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Summary
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
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4441-1024x768.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4463-1024x768.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4481-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley enjoying a quick lunch at our camp site while watching unknown climbers high on the South Ridge of Gimli (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4452-768x1024.jpg)
An unknown party (trio from Bellingham) starting the 7th pitch of the South Ridge of Gimli (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4474-768x1024.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_4485-1024x768.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_2455-768x1024.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/gimli-753x1024.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0533-1024x768.jpg)
Shirley belaying me on pitch 3 of the South Ridge of Gimli. This is just next to the chockstone (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_2469-768x1024.jpg)
Leading pitch 3 of the South Ridge. Every pitch had fun climbing on great rock - truly a classic route (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0570-768x1024.jpg)
Shirley belaying me atop pitch 4 of South Ridge - a section of low angle, grassy ledges/terraces (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0575-768x1024.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0592-768x1024.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/IMG_2506-768x1024.jpg)
Starting the 7th and final (essentially...4th class above for which we stayed roped and simulclimbed) pitch of Gimli's South Ridge (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0621-768x1024.jpg)
Shirley belaying me on the 7th pitch of South Ridge from an airy stance just above (& left) of the crux roof (Aug. 2011).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0643-1024x768.jpg)
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).
![Mount Gimli Mount Gimli](https://chossclimbers.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/DSCN0644-1024x768.jpg)
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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