Gravy Train

GRAVY TRAIN - A new route on Fingerberry tower, Bugaboos B.C.
5.12- , 8 pitches (about 250m of climbing)
All anchors are equipped with rappel hangers.

This is one of the best routes I've ever put up, and has some great variety, as well as a few really exceptional pitches.  It follows a similar path to the Gar Wall, and shares a couple bits of it, but with variations rigged for enjoyable free climbing on spectacular stone.  Gravy Train has plenty  of crimps and finger cracks, and it mostly goes at 5.11 with a few 5.12- cruxes.  It was completed in 2019 and put up over a few seasons with various partners.

Rack: 1 each, cams in BD sizes: red Z4, #2 camelot, #3 camelot, #4 camelot
2 each: yellow Z4 to #1 camelot
Stoppers, #2 - #9
10-12 draws, 2 or 3 of these should be extendable
Two 60 meter ropes - one lead line, and one tag line; hauling on the route mostly easy.

Pitch 1: Start at the base of the Gar Wall. Follow thin cracks with crisp edges left of the off-width to a bolted anchor at the base of the big chimney. 30M +/- depending on snow levels, 5.11-

Pitch 2: climb easily up the chimney for about 6 meters. Traverse left on crimps past two bolts to gain a beautiful right facing corner, which is followed to a bolted anchor on a small foot ledge. 5.11-, 35m

Pitch 3: Continue up the right facing corner above for about 5 meters, until you can step right into another right facing corner. Continue up this sustained 5.11 thin corner, past a definitive crux and some face climbing, to the anchor on a good ledge below the big roof. 5.11+ / 5.12-, 25m

Pitch 4: Face climb past two bolts to the roof and then traverse left. Pass one more bolt, to a ledge, and then follow 5.9 cracks including a short section of off-width. This brings you to the Gar ledge and a bolted anchor (you will rappel here on the way down). For the sake of efficiency, clip a long sling to this anchor and walk 15m along the ledge to another bolted anchor below a finger crack that splits the face. and belay here. 5.11+ 45m

Pitch 5: climb the 5.11 finger crack to the roof. Pull steeply past 2 bolts to a stance. 2 more bolts protect face and slab moves to gain a nice crack that trends up and left to a bolted anchor. enduro 5.12-, 35m

Pitch 6: A crux boulder problem right off the belay, leads to two bolts and a 5.11 finger crack that splits the headwall. Follow this to a 2 bolt anchor. bouldery 5.12- 25m

Pitch 7: Climb up for 5 meters to a big ledge. Traverse right until below a steep flake. Layback / jam the flake past 5 bolts to an anchor on the slab above. 5.11- 35m

Pitch 8:step right from the anchor and a couple body lengths of 5.4 past some loose blocks give way to third class scrambling and the summit. 30m

We down-climbed pitch 8 with a belay, and rappelled the route.

This route is easily scoped form the snow arete that connects the Pigeon / Howser col to the East creek basin.  It ascends cracks and corners directly to a huge roof at mid height, and then continues up obvious splitters to the summit above.   To get to the 1rst pitch, drop down into the scoop below the snow arete, and scramble over some boulders and crevices to the obvious crack system that leads the huge roof 3 pitches above.   

Mostly trad + a few bolts. Belays are all bolted.