Lookin for Trouble

Short of Mount Hooker, this is one of the most remote alpine bigwalls in the lower 48.  Originally put up solo by Jim Beyer over 2 days, and the belays are evidence of his solo effort.

Starts about 30 feet up the first pitch of the black ice couloir (the rock pitch).

Pitch 1:  Aid climb up a corner with awkward sections to a left facing flake.  Mostly aid with the occasional free move to speed things up.  At the top of the flake, clip a pin.  Then clip a head, and pendulum, tension, or lasso right to a horn.    Try to build the belay as far right as possible.  Pretty uncomfortable belay.  A2 80'

Pitch 2:  Lower off the right side of the belay, then tension right to a left facing flake system that turns into a left facing corner.   Aid climb up to the roof.  Really topsteping skips most of the sketch placements, but we still had to nail one beak.  The occasional free move helps to.  Traverse left under the roof on hand to large sized cams.  Turn the corner at the left end of the roof and continue up the crack to the best spot to belay.  It’s pretty easy free climbing now, so that’s a solid option.  It’s not a comfortable belay, but you’ll be running out of gear at this point so take what you get.  Hope your second knows how to re-aid a pitch while jugging.  Interesting pitch cause you climb well over 100’ but end up 50’ above your belayer, we’ll call it the circular. A2

Pitch 3:  Easier juggy aid and free climbing off the belay lead to a blank section.  But first, pass a spot were some poor souls got really off route on emotional rescue.   Nail up the blank section on less than inspiring beaks.  We accidentally fixed one here.  Place a nut, and tension left to an uncomfortable belay at a large horn.  Note: you can fix from here to the ground with a single 70, barely.  A2+  80'

Pitch 4:  Mandatory free climb up and left on the face, aiming for the left end of a roof about 60’ off the belay.  Full on 5.10R.  This was labeled on the original topo “Shake Fest”.  At the roof, switch to aid mode.  Aid climb up heads and less than great beaks.  Just follow the heads.  Eventually, place a good cam, and tension left.  Your partner will just have to figure out how to clean in.  Clip another head (the better one, not the guitar string) and kinda free climb/tension left with a head as a top rope anchor.  Free climb a right facing 5.9 corner with the worst rope drag in the world to a ledge.  Finally enjoy sitting.  You did it.  5.10R A3 160’

Pitch 5:  Free climb up the crank and chimney above.  At a foot ledge, traverse right to another crack.   Although the topo told us it wouldn’t be, it was dry enough.  Easy face climbing leads to another potential uncomfortable hanging belay.  Use your brain, go 20 more feet to a ledge.  5.9 160’

Pitch 6:  Free climb another crack like feature to another ledge with a large boulder.  5.9+.   60’

Pitch 7:  From the left side of the ledge, climb another crack thing to a talus field.  5.9+ 60’

You’ve now joined emotional rescue at pitch 8.  Walk up and right through the talus with possible snow to a right facing corner.   Its kinda the high point of the ledge.   Then climb the chimney in the corner and escape left at the end to build a belay.  5.8-5.9.  Then simul climb 400-600 feet of easy 5th and 4th class terrain to the top.   Scramble to the top of the enclosure on the opposite side that you climbed on for bonus points.

Descent:

Starts 30' up the black ice couloir.  Look  for a black band in the wall in a left facing corner.  Or look at the picture of the start.

1 set offset cams, 1x .1 and .2, 2x.3-3, 1x4, head kit, 3 large beaks, 3 medium beaks, universal crampons and axe depending on conditions. All sizes are BD