Home > Ice

New Moderate Mixed Route in Rockies: Soft Coire

Jay Mills is one of the Rockies’ leading guides and new routers. He has now climbed a number of new routes in the Coire Dubh area on Lodder Peak.

After the December cold snap, Mill and his partner Julian headed up the ice pitches on Coire Dubh and climbed the standard M5 mixed pitch that gains the upper headwall. In the end they established Soft Coire M5+.

Looking down on Soft Coire  Photo Jay Mills
Looking down on Soft Coire Photo Jay Mills

Coire Dubious

More photos on Mills’ Facebook

He then continued directly to the obvious series of steep corner. “It is the straightest series of cracks on the wall and is perhaps 60 m to the left of the normal Coire Dubh corner,” said Mills. “We climbed four 40 m pitches of about M5, with the last one being a bit harder at M5+ or so. It had some really good climbing and each pitch had at least one steep and challenging section. A full rock rack including pitons and perhaps a specter is recommended.”

More Hard New Rockies Routes

Warm Wet Comfort

The known winter routes on Lodder Peak. All routes are traditional except Doors of Perception which has fixed pro.
The known winter routes on Lodder Peak. All routes are traditional except Doors of Perception which has mixed fixed pro.

Check out the latest buyer's guide:

The Best Climbing Gear According to Our Editors – March

Every month we're bringing you our favourite gear so you can complete your climbing kit with the latest and best stuff out there