Ascents in West Kootenays

Wanted to do this ever since I saw it 3 years ago, and if anything it's even better than I'd imagined! A moderate multipitch in an amazing location on amazing rock, with real climbing on practically every pitch! The move around the roof on pitch 8 is awesome.

One of the best - definitely a highlight of my climbing career. The location is stunning, the rock is bomber from start the finish, the view around the right if the arête is so amazingly airy. All natural with natural belays, a couple of pins here and there. A must do!

We topped roped this route

Amazing! Perhaps the most spectacular chunk of rock I have ever climbed! First pitch was amazeballs, and the mountain goats like pee. Pitch three was aided because of wet rock

Great climb! Glad I lead the easy stuff. Numb hands and feet and wet rock caused a few falls seconding. Big day but fun!

Led from lunch ledge onwards. Heavy snow season, so although it was painful seconding with 2 sets of crampons, boots and ice axes for the first 4 pitches,very happy to have them on descent. The rock was dry, the weather great, the route spectacular and the camping below the ridge in a stunning location

The sun was coming, needs more traffic

Corner was quite slippery, but was getting over 30 degrees by then

Rock a lot grittier due to relative lack of traffic, but great line. We rappelled after P 4 as couldn't be arsed to walk down east ridge again.

Good jams! Great climb!

Awesome day in the alpine, accidentally linked pitch 1 and half of pitch 2. All it all a good day in the mountains.

Early gear is a bit iffy, but otherwise pretty good.

Getting off the ledge and established in the corner crack was an interesting challenge. Takes good gear once at the crack.

This is NOT the same 5.7 trad climbing as "Son of a Birch".

Far easier than "Reluctant Gardner". I' not sure it is harder than 5.5 -- but I might call it 5.6 for one move.

Like several other trad routes I've climbed in the area, felt like climbing stacked blocks in places. Gear looked generally pretty good, if you avoided the looser bits. But seemed really hard for a 5.7, even climbing it on TR.

Nice climbing up exfoliating flakes and slabs above the ledge.

Good gear and good climbing throughout.

The WKRG update describes this as a "gear-eating crack" -- but it isn't my idea of a such. To me, that means, anywhere you stop, you've got at least a couple good placements within easy reach. Not so on this. The gear isn't bad... but it isn't "gear-eating crack" quality of good.

Very nice climb up to after the crux pitch. The Rock gets chossy and route finding is hard on the last 3 pitches (follow the flakes). There's a spooky runout on pitch 4. Exposure the whole way up!

Slipped but caught myself

Wow! What a beautiful, aesthetic route and pleasurable climb. It starts off with a wonderfully curving crack and then every pitch after is really enjoyable. Some thoughtful gear on pitch 3 but otherwise plentiful opportunities. Great rock throughout. The roof pitch higher up is enjoyable and really cool with the exposure. This was Bec's first big alpine rock climb and she definitely stepped up to the plate. She got through 90% of the first pitch before having to sit on the rope and didn't quite stick the roof sequence, but otherwise sent everything else. Super proud of her efforts and stoke on the day. Deservingly classic and keen to come back to explore some of the other routes on this beautiful piece of rock.

Reminiscent of materialistic prostitution at Frog Buttress Same grade too haha

Bolt 1 to 2 on Pi was harder than anything on "The Big Easy". Rest was comfortably 5.4-5.6 climbing.

Good incut holds that are not visible from the ground. Crux is getting passed the second bolt. Easier afterwards and good ledge at anchor

Very incut, would be 5.4 at Squamish

Climbed the upper bit choosing completely different beta from when I lead "The Big Easy" -- zig when I zagged and vice versa.

Felt soft for 5.8.