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[TR] Les Cornes - Springbok Arete 06/17/2018


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Trip: Les Cornes - Springbok Arete

Trip Date: 06/17/2018

Trip Report:

I'm not the trip report type, as evidenced by the fact we went out there weeks ago, but the approach to Les Cornes and that whole group of peaks has changed a bit since Cascades Rock so wanted to give a heads up to anyone heading that way. Cattermole Timber and Chilliwack Natural Resources don't really go out that way so don't count on calling them as a way of getting current road beta. 

The road getting there is pretty much impassable at 12.1 miles - so plan on an extra ~3.7 miles of human powered travel each way. I don't see this changing anytime soon, as there's a couple back to back washouts, with the remaining roadbed being off-camber and partially blocked by small boulders. Mountain bikes or dirt bikes would be great. 

The final road (the turnoff at 15.1 miles in Blake's guide) is overgrown to the point that we second guessed ourselves when we turned onto it. Didn't really look like it was driveable any time in the last decade. But, it's marked by flagging at the entrance. It's also washed out beyond repair not long after the turnoff but the stream that did the deed is crossable on a good log. 

The route was stellar. We did the direct start and half the first pitch was under snow. Not sure the slung block belay at the end of the awkward 5.9 OW horizontal pitch was still there, but there is a fair bit of choss in that sector, I belayed at the start of the 10+ wide hands cracks above. 

The rappels are feasible with a 70m just by following Blake's double 60 rap beta in Cascades Rock and finding intermediate anchors on the longer raps. Some rope stretchers. Doing this in the dark may lead to shenanigans - the sunset was nice though. 

Ibex/Les Cornes/Chamois

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S T E I N B O K - would love to talk with someone who's climbed this

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name those peaks?

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Gear Notes:
hefty - doubles tips to #4 (both 4's were placed on at least two pitches). 70m rope.

Approach Notes:
long.

Edited by mtangeman
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On 7/4/2018 at 8:48 AM, John Douglass said:

Beautiful area. Thanks for the update. This may have pushed me over the top towards getting out there to climb.

It's well worth the journey out there. Would be even better to bivy up high and spend a few days!

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On 7/5/2018 at 11:16 AM, mtangeman said:

It's well worth the journey out there. Would be even better to bivy up high and spend a few days!

There's an outstanding bivy at the base of the wall that should still have some water nearby. Flat. Great views. Close to your route. And you walk past it on the way down so you can stash gear if needed. 

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On 7/6/2018 at 2:25 PM, G-spotter said:

Name those peaks: Outram and Manson Ridge in centre-left midground, Silvertip group at back right

Nice! Thanks, I was genuinely curious. 

Yeah, Steinbok is kind of like the backwoods-BC lovechild of El Cap and Snowpatch Spire, it looks like. Hard to believe the rock quality doesn't (allegedly) reflect that.

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