[TR] Frase Canyon -Superheroes Cirque - Where is Ultrawoman? (FA: Mixed Variation) 12/13/2009

[marc_leclerc]

Trip: Fraser Canyon - Superheroes Cirque - Where is Ultrawoman? (FA: Mixed Variation)

 

Date: 12/13/2009

 

Trip Report:

Matt Kidd came out and picked me up at 8:45 AM and we drove up the canyon to the Sailor Bar/Superheroes Cirque climbs. We took a look at Kryptonite, as the direct finish is youching down, but it wasn't that cold and some chunks were falling from high above. Not wanting to get crushed by a falling cutain of ice we took a look at the Riddler. Matt lead halfway up the WI5 pillar but it was really wet and drippy and we were getting soaked so we traversed into an alcove, brought me up to have a look, then I also wimped out of the shower-like pillar. We bailed and walked over to 'Ultrawoman' wich looked aright, so we walked to the base and soloed two pitches (WI2, WI3-) to the base of the crux pillar.

The pillar was extremely aerated and insubstantial and after digging halfway through it and not finding a single bit of good ice I decided to try a mixed variation to the right.

 

I climbed a few meters of very thin WI3 to a ledge where I slung a tree out right for pro, then cut back left up a runnel than got steeper and more 'mixed' the further I went. Some fun drytool and chimney moves took me into an alcove in the chimney below a chockstone/roof system with a few loose blocks. A few meters of strenous and very serious/unprotected M6 climbing around the overhang and a short traverse left got me to a belay tree. Matt followed the pitch and we packed up the ropes and continued up the main gully. The next pitch was up a frozen log (honestly!) wich was followed by a fun bit of WI3+ (tricker than it looked) and a final wall of WI3 into the forest above. We unpacked the ropes and made 3 rappels then dowclimbed a bit of easy ice back to the base.

 

It was a pretty good time out and the Mixed vairiation might be somewhat protectable with a few pins and medium cams/stoppers. I had 3 peices in the whole pitch and the last one (protecting the M6 crux) was a crappy slung flake, but rope drag pulled the sling off anyways. The name for a our mixed variation is: 'The Chuck Norris Roundhouse Smash'.

 

Matt getting soacked on 'The Riddler'.. Mr. Freeze is the scary thing to the right.

 

Sailor Bar Gulley conditions.

 

Matt in the fun, runnel section of 'The Chuck Norris Roundhouse Smash' variation.

 

Matt in the crux steep section of 'The Chuck Norris Roundhouse Smash' variation.

 

 

Matt soloing in the upper section of 'Where is Ultrawoman.

 

More pics when I get them from Matt...

 

Gear Notes:

Becasue we soloed everything but the mixed pitch we didn't use a single screw. Pretty funny eh!

 

Approach Notes:

Really Easy.. if you get lost you fail.

[alpinebumm]

Sorry for the stupid question where is Fraiser Canyon I'm new to the area

[marc_leclerc]

Sorry for the stupid question where is Fraiser Canyon I'm new to the area

 

In B.C Canada... between Hope and Lytton.

[Matt Kidd]

That's quite the name for the variation. I'm e-mailing the pics but I'll leave it to you to post them up. Good day out for sure.

[Joe_Poulton]

Nice line.

[marc_leclerc]

Well, I got out to Bridal Falls area today. I tried the impressive pillar to the right of White Wedding but it was too hard to solo so I climbed Never a Bride instead. It's in WI4 shape if you take the lower curtain (I did its rad!!!) directly, WI3+ if you avoid it to either side. The upper curtains are lower angle but technical cauiflower climbing around water holes, be delicate.... hopefully everything doesn't collapse in the next couple days!

[marc_leclerc]

Me on the last pitch.. awesome!

 

Kryptonite! Looked so fun but we were scared of naturally triggered ice fall

 

Superheroes Cirque! Lots of hard climbs really close together!

 

our variation is the red line! around the pillar wich consisted of pretty much impossible ice.

[Pete_H]

Right on.

[wayne]

Wow, Way to get after the top!