Bugaboo Spire, Kain Route - Gear over 2"?

[jimmyleg66]

I got a second hand report that the Kain route still has some snow and ice on it. They also mentioned they used a #3.5 and two #4' Friends, they didn't say where exactly on the route. Is that much gear over 2" needed? Or could it possibly be the smaller cracks were iced up?

 

I was hoping to leave the boat anchors at home.

Edited July 12, 2005 by jimmyleg66

[Buckaroo]

Unless you go out of your way there's not that much technical climbing on the route. The famous slab crossing is only one move protected by smaller gear than 3.5. There is a single alternate pitch lower down hand crack size, we had a #3 but don't think we needed it.

 

There were no iced up cracks when we did it. The hand crack pitch had no other cracks nearby, if it had been iced we would have gone the easier class 4 way.

[dbb]

We didn't cary anything more than a #2 camalot. no need. you can protect below the traverse with a small-medium cam or nut. Lots of scrambling with a few fun pitches in there

[jimmyleg66]

Thanks Dave and Buck. Now maybe I'll bring that change of underwear and extra chocolate!