The Kingfisher

The Kingfisher is a sustained and beautiful line that weaves a path up the left edge of The Barb flake culminating with the dramatic Kingfisher Arete. The climb connects naturally protected crack features with beautiful face climbing. The climbing is consistent in difficulty with 3 pitches of 5.11, 3 pitches of 5.10, and one pitch of 5.9.

P1: [11c] climb past 2 bolts (11a), and go left into a small corner. Climb the corner with gear and a fixed pin. When the corner fades, climb the face past 4 bolts (11c). After the 4th bolt, go up and left with nice edges to an overlap. Go straight up past a large detached flake (climb left of the flake) to an anchor on a small, grassy ledge (130').  

Variation: (Kingfisher Lite) pitch one can be avoided by starting up Sykes' Sickle and then traversing out right along a ledge passing two very old 1/4” bolts to the anchor at the top of P1 of the Kingfisher. Or you can do two pitches of Sykes' Sickle, and then traverse over and down slightly to the anchor at the top of P2 of the Kingfisher.

NOTE: the first two bolts are buried under snow in June. In July, the second bolt can be used as a belay bolt to get established onto the wall from the snowfield. In August and September, when the snow is melted, both bolts will be visible.  (See photo’s)

P2: [10+] go to the very right side of the small, grassy belay ledge. When the ledge ends, work up to a small overlap. Pull over onto the face above, then work slightly right and then up to another overlap. Clip a bolt, then go up to the large roof above. Pull through the roof using some sharp finger locks. Once established over the roof, follow a crack up to a nice, grassy ledge and the anchor (80').

P3: [5.9] climb up to three massive flakes on a large ledge. Go right along the top of the flakes into a left-facing corner/flake system. Climb the flakes for 20-25' up to a small roof/overlap.  Exit the crack to the right  and over the overlap on cool knobs (9) (see photos). Clip one bolt on the face then head up to the belay ledge. (100’)

P4: [10c] climb up and right from the belay stance to a nice grassy ledge, then follow a left-slanting crack. When the crack ends, pull out to the right, and mantle onto a small stance (5.9+). Clip a bolt, then go straight up to the start of a beautiful, rising seam that leads out to the left. Climb the seam passing 5 fixed LA’s (supplemental gear can be placed between the pins). The seam ends at a beautiful stance in the middle of the blank wall (100').

Variation: from the belay, go up and right past the left-slanting crack to a flake and crack feature that goes up and then arcs left to meet up with the pin seam. This avoids the mantle to the bolt but still climbs the pin seam. See the topo (5.9).

P5: [11b] Follow the bolts as they arc across the beautiful wall. Sustained face climbing on scoops, knobs, and smears past 8 bolts takes you to a belay stance. No gear is needed on this pitch (100').

P6: [10b] climb a short ways up a small, left-facing corner above the belay, then face climb right across cool knobs to the start of a straight-in crack. The crack starts as tight fingers then slowly widens to big fingers and tight hands. Take the crack to a small stance, then head up into a left-facing corner a short way to the start of a hand crack that slants up and left out to the edge of the wall and a great ledge below the Kingfisher Arete (105').

P7: [11a] climb the pillar off the belay ledge to a high first bolt. After the first bolt, pull into a small corner, then reach up and right to a horizontal crack (11a). (DO NOT reach out left and pull on the flakes! You can use a hold on the edge of the main wall and just put a foot up on one of the lower flakes. You do not need to go left). Now follow the bolts traversing along the very lip of the roof. Gain the arete, and climb this amazing feature using beautiful knobs. Clip a fixed pin near the top of the arete, then pull up onto a stance. Go hard right from the stance, and reach out to clip one final bolt. Do a balancy move past the final bolt (11a), then mantel up to the top. 2-3 Small cams (0.3 and 0.4 Camalot sizes) can be placed on this pitch.

The Kingfisher can be rappelled from the top of pitch 7 or you can downclimb off the back side of the Barb Flake (tricky 10a) and finish on the last 2 pitches of the North Ridge route.

To rappel, a 70m rope will work EXCEPT for the final rappel to the ground. Once the snow has melted, the final rappel is around 140ft. We were able to rappel off in early July with a single 70m to the snow, but in August and September, you will be 15-20 feet short. One option is to leave a 25-30 foot section of old rope/cord at the base and then just tie it on to use as a pull line and perform a Reepschnur rappel. Or use a Beal Escaper.

The Kingfisher starts about 50' right of the large crack that marks the start of Sykes' Sickle. Locate a small, right-facing corner with a perpetual water seep to its right. The start of the route is marked by two bolts that lead up to this right facing corner.  These bolts will be buried under snow in June.  In July the upper bolt will be exposed and by August both bolts should be visible.

The route goes pretty much straight up after the first pitch and culminates on the very tip of the massive Barb Flake.

Rack:  A few stoppers (nothing real small or large), Double set of cams from #0.2 to #.75 Camalot size, Single #1 and Single #2 Camalots, 6 draws, and 4 alpine draws.

All bolts are 3/8” stainless steel wedge bolts. Lead bolts are 2 1/4" with a few 3" bolts in places. All belay stances have one 2 1/4" and one 3" bolt. Chains are high tensile SS with a WLL of 2,200 lbs. Quicklinks are Camp 25kn 5mm attaching the chain to the bolt hanger and 7mm Petzl or 8mm SS on the rope end.

All bolts were drilled by hand.