Leclerc and Lavigne Climb Wild Thing
The famous alpine climbs has less than 10 ascents to date
Squamish-based Marc-Andre Leclerc and Rockies-based Joshua Lavigne make a rare ascent of Wild Thing VI WI4 M7 1,500 metres on Mount Chephren.
Leclerc has been visiting the Rockies for most of November. He climbed a new route with Jon Walsh, The Plum WI6 M7 120 m, soloed Sacre Bleu, WI5+, and climbed steep new mixed terrain on Cirrus Mountain with Joshua Lavigne and Jon Walsh, Magic Bullet WI3 M7 110 m.
The two left Canmore in the early hours of Nov. 18 and retuned on Nov. 19. They spent just under 30 hours car-to-car climbing the famous 1987 alpine route, which was first climbed by Barry Blanchard, Peter Arbic and Ward Robinson. The route was freed by Jon Walsh and Jonny Simms in 2008 at M7.
The direct was climbed by Raphael Slawinski, Dana Ruddy and Eamonn Walsh in 2009. The first one-day ascent and one-day free ascent of the original route was by Josh Wharton and Chris Alstrin in 2012, they climbed the route in 15.5 hours base to summit.
Leclerc and Lavigne took advantage of the good early season conditions, little snow and cold nights. Their ascent is the eighth or ninth of the original route.
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