New Route on B.C.’s Mount Arrowsmith is Scottish Soup Kitchen

Mount Arrowsmith has long been the focus of alpine climbers on Vancouver Island all seasons of the year. Hunter Lee and Steve Janes have climbed a new three-pitch WI3+ M5R they called Scottish Soup Kitchen.

The route climbs the face across from the popular Newman/Foweraker Route WI3 M3, which was first climbed in 1987 by Don Newman and Greg Foweraker. Scottish Soup Kitchen starts up thin ice to a ramp followed by more thin ice.

It heads into vertical ice for a short step to a steep mixed section on good rock. You head far left to a chimney that is “well protected by a bomber bull dog, and 2 equalized nuts.”

You head up another chimney and a bulge to more rock and a slight overhang higher up. The exit is “a rather exciting beached whale cornice top out awaits with the last pro a good 15 metres below.” More info here. Vancouver Island has dozens of quality alpine and rock routes, most of which can be found in Island Alpine by Wild Isle here.