Corrections:
- Approach: No need to walk along the road, there is now an established trail. From the pullout head towards the river and follow an old and overgrown fire road, after walking 30m continue straight(do not follow the trail on the right, it leads nowhere). The good trail will lead you to the northwest and eventually down to the river, to a fixed rope to aid you cross the river. Bring two pairs of shoes or waders. If you’re climbing in July, August, or September, the river is normally no more than a foot deep and is easily waded. After crossing the river, walk 100m left of the rope and then hike up the forest on a narrow trail with flagging tape. Follow the tape, eventually crossing a gully going left, than up again to the base of the wall, you should end up between ‘‘Good intention Bad habits’’ and ‘‘Ay Mamasita’’.
- Good Intention Bad Habits 5.11a: – You require 22 draws to do the variation recommended in the guidebook.
Development:
- The Pfisterer Route 5.8: – In june 2016, the listed route has been retrofitted with all new bolted anchors. Some bolts has also been added to supplement the runouts on some pitches. Although the R rating has been taking out, this is still a committing and old school climb that should be taken seriously.
- Roger’s Lunch Buffet 5.10b, 8 pitches, 230m
by: Thomas McElroy, Nitin Chidambaram and Konstantin Stoletov, 2017
Roger is a curious but friendly grizzly bear who lives in Ashlar ridge area and gave us a few thrilling moments during our days there. Bring the bear spray or end up in his buffet!
The climb starts at the right end of the wall. After reaching the final “hump” below Ashlar traverse right, past the obvious gully. Follow a faint switchbacks 100m up till just above start of the route. Traverse the scree back to the wall/start.
Pitch 1. (30m, 5.10a) 11 bolts. “Jackie`s pitch”. Start on a little ledge 5m right of the shallow left leaning crack that splits the face. Climb up to the fourth bolt, do a daring step to your right than continue on good holds to the belay station on a ledge.
Pitch 2. (35m, 5.9) 14 bolts. Start on easy ground than climb the face full of juggy holds to another ledge.
Pitch 3. (30m, 5.6) 9 bolts. Climb a short face followed by a few sandy ledges to a comfortable ledge, belay under a cool looking arch/overhang.
Pitch 4. (17m, 5.10b) 7 bolts. Layback the crack under overhang, step over to your right reaching thin holds. Climb past a few easy blocks into a corner. the belay is on a good stance.
Pitch 5. (35m, 5.9) 11 bolts. Climb into a cool looking corner, using footholds in the corner and on the face. Sustained moves lead you to a belay on an awesome shady ledge (Dustin`s ledge). Enjoy the views and refuel before the headwall.
Pitch 6. (30m, 5.9) 10 bolts. Climb a few metres on interesting “Canadian” limestone before traversing up and right past a few gymnastic moves above the grassy ramp.
Pitch 7. (38m, 5.10a) 11 bolts. “Mical`s wet dreams” Look up and right. You came here to climb that unbelievable looking ramp/dike! Climb up and left using a runner on the 3rd bolt. Continue on the unreal ramp into the sky above you. The belay is on a big ledge.
Pitch 8. (15m, 5.3) 3 bolts. A little baby pitch that can be linked with pitch 7. A beer can be cracked at its start already. Climb up and right on the final slab. Belay on a big grassy ledge (the bolted anchor is on the wall in front of you).
Descent: Walk down the ridge.
Gear: 70m rope, 15 draws + 1 runner.
Retreat can be done from any point with 70m rope. All the stations (except the Dustin`s ledge are 3 bolt to accommodate the party of 3.
Funded by Edmonton Bolt Fund
https://www.gofundme.com/edmonton-bolt-fund
- Canadian Compressor, 5.11c, 11 pitches, 317m
Merrick Montemurro on Canadian Compressor, Pitch 7
Start at a rocky ledge, about 50 metres right of Ay Mamasita!
Pitch 1: (35m, 5.5) 10 bolts. Traverse up and right, continue on easy, blocky rock. Belay on a small ledge, chains.
Pitch 2: (20m, 5.9) 8 bolts. Climb on a good rock, finishing at a small stance. Belay on a small stance, chains.
Pitch 3: (34m, 5.9) 12 bolts. Continue on good easy rock. Belay on a large ledge, chains.
Pitch 4: (30m, 5.6) 7 bolts. Traverse right across the gully and follow the bolts up the right side of the Green Gully, then cross the gully back left to a small stance. Belay on a small stance, chains.
Pitch 5:(20m, 5.6) 8 bolts. Continue on easy “Canadian” limestone, feel free to clean whatever you can if following. Belay on a good ledge under a large “wavy” overhang, chains.
Pitch 6: (38m, 5.11b) 14 bolts. Look up and tighten your pants, fun is coming! Start climbing up and right over the cool rock waves passing the rap station, than enter the never-ending sequence of cool moves on incredibly good rock. Possibly the best pitch! Belay on a small ledge, chains.
Pitch 7: (20m, 5.11c) 10 bolts. Two variations exist. Either climb straight up and right or clip the first bolt, down-climb right and climb straight to the second bolt. Both ways go at 11c and involve intense crimping on razor sharp holds. Continue on easier ground to the good ledge under a big overhang (Helmet ledge). A wind blown rock came out of nowhere during the FA crushing Merrik`s helmet so don’t feel relaxed. Belay on a ledge, chains.
Pitch 8:(30m 5.11a) 13 bolts. Traverse up and right on somewhat suspicions but surprisingly good rock. Continue on a steep, solid face reaching the friction traverse. Traverse right and climb up the easy right facing flake to a good stance. Belay on a ledge, chains.
Pitch 9 (20m, 5.10d) 13 bolts. Climb back left on good holds than do a few powerful layback moves on a sharp vertical rail. Climb onto a small, exposed ledge in the middle of the limestone ocean (Mexican ledge). Have a burrito! Belay on a good ledge, chains.
Pitch 10: (30m, 5.11a) 12 bolts. Almost there! Start on a crimpy face, past a hollow flake reaching the good rest ledge. Continue on an easier ground trough the “bottleneck” exiting onto a good protected ledge. Keep right for better rock on this pitch. Last bolt may be hard to see right before the station on great rock. Clip it and finish! Belay on a good ledge, chains.
Pitch 11: (30m, 5.4) 8 bolts. Finish on an easy and well bolted pitch of 5.4, be careful topping out on loose blocks. Belay onto a little step. 2 bolts anchor.
Descent: Hike down the ridge.
Gear: 70m rope, 16 draws, 1 or 2 alpine draws are helpful on pitch 4, 5 and 8.
Retreat: Climb can be safely rappelled from any point with a 70m rope but it is not recommended.
- Ay Mamasita 5.12a, 12 pitches, 395m
by: Thomas Mcelroy, Kevin Koscher, Amber Mawson, Nitin Chidambaram, Laura Castro, Michal Swidrak, Tomas Barton, Konstantin Stoletov, 2017
Starts on a good ledge next to a little pine tree about 200m right of Good Intentions Bad Habits.
- Pitch 1: (50m, 5.7) Traverse up and left than go on the face, passing a mid anchor, 10 bolts. Belay on a ledge.
- Pitch 2: (35m, 5.10b) Climb the technical face on good holds, finishing after a small overhang to a ledge, 9 bolts.
- Pitch 3: (35m, 5.9) Start on easy ground than pull trough the cool roof, 10 bolts. Belay on a ledge.
- Pitch 4: (30m, 5.6) The ‘‘Little Yamnuska Pitch’’. Climb up and left, clip the first bolt and continue on easy but loose ground, 6 bolts. Belay on The Punta De Flecha ledge.
- Pitch 5: (30m, 5.11b) Do a few easy moves and go on improbable looking face that has plenty of holds, just look for them! 10 bolts, leads to a Semi-hanging belay.
- Pitch 6: (20m, 5.10a) Use the flake out right to start and than climb on easier ground, 7 bolts.
- Pitch 7: (20m, 5.0) Climb on an easy ground past two bolts to the big spacious La Playa ledge. Once at the anchor look up, these next pitches is what you came for!
- Pitch 8: (32m, 5.11c) Do a few easy moves and go up the technical face that has everything: crimps, sloppers, flaring cracks and hard clips. Climb past the cool natural arch going to a nice ledge, sometimes full of hungry ants, 12 bolts.
- Pitch 9: 20m, 5.11c) Climb up and right on good jugs, than go back left on a technical face. 9 bolts, 5.11c, 20m. Leads to a 3 bolts hanging belay.
- Pitch 10: (20m, 5.11d) Go on the technical face past crimps, underclings and bad footholds. 8 bolts. Leads to a 3 bolts semi-hanging belay.
- Pitch 11: (38m, 5.12a) Wild! Climb up 3 bolts (3rd bolt is to prevent fall on belayer and may be uclipped after climbing past it). Go on a thin traverse up and left. Climb into a huge flaring groove, rest, look down, enjoy the view. Cool, right? Get out of the groove on a thin face, past a cool pocket and to a thin left hand flake, be gentle on it. Finish the face and get on a good small ledge to belay. 14 bolts.
- Pitch 12: (60m, 5.5) Climb left and up of the belay, after clipping the 3rd bolt head right and up to a spacious tree ledge with a bolted anchor 30m up. Either stop here and split the pitch in two (Better for communication and to manage rock fall hazards) or keep going another 15m up to another bolted station. From the second anchor you can scramble up to the top and belay your second on a tree.
Descent: Hike down the ridge. The climb can be safely rapelled with a 70m rope but it is not recommended. Plenty of small, loose rocks still exist on p4 and 6. The pitch 1 rappel can be done diagonally to the ground followed by downclimbing (slippery in rain). In the case of bad weather it is recommended to use the mid rap station on that pitch.
Gear: 70m rope, 14 draws.
Francois laplante on Ay Mamasita, Pitch 9
