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Summary
Shirley pulling the crux move of the route (5.8+; Aug. 2011).
The Short: Leave Portland Friday night after work & sleep in Spokane (Motel 6 by the airport…a shithole even by Mo 6’s suppressed standards). Breakfast & a casual drive to the trailhead on Saturday. Quick hike in (<2 hrs on a most excellent trail) to the saddle camp. Wake up early on Sunday and....enjoy coffee as it's windy and cold. Climbing by 8am and back in camp by 1pm. Fun, easy climbing on great rock and with a stellar position. Easy descent. Pack camp and back at trailhead by 3pm and home by 2am on Monday morning. No poons or ax were needed. The Long: Our car was overheating on the drive up to the trailhead. Were a bit stressed the whole weekend wondering whether we’d get home OK. A popular line. Thankfully our alpine start (of 8am) proved sufficient to beat out other parties….and there were many though (judging by our time lapse camera) most bailed from no higher than pitch 2 (don’t know why). Calling the route 10a seems like grade creep at play. Great rock, fun climbing, and stellar vistas! A true latter day North American classic climb.
Photos
Shirley getting ready for the quick hike up to the base of Mount Gimli (in background)...& wondering if our car would start when we came back (some overheating issues on the drive up). The mesh fencing is a porcupine deterrent as they apparently have a taste for rubber hoses (August 2011).
Shirley on the pleasant hike up to Gimili... a very well maintained trail (Aug. 2011).
Mount Gimli as seen from the approach hike. The South Ridge (III 5.8) climbs the obvious (& proud!) prow in the foreground. Standard descent follows the right side ridge (east ridge) skyline and is 4th class (August 2011).
Shirley enjoying a quick lunch at our camp site while watching unknown climbers high on the South Ridge of Gimli (Aug. 2011).
An unknown party (trio from Bellingham) starting the 7th pitch of the South Ridge of Gimli (Aug. 2011).
Two followers starting the 7th (ish) pitch of the South Ridge on Mount Gimli. The obvious roof of the 6th pitch is visible below (Aug. 2011).
Saturday afternoon at our camp site at the foot of Gimli's South Ridge (Aug. 2011).
Waiting for the freeze dried food to rehydrate. An easy Saturday and an early arrival in camp means we had plenty of time to pig out (Aug. 2011).
Beautiful alpine flora of the Valhallas (Aug. 2011).
An early evening in camp (Aug. 2011).
Leading the very fun pitch1 of the South Ridge route - nice hand crack in a dihedral with a few small bulges to pull through (5.8; Aug. 2011).
South Ridge route (III 5.8) on Mount Gimli. Photo taken from camp by our time lapse enabled camera. Shirley is following pitch 1 (black clad figure in the low dihedral on the right; Aug. 2011).
Shirley leading pitch 2 of the South Ridge (5.7) which leads to the chockstone belay (Aug. 2011).
Shirley belaying me on pitch 3 of the South Ridge of Gimli. This is just next to the chockstone (Aug. 2011).
Leading pitch 3 of the South Ridge. Every pitch had fun climbing on great rock - truly a classic route (Aug. 2011).
Shirley topping out on pitch 3 of the South Ridge (Aug. 2011).
Shirley starting up pitch 4 (5.6; Aug. 2011).
A short crack section on pitch 4 of South Ridge (5.6; Aug. 2011).
Shirley belaying me atop pitch 4 of South Ridge - a section of low angle, grassy ledges/terraces (Aug. 2011).
Leading pitch 5 of South Ridge (5.8; Aug. 2011).
More pitch 5 action with a weird camera angle (Aug. 2011).
Shirley arriving at the base of the short crux pitch of South Ridge. Our camp is visible below (just right of the snow field; Aug. 2011).
Shirley starting up the short 6th pitch of South Ridge - easy dihedral to one 5.8+ move to bypass the roof to the left (Aug. 2011).
The aesthetic dihedral of pitch 6 of Mount Gimli's South Ridge route (Aug. 2011).
Shirley pulling the crux move of the route (5.8+; Aug. 2011).
Following the very nice pitch 6 dihedral below the roof (Aug. 2011).
Shirley at the airy belay just above and left of the roof. A fun little perch (Aug. 2011).
Starting the 7th and final (essentially...4th class above for which we stayed roped and simulclimbed) pitch of Gimli's South Ridge (Aug. 2011).
Shirley belaying me on the 7th pitch of South Ridge from an airy stance just above (& left) of the crux roof (Aug. 2011).
Shirley hiking up to the true summit of Gimli in the saddle between the false summit (where South Ridge route deposits you) and the true one. Great views of some other Valhallas peaks (Aug. 2011).
Shirley hiking down from the true summit of Mount Gimli. Standard descent from the South Ridge route starts by first scrambling up to the true summit of Gimli (Aug. 2011).
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