Trip: Aasgard Pass - The Valkyrie

Date: 6/26/2012

Trip Report:
I was joined by a couple buddies in an attempt to climb Acid Baby the other day. But when I realized I had forgotten a lot about the route and I'd rather be lost on something new than a climb I'd done, we made the last-minute decision to try a new route just to the left, on the same tower.

This tower is probably called Aasgard Sentinal or Spineless Prow (although it sure has a "spine" up top) but either way it is a rampart of Enchantment Peak, on the east side of the trail up Aasgard Pass.




P1


P2 (The orange rock where we belayed is a good landmark)


P2 higher up


Scott Bennett lead the first 2 pitches, I took the middle block, and Graham Zimmerman got us to the summit, joining Acid Baby on the last pitch. Every pitch was 5.10 and the rock was generally stellar. Along with the stemming corners and splitters, the route featured a an amazing face of knobs and blobs, overhanging just a touch and with enough gear to make it exciting but not really dangerous.

P3 starts with a hidden traverse on jugs, straight right for 25'


P5 knobs before joining Acid Baby's hand traverse to the summit


Best topout around:


Despite trying to find a solstice-themed name, we settled on "The Valkyrie" in deference to the area's Norse naming convention. (Aasgard Pass, Lake Brunhilde, Dragontail, Lady Godiva)

It should be nice to have another mid-grade climb in the area, as there are very few alpine rock routes between 5.9 and 5.11+. It felt like a similar difficulty and quality as Acid Baby, a route one friend of mine has climb SIX! times, including 4x in one summer.


Gear Notes:
Double set to 3" - 60m rope - no need for boots or snow gear

Approach Notes:
60 Left of Acid Baby, 2/3 of the way up Aasgard Pass

That looks great, a cool new classic, awesome!

Were you humming Wagner as you topped out?

Nice one!

Hell yeah dudes!
Way to keep pushing the Enchantments into the new generation.

As soon as the weather clears up I will have to go check this one out.
I like how the route meets up with the final, super cool, ridge section of Acid Baby. The views from "Aasgard Sentinal or Spineless Prow" are amazing.

Looks like another new school classic
Thanks Blake, Scott and Graham.

Love it! Thought y'all were in P'stan

what is that peak in the front background in that last picture? anyone climb that coulior?

Dragontail. I think it's the NE couloir.

Nice work guys! Getting tougher to drive to the Rockies now.

Those knobs look SICK!!

Nice job fellas!

Race everyone else for the 2nd Ascent. Ready, set, GO!

Nice work



She looks nasty

Sweet Blake! Look forward to climbing this and the other new routes you'll be adding to our beloved PNW.

isnt there a route on mt. asgard in baffin called valkyrie????

just after reading this, saw a RAB ad/link to this story

Sol, Ryan and I just got the 3rd accent of this baby on Sunday. Jens and Cole got the second on Saturday. Amazing 5.10 test piece that offers fun varied climbing on wild features. Four Star.

So Amazing! New school generation enchantments climbing is at the pinnacle of rad shit going down. It only gets better, that's the path. And By great people too! A big Thank you to all in L-town...

Maybe this will be obvious once I get there, but I'm pretty good at getting lost so:

One of the photo captions says: "P3 starts with a hidden traverse on jugs, straight right for 25'" but is this actually P4 (as listed on the topo)?

yep. the traverse is on p4.