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East Ridge
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East Ridge 

Page Type: Route

Location: Alberta, Canada, North America

Lat/Lon: 51.35280°N / 116.2006°W

Route Type: Technical Rock and some snow/ice

Time Required: A long day

Difficulty: Grade IV, 5.7

Route Quality: 
 - 3 Votes
 

 

Page By: dug

Created/Edited: Sep 6, 2003 / Nov 13, 2003

Object ID: 158754

Hits: 2289 

Page Score: 86.64% - 2 Votes 

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Approach


Park at the Mt. Quadra viewpt. on Moraine Lk. Rd. about a mile before moraine Lk. Be aware that this area has a seasonal bear closure and minimum group size is 6. Doesn't everyone climb in a group of 6? As the Canadians say, suss the route beginning the day before the climb.

Route Description


Climb up an avalanche slope and into a chute behind the obvious large tower. The top of the chute is cl4. Cross the ridge to the N. and continue climb up through trees and light brush and you will reach a step in the ridge. Cross into the chute just right of the ridge and climb up it to another step in the ridge. Walk E. to the base of the 'big step'. Rope up and tackle this directly about 5 pitches. The top of the step is somewhat loose. Note: there are many possible bivy spots before the big step, and a few after. Now traverse on the S. side of the ridge under the 'black towers' on very loose rock ledges. Do not start up the first obvious chute to the top of the towers as this will force you to traverse the towers, a dismal prospect. Continue the traverse to the third chute and climb this to the summit ice. Traverse eastward on snow and/or ice slopes and knife edge ridge to summit. If you find yourself atop the the towers too soon you can traverse the towers by climbing very bad rock at about 5.7

Essential Gear


Helmet is the single most essential pro as rockfall both climber induced and natural is unavoidable. Small to med cams and set of nuts. Pitons can be very useful though usually they can be found in situ. A single 60m rope will do. Crampons & axe essential for summit ice.

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""You cannot stay on the summit forever; you have to come down again. So why bother in the first place? Just this: What is above knows what is below, but what is below does not know what is above. One climbs, one sees. One descends, one sees no longer, but one has seen. There is an art of conducting oneself in the lower regions by the memory of what one saw higher up. When one can no longer see, one can at least still know.""   --Rene Daumal   

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