600m, 9 pitches.
Approach:
Walk up Byty river valley on the west scree slope to gully on 42°31'56.54"N 74°52'29.05"E. Walk up scree slope to right side of gorge past a constriction between large boulders, with pitch one beginning just after at around 3080m asl.
Route description: 4a, 20m. Gain leftwards trending ledge to juggy bollards. Cross over these and tackle the right side of the large block before traversing left over the top and down to a crack system on the left. Ascend a few metres to a small belay. Alternative: climb directly to the belay. Not climbed but looks easy.
4c, 40m. From the belay step left with some difficulty before climbing a few metres and stepping back right. Go up easily for a few metres but beware of tempting large loose rocks. Charge up the layback corner crack on the left, appreciating jugs when they come. Change aspect by ~90° to the right and continue up fist sized corner crack then slab. Climb the final 4m wall before thought provoking but comfortable belay.
40m scramble: Scramble up and across the huge rocky ledge to below a hanging corner.
4b, 50m. Climb the hanging corner before scrambling up a few metres of vegetated groove below the slab. Transfer into the crack system on the slab and enjoy. The final steeper groove provides a little difficulty as does the belay. Suggested: sling the large boulder above and use a small (grey) cam in a pocket under an overlap if desired.
120m scramble: Scramble over another huge ledge to below the obvious vertical corner cracks.
4b, 20m. Loose in places, take a line leading to the base of the large corner crack bellow a bush and hanging blocks (left crack), before breaking right at the semi detached flake moving around the corner to a ledge at the base of the right corner crack
5c with aid on crux (~6a free), 35m. The crux pitch by far. A clean-cut finger crack corner which is initially slightly easier than it appears until the feet peeter out on the left and the crack gets thinner. Small grey and blue cams are very helpful. After the crux trend left and up a still tricky crack corner before heading back right (placing a redirect) for the belay.
3, 60m. Scramble or climb easy ground up the obvious groove to the next huge ledge.
100m scramble: Scramble across another huge ledge towards the base of the appealing zig-zag line in the prominent summit section.
4a, 50m. Climb a solid pile of rubble for a few metres until stepping left and gaining a crack system in the slab under the roof. Climb this to the roof, getting gear eventually, then traverse left under the roof with pleasure. Climb up a few moves at the end of the roof and make your way to the back of the large V groove for a good belay.
4c, 30m. A quality pitch. Climb the fairly low angled corner crack on the right with some difficulty. Enough small gear can be found in the crack . Belay over the crest in a small niche gained by downclimbing a couple of metres.
4b, 35m. Delicately traverse right from the belay on poor gear until heading up a tricky short corner to a dirty slab above. Climb the slab boldly to the obvious top and a good belay.
Descent: Rapel on yellow tat (placed Aug 2022) approx. 5m climbers right of the top belay, scrambling over the boulders to find. 55m takes you to a flat area below the penultimate belay. Find the next yellow tat low in the obvious gap, leading back to the last huge ledge (~40m). Walk down and right along this huge ledge, continuing down as far as possible before heading as (skier’s) right as possible to some thick white caving rope tat (Placed 2022 but not new then). Repel 45m before unweighting the rope and traversing very easily ~15m to the climbers left to find some dull yellow tat on a small but strong spike. Repel to the ground.
Walk up Byty river valley on the west scree slope to gully on 42°31'56.54"N 74°52'29.05"E. Walk up scree slope to right side of gorge past a constriction between large boulders, with pitch one beginning just after at around 3080m asl.
Route description: 4a, 20m. Gain leftwards trending ledge to juggy bollards. Cross over these and tackle the right side of the large block before traversing left over the top and down to a crack system on the left. Ascend a few metres to a small belay. Alternative: climb directly to the belay. Not climbed but looks easy.
4c, 40m. From the belay step left with some difficulty before climbing a few metres and stepping back right. Go up easily for a few metres but beware of tempting large loose rocks. Charge up the layback corner crack on the left, appreciating jugs when they come. Change aspect by ~90° to the right and continue up fist sized corner crack then slab. Climb the final 4m wall before thought provoking but comfortable belay.
40m scramble: Scramble up and across the huge rocky ledge to below a hanging corner.
4b, 50m. Climb the hanging corner before scrambling up a few metres of vegetated groove below the slab. Transfer into the crack system on the slab and enjoy. The final steeper groove provides a little difficulty as does the belay. Suggested: sling the large boulder above and use a small (grey) cam in a pocket under an overlap if desired.
120m scramble: Scramble over another huge ledge to below the obvious vertical corner cracks.
4b, 20m. Loose in places, take a line leading to the base of the large corner crack bellow a bush and hanging blocks (left crack), before breaking right at the semi detached flake moving around the corner to a ledge at the base of the right corner crack
5c with aid on crux (~6a free), 35m. The crux pitch by far. A clean-cut finger crack corner which is initially slightly easier than it appears until the feet peeter out on the left and the crack gets thinner. Small grey and blue cams are very helpful. After the crux trend left and up a still tricky crack corner before heading back right (placing a redirect) for the belay.
3, 60m. Scramble or climb easy ground up the obvious groove to the next huge ledge.
100m scramble: Scramble across another huge ledge towards the base of the appealing zig-zag line in the prominent summit section.
4a, 50m. Climb a solid pile of rubble for a few metres until stepping left and gaining a crack system in the slab under the roof. Climb this to the roof, getting gear eventually, then traverse left under the roof with pleasure. Climb up a few moves at the end of the roof and make your way to the back of the large V groove for a good belay.
4c, 30m. A quality pitch. Climb the fairly low angled corner crack on the right with some difficulty. Enough small gear can be found in the crack . Belay over the crest in a small niche gained by downclimbing a couple of metres.
4b, 35m. Delicately traverse right from the belay on poor gear until heading up a tricky short corner to a dirty slab above. Climb the slab boldly to the obvious top and a good belay.
Descent: Rapel on yellow tat (placed Aug 2022) approx. 5m climbers right of the top belay, scrambling over the boulders to find. 55m takes you to a flat area below the penultimate belay. Find the next yellow tat low in the obvious gap, leading back to the last huge ledge (~40m). Walk down and right along this huge ledge, continuing down as far as possible before heading as (skier’s) right as possible to some thick white caving rope tat (Placed 2022 but not new then). Repel 45m before unweighting the rope and traversing very easily ~15m to the climbers left to find some dull yellow tat on a small but strong spike. Repel to the ground.
George Bridgewater, Alex Hyde 15/Aug/2022.
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