Ascent Notes for: S. Ridge**** - 5.8 popular Average Rating : 4.67/5

I've done this route a few times. One memorably time with Mirek in early June. A bit wet on the top pitches and a bit sketchy on the descent. We started one big avalanche off the top that went all the way down and ran out onto the ice on the lake in the Mulvey Basin. The bonus with a June ascent was the long glissade down the normally bare and knee jarring talus slope.

a true classic. The first pitch is the crux (I'd call it 5.9) after that the climbing eases significantly. Pro is very good throughout with a couple fixed pins when it gets thin. A great climb that is not very committing.

Cool route and an easy day trip in a senic, uncrowded area. Good parking lot camping. Did in 5 long pitches with double ropes and would do more pitches next time to make it less of a drag. Somehow got lost on p3 and climbed a long licheny pitch to the big ledge - that's what you get when you climb with approach beta as your only beta.

only the first 4 pitches.....it is sand-bagged

It goes like this. The approach to the base is not too far, give your self 3 hours and you'll be fine.
Once at the base of the south ridge you'll find no shortage of places to pitch your tent. There's also a $#!& house up there to make life a little more livable.
The first pitch is 5.8 and is arguably the crux. There are a few variations to the first pitch up the most obvious is the one that ascends the right leaning chimney about 50m up from the toe of the south ridge. To find the start, climb up the talus aprox. 50m from the ridge toe, and find the chimney with all the ratty bail slings in it. At 25m you'll find a fixed station. You could belay from this station. If you're climbing with a 60m rope you're better off linking the first two pitches to reach the chock stone at the top of the chimney.
You'll know you're on rout at this point cause' the chock stone has about 500 bail slings around it. Now you're on the ridge proper.
Pitch 2. follows in continuous cracks on the ridge, past a fixed pin, taking you to a tree belay.
Pitch 3. Step left from the tree and climb a lest leaning lay back crack, that takes you to top of a huge ledge.
Pitch 4. You are now on the upper head wall. Find the path of lest resistance up the upper head wall for for a rope length ending at a God awful hanging belay.
Pitch 5. Follow the in continuous cracks up the head wall for another pitch until you're at the base of the big open book corner.
Pitch 6. Climb the corner, until you reach the underside of the roof. Clip a long runner on the no.11 black diamond stopper I got stuck there two years ago, and step out LEFT. Make two 5.9ish moves and pull the roof. (I recommend saving a no.2 Camelot for the belay)
Pitch 7-8-9. Climb or simil-climb the next few easy fifth class pitches until you reach the summit.
Ya', you've just climbed Gimli.
Decent. Hike down the east ridge, until you can glicade the south slopes back to camp.

One of the best I've ever done