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New Steep Mixed Routes at Christie Falls Near Kelowna B.C.

Squamish-based Tim Emmett has been taking advantage of the cold B.C. weather this winter. He was recently invited to Kelowna in central B.C. to project a few steep mixed routes. Adam Tutte made the first ascent of Christie Falls WI6 60m a few years ago. He then bolted two mixed routes behind the falls and asked Emmett to try them.

Emmett was joined by Tutte and Dean Urness when he made the first ascent of Rumble in the Bronks M10 35m. Emmett described it as, “An old project from six years ago and goes up the left side of the initial smear and blasts out through the roof with some long moves and one incredibly delicately pull on a two or three millimeter pocket up to the left side of the icicle then up it to lower off.”

Emmett also made the first ascent of Fireball 101 M10 35m. He described its as, “Steeper and more powerful than Rumble in the Bronks. Goes up the right side of the the same initial smear then horizontal, technical and powerful moves out to the right side of the ice. After a breather, fragile chandelier ice and a game one runout to the top.”

Emmett made the first ascent of the three-pitch Brandywine Falls WI6 M10 north of Squamish with Jamie Finlayson earlier this winter. For more from the West Coast this winter visit here.

Some seriously good times near Kelowna,BC, this weekend thanks to local legends Adam Tutte and Dean Urness. With the help of these guys we established two new routes both top class, powerful mixed lines rated at M10. Adam has been developing the Christie Falls crag for years for rock, ice and mixed climbing. He did the first ascent of the freestanding 60m Christie Falls, then 6 years ago he bolted a mixed line and called it Rumble in the Bronks. Still waiting for a clean ascent he invited me to come and try it. I climbed it on my second go, starting with some really fun climbing on ice then powerful moves through the roof and incredibly tenuous hooking as the angle eases. Connecting the ice and then finishing at the top of this was tremendous ??? While I did that Adam bolted another line to the right (this picture) which I just managed to get clean the next day before the light faded. "Fireball 101" Huge respect to these guys for setting up the adventure, endless hiking with kit, bolting and making it possible there's no way it would have happened without them ??? thanks guys 😉 @mountainhardwear @blackdiamond @scarpa_uk @adidaseyewearuk @gopro #climbing_pictures_of_instagram #gripped #ukclimbing Photo by Dean Urness

A photo posted by Tim Emmett (@timemmett) on

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