Regular Northwest Face

Overview

Easiest way up the northwest face, and standard route up it. Three days up is fairly normal, although after climbing with/hauling packs, doing it in a day is definitely the way to go, as the climbing isn't all that hard, and by far the hardest part for my group was dealing with the logistics of getting everything up the wall.

Getting There

Slabs approach, or just take the trail to the shoulder, then descend along the face to the start of the route, which is longer, but way easier.

Route Description

Start on left side of face where the main face becomes broken, might be a big snow patch at the base, and the start is marked by a long tree/bush in the middle of the 1st pitch. First 9 pitches go up the broken left side of the face. P1- long .10 up cracks past tree to fixed belay. P2&3- .8 or so up through slot and up to another anchor, then up ledgy stuff to a big ledge below the P4 splitter. P4- .11a or pull on gear up first bit of finger crack to short bolt ladder, then up crack above. P5- head left around corner to crack that goes to a big slopy ledge, can fix 3 60m ropes to the ground from here. P6-9- 4th class to .9, head left up to P6 bivy ledge, then up and eventually right over to the main face. P9 traverses far right, then back left to base of Robbins traverse. P10- bolt ladder up right, then pendulum over to belay. P11- head right then diagonal back left up to long narrow bivy ledge, weird .9 face/thin crack. P12- head right toward big chimney, then cut back left to .11c/aid corner to short tension traverse back right into main chimney system, or go straight up nasty looking narrowing chimney. P13-14- .7-.9 chimney, link these into 2 pitches. P15- .9, long somewhat loose pitch up to big ledge. P16- .9, head right down ledge to crack system, great pitch up to big sandy ledges. P17&18- zig-zags, can easily link into 2 pitches, running first one long to big ledge in middle of second normal pitch. Thin but fairly easy aid with a couple tension traverses. P19- Thank God Ledge, traverse left on narrowing ledge, walk it if you have really good balance, or crawl/hand traverse across, and finish up short weird offwidth/chimney thing. P20- head up left to bolt ladder, some free climbing to get up to first bolt, then tension traverse left to second bolt ladder which leads to belay. P21- friction up left leaning arch to easy ledges, then the top.

Essential Gear

We used 3 sets of cams from green alien to #2 camalot, a couple #3's, and a 3.5, and a couple blue aliens/0 tcus. Also bring nuts, especially small ones, and aiders, etc.

External Links

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Images

View Regular Northwest Face Image Gallery - 9 Images