Moderate New B.C. Alpine Line is Threading the Needle
It’s been a snowy and cold year on Canada’s West Coast with unclimbed ice forming on many faces.
On Elkhorn Mountain, Chris Jensen, Ryan Van Horne and Hunter Lee climbed a new route up the north face on Sat. March 10.
“After a 10-hour slog up the northwest ridge trail we camped on the ridge high point at 1,730 metres overlooking the Elk Valley,” Lee said on the Facebook group for Vancouver Island Climbing.
“In the morning we traversed over and had a look at the northeast face, which looks like it belongs in the Cordillera Blanca right now.
“Unfortunately there was a constant flow of spin drift coming down the sun affected face- with that we aimed for the safety of the north face and picked a line that had a promising start and directissima aim for the summit.”
After six pitches of climbing with difficulties to WI4 and M3, they found themselves on the summit shortly before dusk.
They descended the northwest ridge in the dark down five rappels and were back at camp 15 hours after leaving. They named their new route Threading the Needle.
The pitches broke down to WI4 50m, WI3 50m, WI2 120m, WI3 80m, WI3/M3 50m and WI2 60m.
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