genepires Posted January 7, 2007 Posted January 7, 2007 (edited) Trip: canadian rockies - mixed master (mixed weeinies attempt) Date: 1/1/2007 Trip Report: Just thought that somone might like some beta for mixed master if you are on your way to banff this season. Locals in front of us on route said that it doesn't form very often so people need to get on it if they have the ambition. We climbed it (all but last pitch) on a chilly but sunny day. guidebook roughly says 2 pitches up scottish gulley traverse R to tree or continue up ice slab to alcove belay 5.8 traverse and ramp pitch thin ice corner to tree belay. snow pitch steep ice pitch So the first 2 pitches can be combined with a 70m rope at a bolt belay. There is a bolt anchor 60m from ground but it is exposed in the narrow gulley and we got nailed a couple times with heavy spindrift sloughs. Not such a great place to belay. (maybe rappel,except there is a good bolt belay only 10 m above so why bother?) 30m above ground is a big ledge for a screw belay. Lots of rope drag if you combine pitches 1&2. pitch 3 traverses R across snow and scrappy rock to get to ice slab. expect rope drag here too. Belay off swiss cheese ice blob. There is dozens of old screw holes in this little blob of ice seepage. Strong enough though, just less reassuring. Maybe someone could bring up a squirt bottle and refill those holes? 5.8 traverse pitch is mostly low angle scrappy climbing. luckily it gets lots of sun, cause I used my hands more than tools. Tons of pro, like every 5 feet. Some stubby screws in seepage ice blobs and med nuts and cams from #0 tcu to #2 camalot. I wished I had 3 or 4 #3 tcu's. Seems like I needed that one more than others. A couple fixed pins at cruxes. I never saw any pin placements but I am probably not so piton savy. Seemed like plenty of gear anyway. Three spots where I sat for awhile figuring out the moves but I am a mixed climbing goober/newbie, something like a hour or more on this pitch. The snow covered ramp was the most mental challenging I thought. (god knows what I was hooking on) Various pins and old small bolt belay in alcove above snow gulley. Thin ice pitch above was sweet with good rock gear and stubby to a cool steep step to tree belay. We didn't go any higher cause we were running out of daylight and I was running out of courage. Locals in front of us (Danny the canmore framer and friend the mtn guide) did the last pitch too and said it was great with 3 fixed pins on lower part. descent From tree above thin corner pitch, 2 rope rappel gets you to top of 5.8 pitch. Another 2 rope rappel (down the snow gulley) gets you to the top of pitch 2. There is a bolt/pin ancor partway down the gulley, right above the drop off. From the top of pitch 2, rope rappel gets you to a ice ledge, then a rap off v thread to ground. A truely sweet route with lots of variety. My first "on purpose" mixed lead! Alright, could someone help me resize the tiny photos? Gear Notes: ice gear w/4 stubbies, maybe 10 screws total rock rack mentioned above 2 ropes nice, might be able to rap with 1 60m. Approach Notes: solid bootpack from road. 10 minutes. Gotta love the rockies. Edited January 7, 2007 by genepires Quote
Alex Posted January 8, 2007 Posted January 8, 2007 gene, you better enjoy those trips bud, time grows short and we grow old Quote
kurthicks Posted January 8, 2007 Posted January 8, 2007 the last pitch is the best of the whole route IMO, too bad you missed it! The traverse and the "M4" are good too. Nice work Did you find NYC's screw on the traverse pitch? Quote
NYC007 Posted January 8, 2007 Posted January 8, 2007 we got screwed there were only 2 fixed pins for us, damn.. Quote
Jens Posted January 8, 2007 Posted January 8, 2007 the last pitch is the best of the whole route IMO, too bad you missed it! ------------- I would agree Quote
layton Posted January 8, 2007 Posted January 8, 2007 yeah Gene! you should plung your ice tool into your chest to die with some honor. Quote
genepires Posted January 9, 2007 Author Posted January 9, 2007 yeah I suck but had a good time anyway. that is the great thing about being a so-so climber, you are always pleased with your progress. Quote
Matt_Alford Posted January 9, 2007 Posted January 9, 2007 Who is the dumbass reading the Guide Book upside down? Sure hope he wasn't your belay! Quote
sill Posted January 11, 2007 Posted January 11, 2007 As long as you can read the picture on the side of your belay device I think you're ok. Who was that retard though? Quote
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.