Hey Kool-Aid!

Hey Kool-Aid! takes a direct line up the right side of the face to the summit ridge in 23 mostly long pitches. Mostly 5.10+ and easier, with one short section of 5.11+, it's sustained yet approachable. The upper half may share some terrain with Young Men On Fire, but it's hard to tell, and otherwise independent. It was the second free route up this face.

The first ascent took place over two days, with a three-meter section of aid on the fourth pitch and a bivouac atop pitch 13. Bruce and I climbed the route again, all free, eleven days (and several first ascents on other peaks) later in 15 hours to the summit and 21 hours round-trip from camp.

Water can be a problem on the first few pitches, originating from a large snowpatch halfway up the face. But as summers get warmer I anticipate this being less of a problem... The rock quality is excellent overall; unlike reports from other parties on the wall we experienced zero rockfall.

1.     Transition from the rock to the snow (cruxy) and climb the right-facing corner to a stance.  60m, 5.10+.

2.     Turn a small roof and climb cracks to a small ledge.  55m, 5.9+.

3.     Ascend a left-facing corner that arcs left under a large roof bypassing a crux section of wet vegetation.  Turn a small roof and continue to a belay in a groove.  55m, 5.10-.

4.     Climb up the corner a few meters then veer left, face climbing up to an undercling flake.  At the left edge of the flake climb up a couple meters then face traverse left on very small holds and around the arête into a corner with a hand crack (crux, spicy).  Climb the corner for 10 meters and belay.  25m, 5.11+.  It is possible to aid this section with a tension traverse around the arête.

5.     Continue up the steep crack and groove to a ledge beneath a dripping overhang.  35m, 5.10-.

6.     Stem up the overhang and continue up a strenuous groove until it becomes easier to climb out left.  Belay at a stance beneath an impressive chimney.  55m, 5.10+.

7.     Squirm up the difficult chimney to its end and continue to a triangular ledge up and right.   50m, 5.10.

8.     Tackle a steep corner, then follow lower-angle cracks to a large scree ledge.  This Is the intersection with Young Men On Fire.  60m, 5.9.

9.     Traverse right 5m and climb a right-facing corner through two small roofs.  Veer right on easier terrain staying left of an arête to a large ledge.  55m, 5.9+.

10.   Layback and jam a flake that leads to a long offwidth.  At the top, step right and then back left to belay on a large block.  Small cams for belay.  50m, 5.10+.

11.   Step left, then follow cracks up and slightly right to a stance below a deep chimney.  55m, 5.8.

12.   Climb the chimney via an offwidth, some flakes, and large stems.  Aim for a thin crack through a bulge, then belay at the second ledge on the arête.  50m, 5.10+.

13.   Traverse left a few meters, climb cracks, then head back right and follow easy ground to a ledge below a short chimney.  The FA party bivied here.  40m, 5.6.

14.   Climb the chimney, angle left on easy terrain and belay at a ledge beneath several cracks.  35m, 5.7.

15.   Jam a clean hand crack on the right, traverse left at a huge flake, and continue left into a steep corner.  Belay at a ledge up and left.  60m, 5.10-.

16.   Climb the short corner above the belay and step left into a long, clean, right-facing corner.  Belay at a semi-hanging stance beneath a wide chimney.  50m, 5.8.

17.   Face climb up the chimney stepping left on good edges.  Climb up to a ledge then head left around a corner, and up steep cracks just right of the arête to a stance.  55m, 5.10+.

18.   Traverse left into a wide crack and climb into a left-facing corner that leads to a ledge.  Climb the nice corner above and belay at a huge ledge with great views of the summit ridge.  35m, 5.9.

19.   Low fifth class climbing leads to the summit ridge.  25m.

20-23. More low fifth class with possible sections of snow and ice lead to the summit.

         Approach: From the glacier beneath the bolted rappels, make a slightly rising traverse on snow to a right-facing corner located about 100 meters uphill from Young Men On Fire. The climb begins between the main corner and a smaller left-facing corner to its right. Water may be present on the first half of pitch one.