Routes : North America : Canada : British Columbia : Coast & Cascade Mountains : Yak Peak : South face : SOMWOW
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SOMWOW - 5.7
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Route Summary | Ascent Notes (0)
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Mike Shannon, Cam Robertson, Jeff Sherstobitoff
Rock (Trad)
R
14
A few bolts and gear with big runouts on very easy terrain. Bolted anchors.
2500
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Description:
SOMWOW - Seven One Move Wonders Of the World Pitch 1: 5.4 - Gear Lead, 60m A nice gentle warm-up. Belay in the scoop of rock between the two ponds. Trend up and left towards the right-facing finger crack. Good pro on the underside, but the crack is fragile as it thins towards the top. Use long runners, as this pitch is a full 60m. Straight up to the darker rock for the belay with one more piece optional at the ledge before the 1st station. Pitch 2: 5.4 - 1 bolt - 1 piton, 55m Pad up the slab towards the massive horn high and left. Look for the station to your right in the small dishes as you approach the feature. 1 bolt and one old piton midway. Pitch 3: 5.6 - 1 bolt + Gear, 55m *SOMWOW Protect the move around the horn, and head straight up towards the flowery cracks with good pro. 1 bolt before you step up and left to the next level. Don't drop anything in the cracks, as it's unlikely you'll get it back. Pitch 4: 5.3 - Gear Lead, 55m Straight up at the small breaks. Good pro abounds above. Watch for station in the brown horizontal seam once the pitch flattens out. Pitch 5: 5.4 - 1 bolt, 60m Straight up looking for a bolt near the darker band at 30m and then trend slightly left. Pad up towards the large ledge. Continue up and left to the station, near the right-facing crack. Pitch 6: 5.5 - Gear Lead, 55m Staying left of the bigger roofs to the right, either take a small step up at the overlap, or work left, then back right, around the corner. Pitch 7: 5.5 - Gear Lead, 55m *SOMWOW Step right just above the bulge @ station. Stuff something in the left-facing corner and head straight up on easy ground. Pitch 8: 5.4 - Gear Lead, 50m Scramble through the broken rock up and right, throw in a piece on the right, then look for an easy crossing to the anchors. The traverse left to the anchors is often wet, so choose wisely. Pitch 9: 5.7 - Gear Lead, 60m *SOMWOW Straight up at the UFO. One piece on right @ 1st bulge then to the middle of the UFO you go. Protect the committing steps (dead centre) that get you on top, then pad straight up to the station. Pitch 10: 5.5 - 2 Bolts, 55m Follow the lighter-colored rock up and left. Head for the high bulge. Pitch 11: 5.7 - 1 bolt + Gear, 55m *SOMWOW Aim for the breaks in the rocks above, clipping bolt at 1st bulge. Protect the featured yet polished section of rock. Venture back to the left to find the station. Pitch 12: 5.7 – Gear Lead, 60m *SOMWOW Straight over the middle of the block – a fun and well-protected move. Work up the cracks to the right of the bushes to finish in a small dish. The rock on the right of this bulge is rotten so heading over the middle is the best route. Pitch 13: 5.8+ - 2 bolts + Gear, 60m *SOMWOW Head straight up to clip the bolt, just over a small black bulge, then up to 2nd bolt and plan your move to the right into the dirty trough. Note the break in the greenery above. A couple of good placements in messy seams gets you through the worst of it and into the junipers. Trend right at top of trough, slinging stumps if needed. Station is straight up from trough, approach is across ledge from the right to left. Pitch 14: 5.7 - 2 bolts + Gear, 55m *SOMWOW This Pitch becomes Adventure Climbing. Left of station head straight up the 2 veins to the juniper island. STAY LEFT of island heading to the whale's back. Sling a tree or 2 if needed and head left up the whales back for an easier approach to the little ledge above the whales back. Gear placement optional 1/2 way up whales back on right. Once on ledge clip 1st bolt then trend right to the 2nd bolt and then right towards the opening in the greenery. Chained station right above small trough in the white rock. •**NOTE****. If you do not plan on summiting Yak Peak this is where you need to rappel from. Continuing pitch 15th up to meadow commits you to the summit and walking off. Pitch 15: 55M = Choose Your Own Adventure Sling as many trees as you need. Trend right at station on rock and then straight up to into the open meadow. This is where the climbing becomes a ‘choose your own adventure book’ to the Summit. THERE IS NO STATION FOR THIS PITCH. From here it is possible to continue scrambling up tree ledges, moss grooves and dirty cracks for about 200m of sustained 4th/5th class climbing to the summit, or rappel from pitch 14 with 2 ropes back down. Location Getting There: From Highway 5, park at Zopkios Rest Area. Walk a short distance east heading up out of the rest area. At the ‘Wrong Way’ sign (or 2nd telephone pole) look left into the trees to start on the new ‘West Side Trail’. This new trail was put in to access the west side of Yak Peak for a more direct approach to SOMWOW and Speedway. The West Trail leads upwards to the base in about 40 minutes / 300m elevation gain. Once reaching the top of the trail and base of the slab, head East towards the 2 small ponds before Speedway. SOMWOW starts just after the 1st pond you will approach. The start of the climb gets belayed from the dish adjacent to the 1st pond. This climb may be considered run-out to some climbers in some sections for the grade. All parties should be solid and confident on run-out slabs – If you are, this puppy will be a tremendous adventure! Descent: At Yak Summit – Navigate to the saddle of the 2 peaks (East). There is sometimes a snowpatch to negotiate at the top of the saddle. Looking down to meadow below will allow you to spot the trail and plan your descent down to continue to the base of Yak Crack and the descent down to the Highway. This descent trail will shoot you out at the start of the Medians for the exit ramp. It’s about a 1 km walk back to the start of the West Side Trail and Rest Area. Protection 1 x 60m rope Full rack to 3.5" - doubles may be required depending on how much protection you use. Set of Smaller Nuts Long Slings (4 Min) and Alpine Draws (5 Min) 2+ Quickdraws •Bolted Belays to Pitch 14 •2 x 60m ropes required for rappelDescent Options:
Rap from the top of pitch 14 or climb another 200m of 4/5th class to the summit and hike off the east side (on the Yak Check trail).
Submitted by: jp_sucks on 2013-09-29
Views: 863
Route ID: 114467
