TR: Backbone Ridge

[telemarker]

Climbed Backbone Ridge on Dragontail Peak (not to be confused with backbone ridge in n. cascades Stefan

Mr. Flick, Ade and myself started the route at around 8.30am, from south side of crest, soloed all the way over to north side of backbone ridge, then cut back south to notch to just below the off-width. Roped up for a short pitch to base of off-width. I chose the lead on off-width, which is very secure. We lugged a #5 camalot and I scootched that up as I climbed, which is a combination of chimney and chicken-wing climbing, but with your left side crammed in the 6 inch crack, you're not going to fall out. We hauled our packs (the only hauling on the route) on that pitch. Ade and Kyle fired off four more fun and easy belayed pitches, after which we unroped and soloed up to the middle of the fin.

 

Since Kyle had climbed the fin before via the Nelson description, he knew exactly where to start, which is hard to describe. Middle of the fin is the best I can do, which is where we roped up again. Easy face cracks and a solid corner led to first belay. Solid double cracks and a pillar comprised the second pitch. Third pitch was loose face cracks and a bit dirty, leading to a big ledge. The final pitch was the 5.9 undrecling, leading to the top of the fin. It needs more traffic, as the undercling was very licheny, but reasonable. From the top of the fin, we unroped and scrambled to the top, arriving at around 4.30pm. The backside descent is still glissade friendly, since the lower rocks are still covered, but I still used crampons and axe for upper steeper part. Aasgard is snow free. It's a sweet route, one well worth doing before they close the bridge creek road, July 14th?? Better hurry!

Note: If you're fine with long runouts in the off-width, leave the #5 camalot, you won't use it after that pitch. There are small cracks near the top of the pitch that you can protect, but you'll have no pro for 40 feet or so before then, but it feels solid. Pictures forthcoming.

[Redoubt]

telemarker said:

but with your left side crammed in the 6 inch crack, you're not going to fall out.

.......

Note: If you're fine with long runouts in the off-width, leave the #5 camalot, you won't use it after that pitch. There are small cracks near the top of the pitch that you can protect, but you'll have no pro for 40 feet or so before then, but it feels solid.

Nice job! And exactly how I remember the off-width from several years ago. I never came close to feeling like I might fall. The entire problem was how to inch upwards.

[chucK]

It's easier to inch upwards if you don't have half your body wedged in the crack.

 

It's easier to not have half your body wedged in the crack if you have the security of the big greenie.