So Long, Wolf U Boat

A somewhat jingus "easy first route to the top". It would be less jingus if we hadn't had to back clean some of our bolts.

Note on bolting: we were experimenting with some Hilti threaded screws (3/8"x3") that had been recommended instead of expansion bolts for very soft rock. They worked, but they came loose very easily. The first pitch has five empty 3/8"x3" holes and the last pitch one. If I were to do this route again, I would probably fill those holes with baby angles.

Pitch one: Five bolt ladder (bolts missing) to bush and horizontal flake. Easy aid in soft rock to a roof with slightly awkward aid and softer rock. Traverse right starting at class three, ending at 5.easy. then step up onto slick rock slab and use a large boulder stack to belay. Protecting the second on the traverse which is not necessary if the belayer is properly situated, requires a piece of about 8". ~70', C2.

Walk SE about 50 meters to a clean east facing vertical tips to hand corner.

Pitch two: Aid or free the corner (very desperate first move on pliable rock), tips to hands. The angle then eases off as the crack changes to a narrow, flared chimney which is very awkward to aid; we did a mix of free and aid through this section, "fraid". Continue at about 5.6 to a belay in a slot between the pillar whose right side you've been climbing and the main formation. The belay takes .5 Camalot size pieces in glorified dirt though there is a solid #6 Camalot placement further back. ~5.6 C1 70'

Pitch three: Chimney up the slot, step south to the pillar, walk west about 10 meters, then step north and climb up a low angle groove to a ledge between the two summits. Belay from cams in holes -- there is a bomber #4 generation two Camalot (purple) placement. ~5.6, 80'.

Pitch four: Walk east to a bolt ladder which starts with a #2.5 (blue) Tricam placement. The first bolt is missing. At the top of the 5 bolt ladder, flop onto the top of the pillar then walk 30' and belay in a depression without anchors. C1, ~70'.

From the belay, walk north about 50' to the summit.

Descent:

Down climb pitch four. A very obvious three bolt anchor is about 20' right of the Tricam placement. From these anchors rap about 130' to the start of pitch two.

Walk back the belay at the end of pitch one where there is a two bolt anchor. Rap 60' to the ground.

ALL BOLTS SHOULD BE CHECKED before use and tightened or replaced as required.

At the high point of the talus, about 50 yards east of the southern most point of the butte. A much better way to find the start is the use this photo:

mountainproject.com/v/11283…

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14mm wrench for tightening bolts.

Double set of cams from #0 C3 Camalot to #6 Camalot. We placed two or three finger sized nuts.

#2.5 Tricam

The second ascent party, at least, will have to put something in the six empty holes; baby angles seem an obvious choice.