[TR] Nesawkwatch Spires and Mt Rexford- Ensawkwatc

[curtveld]

Climb: Nesawkwatch Spires and Mt Rexford-Ensawkwatch Enchainment

 

Date of Climb: 8/13/2006

 

Trip Report:

Yup, this TR is a little slow out of the chute, but figured MCash’s fine photos will open a few eyes to some nice alpine granite outside the Stuart Range and Washington Pass areas. The Enchainment is a nice longish outing on clean granite that gives great views of Slesse’s eastern walls, the Cheam Range and many border area peaks.

 

Though recent enchainers have done this route car-to-car, we went for a more relaxed overnight plan. The approach is a serious quad-burner in both directions, so maybe the fast light plan is the way to go. Won’t load you down with much beta because McLane’s Alpine Select gives you all the info you need.

 

Camp below the N. Nesakwatch Spire. If we hadn’t brought the tent, the bugs would have been much worse.

 

South Illusion Spire – anybody know if the wall on the left has been climbed?

 

Fun climbing on clean blocks.

 

From the North Spire, the route follows the ridge crest (right edge of sunlight) to the South Spire and Rexford behind.

 

The South Spire has the most sustained class 5 climbing of the route.

 

A short 5.7 off-width is required to reach the South Spire’s summit. Bring a 6” cam or be ready to chicken wing or power layback it. Getting down requires a bit of ingenuity, too.

 

A bit more exposed mid-fifth reaches Rexford’s summit pinnacle.

 

Martin and the mighty “fang” of the Chilliwack.

 

The descent is fairly easy - arrived back in camp after about 8 hours. And yes, Martin did cruise his share of the leads!

 

Gear Notes:

A 60 m half rope worked well, as advertised

Edited October 4, 2006 by curtveld

[pup_on_the_mountain]

You could've made those pictures a tad smaller .

 

Good ones! Martin's SP link has the pictures as well.

[MCash]

Here's some help.

 

Slesse

 

 

Easier cracks on the South Spire

 

 

Chimney on Rexford

 

 

South Spire climbing

 

Edited October 5, 2006 by MCash

[Farrgo]

Nice TR. I second the car-to-car option. When I did it we sacked out at the trailhead (at the end of the logging road) but then easily approached climbed, descended, and made it back to the cars with lots of daylight. Wouldn't be too tough to just fire it in a day.

[curtveld]

Wouldn't be too tough to just fire it in a day.

Ah yes, if I’d known then what I know now… We were going on McLane’s time estimate of 10-14 hours from camp, which turns out to be quite conservative for experienced climbers. Martin and I had not climbed together before so there was some uncertainty about how fast we’d move.

 

But I have no regrets – the sunset from camp was gorgeous. And we had plenty of daylight for the border and drive home.

[luwayo]

descent!

 

el sluggo here, couldn't quite muster the speed to finish the enchainment car to car.

 

no reference to it in your report, but i assume all the granite chock stones got yanked out of the S.NS OW?

[curtveld]

no reference to it in your report, but i assume all the granite chock stones got yanked out of the S.NS OW?

There was one about 6-7 feet up the thing. Good for a quick pull, but too low to sling.

[Farrgo]

Bring the biggest tri cam for the OW - or just man-up, its short and not hard - Then you can rap off a horn from the summit and flip off the sling with the ropes.

[G-spotter]

That face on South Illusion has been attempted (couple of pitches to 11b to the highpoint) but as you can see from the recent and getting-larger-every-year rockfall scar, it's fucking loose

[MCash]

Bring the biggest tri cam for the OW - or just man-up, its short and not hard - Then you can rap off a horn from the summit and flip off the sling with the ropes.

 

You could also simul rap the summit block.

[curtveld]

That face on South Illusion has been attempted...

Something told me you might know the answer to that one, Dru

How bout all those clean slabs you walk by on the approach?

[G-spotter]

They've been climbed but they aren't that clean.

[Farrgo]

Someone might know this. Has that couloir between Rexford and the closest spire been skied? It's looks incredible, but its also probably rediculous to get there in the winter.

[G-spotter]

i don't think it has ever had a winter ascent

[Farrgo]

I think it would be worth the trip if you had the right conditions and the cojones because its steeep and narrow.

[G-spotter]

it isn't all that steep