Chimney Fire ( Seeley-Marjerison)

Adding this line to hopefully see if it has been done previously*. Given that it starts in the Chimney and is an obvious gully line, we are anticipating that someone has climbed a similar line before, although there is an excellent steep pitch of mixed climbing leading to easier ice above which we climbed, instead of an easier, although less enjoyable opening section just left.

Climb the steep corner (great gear, excellent climbing) to easier ice above. A long, easy, rambling ice pitch yields to a steep snow field that starts steep and eventually eases off before reaching a cave (The Lunch Ledge) just below the ridge of Pamola IV. From the cave the gully doglegs right and heads up a weakness. Climb steep snow and mixed terrain for a couple hundred feet until the gully bends hard left and deposits you at the very end of the Pamola IV ridge. Walk one hundred yards to the summit of Pamola. Descend the Dudley trail.

* Jan 2025 Update - According to a very reputable source with dozens of trips to Katahdin over the past decades, this route was first climbed ( all ice and snow) in 1989 and called "Chimney Fire" and rated NEI 3+ at the time.  The source, who also provided information on earlier ascents of several rock routes, wishes to remain anonymous, hence I've used "Unknown" for the FA-er's.   R Hall  MtnPrjct Admin. Maine

Climb the Chimney to just below the first chockstone, and stomp out a belay on the left wall below a dark, overhanging corner with a crack and a steep pillar of ice. This corner sits just right of a chossy ramp with some thin blobs and smears, and a couple hundred feet downhill of Steel Monkey.

Screws, rock rack (we used .3-#4 and placed every piece at some point). Did not find pins/specters to be useful).