guidebook.

"Pitch 6: (30m, 5.4) Continue up the crack system where you will find an old block of wood that was stuffed in the crack by Hans Schwarz. About 20m up, the route goes left to avoid a roof and then goes straight up to a small ledge with a bolted anchor. "

Another pitch which is very fun beginner trad with good gear. 

"Pitch 7: (45m, 5.4) This one is less obvious. It continues up and slightly right past a corner on your left following a water-worn wall. You will pass some old pitons. Aim for a small tree above you and slightly right. Climb past the tree on a gravel ledge where the bolted anchor will be on your left. A sling on the tree is a good idea for a directlonal to avoid throwing pebbles at your partner on his way up. From pitch 7, you can short-rope up and left on a big ledge then traverse right on exposed but clean rock, exiting on another big ledge or climb up the beautiful wall above you for the last pitch."

There is a PG13 easy but runout section below the tree and anchors. No great gear in that section. 

"Pitch 8: (40m, 5.7) This pitch is one of the best on this route and should not be missed. Climb straight up on a little runout but easy start. You can place a #2 cam on the water-worn groove. Aim for the block with a vertical crack and find two bolts on your way up with a little crux between them. The bolted anchor is at the ledge. "

Rock quality is great here, the looseness almost disappears until the final topout ledge. Can place a Green Camalot in a groove instead of the Gold. the two bolts protecting the crux are very close together, and the crux feels no harder than 5.7 – mostly slabby friction moves on small chips but not bad.

"Descent: Scramble up and walk down to your left to find your way to the main trail that will lead you to the Overlander Trail and the parking lot. "

Head left and up and you will find a faint scrambly trail that takes you generally left to meet up with the main trail. Turn right at the fork to summit via a well-flagged scramble trail, or left to descend/scope out some 3-4 extra pitches of less-established trad climbing to the summit.

As you start to reach 1 km on the left fork trail, look for a large left leaning chimney with an island of trees above, and another smaller crack above that. There is a left fork in the trail towards the base of the climb.

Bolts, Fixed pitons, Standard Rockies Rack, Cams 0.5 – 3", Alpine draws