Jötnar

Jotnar is the only Grade VI big wall in the Pacific Northwest that is repeatable, has bolted anchors, and is achievable by reasonably experienced wall climbers in 3-4 days. Sam thinks to free the North Norwegian Buttress anywhere would require a minimum 5.13 free climbing in places, and beaks. Sam and Lani have done a healthy dose of the usual walls in The Big Ditch et al. I have done enough to know the ins, outs, what-have-yous, and have an unhealthy addiction to throwing large rocks and beating things with a hammer. We completed the route in Capsule-style over two trips and 14 days in the Summer of 2020. We are somewhat jaded by our desire for the extreme danger, but the route is pretty clean now and I imagine quite fun! We deemed that half of the holes or rivets could be patched at this point, but there were a multitude of death blocks (all gone! Kyle Smash!) and generally extreme dangerous situations that required safeguarding our lives and the belay.

Jotnar has fully bolted stainless steel anchors, and several well placed portaledge bolts. As we recall, some of those 5 piece bolts might need retorqued but all of them are quite good.  This climb ascends a watercourse in some sections. You should aim for Late July-Early September to avoid the snow melt, most of the climbing is unaffected but it is worth knowing. Have a working ledge fly and a rain shell in the leaders pack/tagbag for the middle section of the route even on a sunny day. When the sun ducks behind the mountain it chills quickly.

A fixed line between P4 and P5 left behind for the duration of your climb would be extremely helpful for your descent, this pitch overhangs 40 feet. Otherwise you would need to place directionals/down aid. Several of the rappells require directionals to get back to the anchors. Send someone down with the rack first. Worth noting that in order to be able to swing your bags over to the bivy spot level with P11 anchors, you have to climb pitch 12, haul a bit, and ride the pigs over.

DO NOT LEAVE ANY FIXED LINES ANYWHERE. There's enough rope and tat garbage on the other routes to the right. Notable pitches will be described, all others refer to the topo.

P1 (5.7 R, 200ft) - To the right of the moat or on the shoulder of it, start up towards a wide crack with a chockstone in it. Traverse up and left unprotected on very secure and easy free climbing in approach shoes, and through two separate bulges to a 3-bolt anchor

P2 (5.8 A3, 130ft) See topo

P3 (C2, 80ft) - See topo

P4 (A3+, 120ft) - Crux aid pitch. A3 up a left facing crack, through a roof to a C3 hook section, than slightly right to a bolted belay. This pitch will likely be/get easier as people beat the corner out. You may need to stack knifeblades in a spot, but 1-2 rivets and the overhang will keep you from splatsville.

P5 (A2, 120ft) See topo fix line here to p4

P6 (C3, 80ft) - Start off with a thin A2+ seam that leads to C3 hooking through the roof.

P7 (A2, 130ft) - Aid up a tall crack, then traverse left to another crack system which goes at C1 to the anchor.

P8 (5.9 A2, 150ft) - Fang Roof. A2 up from the belay a short while, then C1 (or free at 5.10 SPLITTER HANDS ALERT) past the infamous overhang. 5.9 free climbing leads to the belay.

P9 (A3, 140ft) - Second aid crux. Go right of the bush and aid at A3 right to the dike, then bat hook through a short section to a C1 crack.

P10 (5.7 A3, 140ft) - Up behind a right facing flake, then an A3 left traverse under the BIG flake and bushes with a hook move. Finally climb (5.7) past two bolts to the belay.

P11 (5.7 C2, 80ft) - C2 up a secondary flake, past a bolt, to a short section of free climbing to the anchor.

P12 (5.8 A3, 180ft) - Onto the headwall. 5.8 climbing left on a flake past a bolt, then a short traverse right past and A3 straight up the buttress past several bolts.

P13 (5.9+ C2 150) - To say this is "all free climbing at 5.9" is quite a stretch. Locker hand jams, some C2 aid funk next to a tree, free climbing protected some with a few small beaks leads to an indistinct weakness on the left. When I did it I was pulling toasters off every other move, it is now squeaky clean. Enjoy, let us know how it goes.

P14 (5.9, 140ft) - Move at 5.8 around the buttress and climb 5.9 through trees, then anchors.

P15 (5.8 C1, 140ft) - Traverse way left to the large flake and climb up to the C1 seam, through bushes, to the only unbolted belay on the route.

P16 (5.7, 160ft) - Climb first a 5.7 dihedral, then heather, then a short open book to the summit.

One can make an unpleasant scramble to the Middle Peak of Index from here as well.

Approach: Hike to Lake Serene, and traverse around on talus to the cirque.

Descent: Rap the route.

Double rack of nuts and cams from micronuts to #4 camalot, and a single #5. Single set of offsets, 5 each beaks, 2 lost arrows and 10 rivet hangers. All anchors are bolted except for the 15th. Portaledge required (no ledges.)