The Greenwood/Locke Gets a Second (Known) Winter Ascent
The Greenwood/Locke is one of Canada’s most classic alpine climbs. Alik Berg and Skiy DeTray have made the second winter ascent on record. It’s possible the route has been climbed in winter by others.
The first winter ascent was by Raphael Slawinski and Ben Firth in 2004. There were a dozen efforts to climb the face in winter before 2004, but it was the experience from training on difficult mixed/drytooling routes that made the difference for Firth and Slawinski.
Slawinski’s Greenwood/Locke Report
After the ascent, Berg said, “It’s not that difficult with modern tools, I’m surprised it’s not a winter trade route.”
It was first climbed in 1966 by Brian Greenwood and Charlie Locke. It’s become a testpiece route for climbers wanting to be Rockies alpinists. It was soloed by Tim Pochay in 1989.
In the summer, the Greenwood/Locke is 5.9, A1 or 5.10+, commitment grade of V and is often climbed in a day. In the winter, it’s about M6, V and has never been climbed in a day.
On March 25, 2010, Steve House and Bruce Miller were trying to climb the route in a push in winter. House fell 25 metres and hit a ledge. He sustained moderate injuries: broken ribs, collapsed lung, stable fractures of several vertebrae and his tailbone. He was taken by helicopter off of the mountain shortly after the fall as Miller was able to call out for assistance. That was the last winter attempt.
Greenwood/Locke, Mt. Temple aka ‘the Eiger of the Rockies’ from Joshua Lavigne on Vimeo.
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