Northeast Arete

There is a detailed description in Laird’s book “Climber’s Guide to North Idaho and the Cabinet Wilderness”.  From the Cliff Lake approach it’s about 1.5 hours to the St Paul/Rock Peak saddle. Great bivy site for early morning start. Rap into the cirque and you’re now committed to climbing out. Head for the toe of obvious ridge line and scramble up class 4 ledges to the start of the route, allow an hour for this part of the approach. Route finding is a challenge but there are lots of options with good protection.  The “Hogs Back” is an obvious rib of rock that jutts out from a large notch in the ridge nearly half way up. You have to traverse left and climb the head wall for a couple pitches, according to Laird, to regain the upper ridge. There is another way around thru the right of the notch requiring a short scramble up a snow field, then turn left. Two pitches of good blocks and cracks get you back on the ridge top. Mostly class 4 for the rest of the climb.  It’s a big climb so allow at least 8-10 hours depending on your teams efficiency. Walk off easy class 2 slope back to the saddle or traverse earlier if you are going directly to Cliff Lake.

Standard rack with doubles up to #3.