So after planning it for 8 months Shaun N and I went in to try the East Face of Mt. Urquhart. This face has one route - a 22 pitch 5.10 A3 put up by Max De Jong in 1987. It follows a basalt dyke almost the whole way. Rumors abounded that the route would go free at a moderate grade. Max himself, when Shaun phoned him, said that it would probably be 11b or easier and that the cruxes would be short.Also there were supposed to be stainless 1/4" bolts at belays and other points (although still mostly a gear climb)the whole way.
Well originally we planned for 1 bivy. Then looking at our gear we decided to cut it down a bit and go for a 1 day ascent of the route. Shaun was going to try to free the whole thing whereas I planned to jumar if necessary as jugging it would be faster than me trying to second free up an 11b pitch in all likelihood. To save weight and commit ourselves we only took 1 60m 10mm rope.
Well we got to the base of the face at 7AM, spotted the dyke and started climbing.
First 4 pitches or so were runout to 5.8, with lots of gravel on ledges but mostly solid rock. On the 4th pitch the rock started getting steeper and also looser. We found some bolts but most were 1/4" buttonheads with rusted Leeper hangers. Some had been damaged (flattened or bent) by rockfall.
I was leading most of the pitches as I was supposed to have the easy stuff as my blocks and Shaun would lead the hard stuff. The 5th pitch involved loose blocks above the belay then moves into this mossy water streaked area. I seriously thought I was going to die at one point stuck between slippery wet holds with no gear for quite a ways below me and the rope running over a sharp edge. Finally I excavated some gear and then threw in a belay of two knifeblades a bit higher up unable mentally to proceed any further.
Shaun managed to get another pitch up to an overhang in the dyke. This was also vegetated and the overhang was basically stacked loose blocks. He traversed out of the dyke into a granite ledge and belayed me up.
We both discussed it and decided that the climbing was possibly better a few more pitches above us but neither of us was enjoying the climbing. "The climbing is not quality, the pro is scary and we aren't having fun" was how we summed things up.
So we bailed. Rapped down in 30m segments using old bolt belays where possible and pitons where not. On the last rap one of two Kbs pulled out of the anchor while I was hanging onm it and Shaun was rapping. I should note that the same thing happened to me and Fern last week but this time I around I was not the one who had placed the pins.
Anyways we made it down about 50 bucks poorer (pins and webbing) and came home. I went to the beach the next day or so and took a much needed non climbing chill out.
The face is definitely steep (overhanging near the top) but the dyke is juggy. Some bolder party than us can go free it or put up a hard big wall route on the granite face to the right of the dyke. I was able to get some good from the experience (nice meadow at the pass; saw some bears and ptarmigans; great bluebird day to be outside) but I cannot think of a scarier route I have been on in the alpine.
It would be a great place for a BASE jump though. Hey D-dog this means you!
