The east side routes, up and left of Lake Alta Slabs
Routes
Reference | Title | Grade | Length | Pro | Quality | Alert | Operations |
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The Michael Baker Memorial Route, 10 | 10 | 0m | |||||
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One More Route Before She Gets Home, 14 | 14 | 0m | |||||
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My Kingdom for a Horse, 13 | 13 | 0m | |||||
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The Whirrlies, M4 | M4 | 255m | |||||
Starts up obvious short left-leaning ramp in-between Māori Alphabet and the
Start up short left-leaning ramp then slightly right into obvious steeper turfy corner system
Up obvious gully and belay at base of short chimney
Shallow mixed corner that is harder than it looks, then traverse left across slab and up steeper mixed step. Repeat slab traverse and up past the top of an ice step to a snow slope. Crux pitch.
Cross snow covered slab then up shallow corner and right around block and into more shallow corner with snowfield above
Continue up snowfield, trending left to finish at rap station near the the top of the Petit Couloir |
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The Whirrlies Direct | The Whirrlies DirectThe Whirrlies Direct, WI4,M3 | WI4,M3 | 50m | ||||
A hanging ice pillar over a small overhang to the right of the Whirrlies. Was abseiled after 3 pitches, but could continue to summit on easier ground.
gain icy gully system from the left.
up tricky slab to ledge at base of pillar
cool pillar with good crack/rock pro on RHS |
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Alta Vista, 17 | 17 | 0m | |||||
100 metres left of DB Eh?. |
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IMR | IMRIn Medias Res, M4 | M4 | 180m | ||||
Takes the ramp on left side of the steep wall guarding the left side East Buttress of double cone, then breaches this steep wall by a steep chimney.
A turfy groove up ramp, to reach good belay at edge of large corner system.
Up large corner to base of chimney.
Up wild chimney and roof to ice. Intimidating, but easier than it looks!
A short, steep corner, followed by icy chimney, finishing on easier snow slopes. |
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FSC | FSCFS Crack, 21 | 21 | 0m | ||||
Steep left angling crack left of Pull Me a Pilsner. |
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Lake Alta | Lake AltaPull Me a Pilsner Direct, WI4,M6 | WI4,M6 | 115m | 6 | |||
The direct start is left of the DB Eh buttress. If you're not keen to thrash and dangle on the direct, the original start is a good alternative although it misses two of the best pitches on the route. Climb the access route to the left of Altered States until level with the snow ledge at the bottom of pitch 3. There is a rock slab pitch (M4?) to traversed, thin scratchy dry tooling but well protected with wires.
A steep icy corner all on natural pro. Pull over the lip onto a small shelf on the right, then up a few more icy metres to a bolt belay on a blocky stance. Stop here to avoid rope drag that would occur if you try to combine pitches 1 and 2, and so you can hear your climbing partner. If pitch 1 has a large hanging dagger in the middle you may need to climb up and clean off the dagger which will make the grade feel a bit harder!
Vertical corner and small bulge that is turned on the left, rock pro and ice screws if fat. Gain the snowy terrace and bolt belay at base of next left facing corner/crack on right wall.
Climb tricky corner/crack to gain turf and hopefully ice, good rock pro. Once the turf is reached there are bolts on the right wall, which makes it possible/sane to climb this pitch in thin, dry or warm conditions. The ice chandelier gets seriously sun baked and rotten, but utilising the bolts it has been climbed in these conditions with full sun on the ice. The first ascentionists feel it is reasonably safe, however it would be scary as hell if it did collapse.
Easy turf corner up the slab, trending slightly left. Can link with pitch 5 for 55m pitch, or stop at intermediate belay below chimney.
Chimney / corner to hanging ice, if dry/thin finish up left wall onto arete, then up and right to bolt anchor. if really fat conditions the V-groove with icicle might be a better option. Be careful where your rope runs over the sharp edge when rapping off this anchor. |
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Stumpy Stout, M7 | M7 | 30m | |||||
When a Pilsner is not enough. This alternate start to Pull me a Pilsner is
The thin seam on the wall to the right of Pull me a Pilsner Direct Start. Pitch 1, Take double cams Green C3, red c3 single .3&.4c4 One set regular wires one set of offsets are handy up to #6. One #2 camalot for the start of the route. Pitch 2, regular set of cams up to #2 camalot. |
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Maori Alphabet, 17 | 17 | 0m | |||||
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CS | CSChampagne Supernova, M5 | M5 | 212m | 3 | |||
A superb natural line up left facing corners on the right side of the face, right of Pull me a Pilsner.
Start up slabby cracks in base of buttress between Pull me a Pilsner and Alta Ice routes, into left facing corner. Traverse left under roof and belay
Step right over lip of overhang with cool face moves to gain next corner system. Climb turf to snow ledge and traverse left to base of prominent corner.
Climb the prominent left facing corner! Shares P2 of Maori Alphabet. Step right on ledge to belay below another left facing corner.
A superb pitch up steep corner. A great pick seam and gear. Strep right around arete when crack disappears, then back into corner.
Offwidth up short roof, belay at base of right facing turfy corner.
Up turfy right facing corner to snowfield. |
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SDS | SDSSup Dig Snygg | ||||||
A fun turfy and icy route up the RHS of the East Buttress of Double cone. Climbs a prominent corner above the snow shelf above Alta slabs. Then follow more moderate ground to the summit. Can start by any route on Alta Slabs, but most logical is via pillar that often forms on far LHS of alta ice leading directly into corner. |