If you can spare a few bucks for those affected by the Pack Fire, a little bit goes a long way ❤️

Last run at home this summer 😭

LOOK OUT!

Silver Divide Day 3: Mount Izaak Walton and Out

Silver Divide Day 2: Silver Peak and Tully Lake

Absolutely lovely travel through the Sixty Lakes Basin on the approach to this climb. There's no real difficulty anywhere, even the climbing traverse to the south ridge is straightforward and easy to locate from below (it climbs through the small, open cave in the face). The final 100-200 vertical feet of this climb are a different story though!

Secor describes a jam crack, squeeze chimney, and guillotine flake. We saw no sign of the flake, but easily found the crack and chimney. These are both certainly harder than class 4, in my opinion. We roped up a little bit below the base of the large slab that leads to the crack and chimney and climbed up to the base of the slab that leads to the crack and chimney. On the way down, we found a class 3/4 descent from the base of the slab that we didn't need a rope far by heading about 50' out to the west from the base of the slab.

From the base of the slab that leads to the crack and chimney, we followed another party up the slab to the base of the jam crack, which has two parts separated by a ledge. The lower part is a bit easier, the upper part is harder but can be bypassed with an airy (but secure) step to the left. The other party freed the lower crack and then stepped left and climbed up to the summit rocks. I wasn't able to free the lower crack in my approach shoes (whoops!), so I awkwardly aided up to the small ledge that separates the cracks, built a belay, and then did the step-left and climbed up to the summit rocks. Others have suggested that the Washboard Variation, which is out climber's left of the slab / jam crack / squeeze chimney area is easier. I suspect we would've gone over to take a look had we not been following another party.

The summit rocks, while awkward, were easier than the lower portion. I slung the flake for protection, and then did an extremely awkward high bellyflop into the V between the two summit rocks before recomposing myself for the final mantle move, which again was not too difficult, but a bit scary. Once atop the peak, I used a 20' piece of webbing over the top of the summit rocks to belay Shannon up. She had more difficulty with the final mantle move, which is easier the taller you are.

After a short stay on the summit, Shannon rappelled off the sling we had over the top of the summit and I followed. While I was able to mind the sling when Shannon rappelled, I had to trust that it wouldn't rip off when I rapped, which it didn't. Once safely at the base of the summit rocks we were able to flick it off with only minimal effort. After signing the summit register, we downclimbed past an old rap station to a newer one that was hidden a bit down and to the left. Then it was just one rappel on our 40m rope to the base of the slab, from which we were able to downclimb safely to our gear a bit lower.

We descended to the south ridge then stopped for a snack and water before continuing down. The return to camp was equally beautiful and easy, though the bugs appeared in force once we reached treeline, making the return somewhat less pleasant.

I was wiped when we got back to camp and barely managed to stay up past dinner before falling asleep to Hermit Thrushes singing nearby.

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Iain Macdonald

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If you can spare a few bucks for those affected by the Pack Fire, a little bit goes a long way ❤️

Last run at home this summer 😭

LOOK OUT!

Silver Divide Day 3: Mount Izaak Walton and Out

Silver Divide Day 2: Silver Peak and Tully Lake

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