Voie de Chaise

Voie de Chaise pronounced: “Vwa De Shez” translates loosely to the Chair route or, more precisely, Route of the Chair, and the route is increasingly being referred to as simply "The Voie". 

Tino Villanueva and Ian Nicholson established this route on lead from the ground up on the East Face of Chair Peak over several weeks in the Fall of 2022. While the route was established on lead, the first ascensionists added several more bolts to make a more accessible “sport alpine route.” The name stems from the first ascent team wanting a “Chair" themed name while also giving a nod to the inspiration of the sport alpine routes around the Brevent in the Aiguille Rouge outside of Chamonix, France. It should be noted that the FA team put in a considerable effort to make sure this line did not go anywhere close to the existing East Face route, which starts and finishes well to the right of this route.

Route Info

It’s still an alpine route. 

While the route is fully bolted, it is still an alpine route. The first ascent team put in considerable effort to clear any sizable loose blocks that were found. However, as this is a newer alpine route and some loose rock likely still exists and little some pebbles on ledges as a result of trundling the larger blocks.  While cleaning the route to the summit, the last two pitches got extremely dirty, and early parties in the route should be prepared, particularly in the early summer of 2023. With that said most of the sizable rock has been removed and the route should continue to clean up nicely but parties on the route in the summer of 2023 should use extra caution if multiple parties are on the route (if you are alone please feel free to brush off any small rocks you come across as the route should clean up quite nicely with traffic. 

P1 A few tricky moves off the ground (5.7) lead to solid and sustained 5.6 slab climbing (120ft) on solid, clean rock. 

P2 A funky move over an overlap (5.8) leads to easier climbing in a left-facing corner (5.4). At the top of the corner, trend right and ascend over one final steep section (5.8) that leads to the belay ~100ft. Consider using an extendable sling before the pitch trends back right. Stop at the first set an anchor at the top of the steep section, the first bolt of the next pitch is also some rap anchors)

P3 Traverse right, passing a rappel station and up on a few tricky slab moves to a few several small overlaps (5.7) followed by easier slab climbing ascending up and right (100ft).

P4 An easier lower angle pitch leads you to the nice belay below a steep section of rock (90ft 5.6). This belay stance is named the "Heli pad", not because its big but because its where you are about to take off from. 

P5 The "30 Seconds Out pitch" (the crux of the route); move off the belay to the right, heading for a weakness in the steeper terrain above, identifiable by a small but prominent “triangle roof” located in the steep wall above and to the right of you. The steep weakness contains very fun but, at times, committing feeling moves with a few layback-type moves and some high steps (5.9). While this pitch appears quite steep, it offers several hidden jugs that seemingly keep appearing just as you need them as well as a couple of critical pockets on the right-hand side. (70ft).  The pitch name "30 Seconds Out", coded 30SECOUT is a rescue operation and military term which is usually the last verbal command given before landing, engaging with an enemy, or otherwise starting a difficult objective, mission, or rescue and references the short easy climbing leading up to the definitive crux sequence of the route. 

P6 Ascended up and left before going straight up. This pitch contains a handful of 5.2-5.3 moves but is mostly easier climbing 100ft. This pitch and the final pitch got very dirty while trundling the terrain above the final pitch to make it safer for teams to ascend to the summit of Chair and return. If you are positive there are no teams below you please feel free to “sweep” off the remaining dirt of this pitch and pitch #7.  Belay at the anchors with no chains on the left and take note of the anchors with chains on the right which will be the first set used after rapping off the top.

P7 Climb a lower angle slab 100ft (5.6) to the belay. (100ft). 

P8/Scramble to the top; from the last anchor: From the final anchor, ascend a faint path a few feet to the left and ascend before cutting back right on a faint trail below a small rock slab (3-bolts 3/4th class). Cross over a rib in the east face. Move down and across 3rd class terrain, clipping one more bolt while making a horizontal traverse over to a terrain belay next to a tree that has a webbing anchor.  From here, locate a climber's trail around to the right that reaches the ridge crest and generally moves the climber's right towards the summit. It should be noted that while the last pitch is barely 4th class, it needs to be downclimbed/belayed downclimbed to get to the top of P7 anchors and the start of the rappels and the 8th pitch is better to belayed downclimb and not rappel (since part of it is a talus slope). Alternatively, you can hike down, down climb, and rappel the "normal" descent down the East Gully.  

Rappel notes

**Two rappel stations were added in the early summer of 2023 to make it safer to rap the route with a 60m rope which now makes it on all of the rappels**. With that said several of the rappels leave people with less than 5ft of rope left, so TIE KNOTS!!!! Reverse Pitch 8 by belaying back down the pitch (which is mostly exposed class 2/3 scrambling), attempting to rappel this pitch has too much potenital to knock loose rock down on others below and should be avoided.  

From the Top of the 7th pitch anchor, rap straight down to the chain anchor that was just right of the P6 anchors. From there rap to the top of P5 and use the belay stations used on the way up to rappel other than when rappeling from P2 to P1 use the P2 anchors that were on the slab just to the right of the main, non-anchor without chains. For the final rappel to the ground (from the P1 anchors), rappel straight down to where you'll reach the ground rather than rappelling diagonally down to the “true” base of the route (where you started belaying the beginning of the first pitch) where you'll NOT make it with 1x60m rope. 

Alternative

If there are other parties below, you consider descending the normal chair peak gulley descent, which leaves you only a hundred feet or so uphill of the base of Voie de Chaise.  Or if you do descend Voie de Chaise with parties below be particaruly careful on the 7th and 8th pitches and please belayed down climb the 8th pitch rather than rappel it with parties below. 

Approach notes

Take the normal summer trail to the East Face of Chair, the Summer NE Buttress Route and the “Chair Snow Patch” for all those TAYers. For those less familiar with that approach follow the normal summer trail to the talus field above Source lake. Once the trail hits the talus field do not drop down as you would for the Tooth, instead ascend 100-200 horizontal feet until you re able to pass some small clip bands on your right. From here the trail improves significantly and is easy to follow as it just below a water fall. Leave the trail at a longer talus field (typically a large carin) and ascend up and left on nice trails separating the talus field.  This takes you to the “Chair Snow Patch”. Ascend the snow patch to its highest point and now the unfun part. The final 200-300ft of scree isn’t super far but its loose. Get right up against the base of chair peak where the scree is less steep. The route starts just past the left edge of a 3/4th class band that guards the right side of Chair peak. 

Approach time to the base of the route  from the Alpental Parking lot 2-3 hrs

11-12 quickdraws, 1x 60m rope