Decided to ditch work and play in the Valhallas yesterday. If you are headed this way give me a shout.

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.

This is me climbing the crux pitch on the south ridge. You exit left under the roof.

The amazing South Ridge of Gimli, the route is clear in the morning light. An overlooked classic!!

Lyle leads pitch 4 of the S.Ridge of Gimli. Another party can been seen on the crux roof above.

starting the third pitch

seconding the crux on the third pitch

Top of the 5th pitch looking down

FA on Slave to Gravity

Topo for West Face Direct AKA "Dark Side of the Moon"

Looking down third pitch on the FA of West Face Direct AKA "Dark Side of the Moon", 5.10a

Looking down the first pitch on the FA of West Face Direct AKA "Dark Side of the Moon", 5.10a

Looking down the flaring corner on the third pitch on the FA of West Face Direct AKA "Dark Side of the Moon", 5.10a

The storm clouds that soaked us on the FA of West Face Direct AKA "Dark Side of the Moon". Climbing in a lightning storm with pouring rain and hail sucks.

Marks the base of the route - scramble up and left on ledges

place gear when given the chance

belay in hidden alcove

steep face climbing with lots of right facing flakes and roofs - Another Dimension

Approaching the crux

Top of pitch 2