New Rockies Alpine Ice Route is “Seriously Threatened with Overhead Serac Hazard”
It's the first new route on the north face of the famous "Eiger of the Rockies" since Eamonn Walsh and Raphael Slawinski's Icarus Buttress IV+ 5.11-, 1,000 m, in 2008
Ice climbers have been getting out in the Canadian Rockies for the past few weeks, already, and many have new new ice flows to climb. On the huge north face of Mount Temple, two bold ice climbers found a mixed line up, and through the hanging serac.
Earlier this week, Chris Petrauskas and Taylor Sullivan climbed “a beautiful 10-pitch” new route they’re calling Stringing Up the Lights. Petrauskas shared the news and said, “It seems too much of a striking line to not have been climbed before, in which case we’d love to know more info re this great route. Then again, possibly it’s been newly formed through changing serac activity?”
After checking with a number of local veteran alpine climbers, including Carlos Buhler who made the first winter ascent of the adjacent Elzinga/Miller route, it’s been determined that this line had never been climbed.
The huge serac above the north face of Temple, where the classic The Greenwood/Jones climbs, is constantly changing, with huge chunks falling off each summer. The serac has been climbed in the past via a summer rock route, but as far as we’re concerned, it’s never been climbed via a pure ice/mixed line. They graded it WI4+R M3+R.
In case you’re thinking about heading up, Petrauskas said, “This route is seriously threatened with overhead serac hazard, as well as frequent rockfall and avalanche potential.” So, unless you’re skilled at big alpine lines with serious objective hazard, maybe give this one a pass for one of the other dozens of ice climbs forming in the Rockies right now.
Stringing Up the Lights by Petrauskas
Pitch one: From the upper left corner of the Dolphin snowfield, climb through a deceptively steep band of rock (M3+) to another smaller snowfield. From here you can: i. follow the traditional Elzinga Miller route to the North Ridge ii. do an easier/safer variation of the Elzinga Miller by traversing left around the ridge on a narrow ledge/shale band if you want a less involved day.
Pitch two: Otherwise, head for the striking, beautiful, ice/mixed gulley system which climbs the full length of the headwall by stepping right and up (M3).
Pitch three to five: Climb three pitches of thin icefalls (AI3) and sparsely protected mixed ground (M3, R) to reach a small snowfield beneath a steep, long, narrow gully of ice.
Pitch six: Climb the narrow gully of ice (crux) in two short or one long pitch. The pitch steepens and narrows higher up but luckily the ice here is much thicker for protection and you can stem out across the rock chimney in some wild positions (WI4+).
Pitch seven: Traverse right into the next icefall system, climbing up a cool, left facing, steepening corner, with tools in ice smears, rock gear in the corner crack and front points stemmed out left onto the rock slab (M3+). Belay beneath a steep step of thick water ice.
Pitch eight: Climb the steep headwall of ice (WI4) before skirting left beneath a wall of rock.
Pitch nine: Climb through final ice smears into a low angled alleyway of ice flanked by seracs (WI2).
Pitch 10: Work up and left and exit onto the summit slope with a final steep move through a serac (WI2).
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