The Edge of Time Arete

The Fang: The Edge of Time

First Ascent: Graham Zimmerman, Ian Nicholson, and Tino Villanueva Spring 2023. 

II 5.10a 7-pitches 650ft. 

13-14 draws, 1x 60m rope 

The route was established from the ground up, with the first ascent taking just over a month between May and June of 2023. While the route is fully equipped, it is still a newer alpine route. The first ascent team put considerable effort into removing as much loose rock as possible; however, some loose rock likely still remains. While the route should clean up nicely and it is mostly just small pebbles on ledges that remain as a result of trundling, parties on the route in the summer of 2023 should use caution when there are multiple teams on the wall (otherwise, please feel free to brush pebbles off ledges). The route offers excellent exposure and position and climbs the striking arete for all but the first two pitches all the way to the summit. While the route was established on lead, several bolts were subsequently added to make it a more accessible "sport alpine route". The name "The Fang" was chosen for the peak's name due to its proximity and to go along with the "Tooth" theme of Pineapple Basin. The route name: "The Edge of Time Arete" is because a number of days, the first ascent team was forced to work on the route at strange hours due to life-related time constraints. There were several days where the FA team got to the pass by 4 am to work on the route until early afternoon or, conversely, got to the trailhead at noon to work on it until just past midnight. 

P1 5.6 The pitch starts in some broken, blocky white rock that is far better than it looks. Once past the white rock, the angle lessens but remains fairly sustained with balancy 5.6 edging to "Rising Tide Ledge" - 7 bolts, 70ft. The name; "Rising Tide Ledge" comes from the fact that the first pitch grew by 30ft due to the snow melting between the first day the First Ascent team began working on the route in early May and when they finished in Early June. 

P2 5.9+/5.10a The crux pitch; leave Rising Tide Ledge and step to the right of the belay and climb a few steep feeling moves that lead to a stem box chimney. Exit the chimney on the right where it shifts into a corner; the crux is two steep bulges in the corner. The first involves a few bigger and more committing reaches to good holds and the second requires some technical stemming and laybacking. 105ft 13-14 bolts

P3 5.9- Climb right and step around the corner (a couple 5.9 moves as you step around the arete before quickly easing) and climb the face just to the right of the Arete, 40ft, 4 bolts, While this pitch is short, it is best not to link it with the pitch before or after it, and it is recommended to break it up in this fashion. 

P4 5.8 Excellent sustained edging right on the Arete or just right of it. 105ft This anchor does not have chains on it, but you can see the rap anchor just down below the stance at the top of this pitch. 

P5 5.9 We named the pitch "Tsnaumi" as the majority of the pitch overhangs the belay stance with the striking arete appearing to be a wave rising up about to crash on the belayer (though the climbing is not overhanging). Climb up to where the arete and steepens again. Clip the bolt and traverse low and onto the right side of the arete. Climb fantastic sustained edging on a vertical face that ascends the arete to a point where the leading climber overhangs the belay below - 95ft 12 bolts.

P6 5.3 Climb up the Arete, which drops in angle significantly. 70ft. Stop at the first set of anchors that don't have chains and are on a nice, large ledge. Do not climb up to the second set of anchors roughly 20ft above that do have chains that are part of the next pitch. 

P7 5.7 Climb some easier blocky terrain up to the first bolt, which is also the second rappel anchor that will be reached when rappelling off the top. From the rap anchor/first bolt, step left around the corner and into a short "V" groove that then quickly rejoins the Arete then the rest of the pitch ascends just right of the Arete to the summit. 10-11 bolts 115ft.  Take advantage of enjoying the exposure on the mini "notch" just before the top of this pitch, 

Descent 

-From the summit rap down to the station you passed on the final pitch ~90-95ft

-For the second rappel, go over a ledge to the climber's right of the route and the P6 anchors. Once on that face, trend slightly left to bolts and chains in the middle in the face 90-95ft

-Make another rappel 95ft to bolts and chains that were just below the P4 anchors. Poor stance

-Rap from these to the top of P3 Look for the thin flakes to that will be your foot ledges on the way in. This flakes can be rope catchers so give a pull toward the anchors as the rope comes through the chains to help avoid them getting stuck. 

-From P3 to 2 (the short pitch) Do not reverse the climbing route, instead rappel straight down from the P3 anchors down a gully-like feature to the top of P2 (look for the ledge with the chains on your right). Do not continue rappelling down the face to the climbers right of the arete. 

-From P2 rappel straight down (and not follow the climbing route) to the climber's left of the nose/prow feature that the rappel anchor ledge is above. 

-Final rappel straight down to the base of the route. 

The route more or less climbs the Arete that ascends 2/3s of the peak straight to the summit of the Fang. "Rising Tide Ledge" atop the first pitch can be seen from the entrance to Pineapple Basin basin and the first pitch begins straight down from where Rising Tide Ledge becomes flat. Look for some blocky white rock that helps mark the start of the climb.