- Edit (TBD)
Description
It is the longest route on the mountain with some amazing bivi spots if need to bivi. There are a few really good pitches and a few not so good I would give it 2+ stars.
start up the left side of the broad west face, on the dark rock slightly right of a sharp crest. first pitch is funky balancy climbing on not greatly protected rock(5.8+Rish)(also watch for a loose block) heading for a dead tree near the crest. Pitches 2-4 climb up thru trees, climb a short difficult rock step that is the start of the grassy gully(wet when we did it) topped by a large chock stone.(not great climbing here) climb up behind a huge rock pillar to the ledge and begin the short terrible traverse thru small trees rightward. (luckily its short) until you can climb up fun, blocky mid 5th rock to the top of the black rock.(great bivi) From the top of the black rock ascend just left of the pinkish, rotten rock slightly onto the northern face via easy rock, heather and small trees until you reach an obvious right facing corner/chimney (good climbing!). starts easy(5.7) and gets harder as you go with the end being on small crimps with small cams for pro (5.9+ish) Then follow the narrow heather bench rightward to the top of the steep west face(impressive bivi!) climb straight up the crux via cracks (fixed pin) and mantle onto a small sandy ledge. From here the the climbing eases going up and rightward, many variations possible from here. We exited via a nice short hand crack (8+) to gain the upper 1/3 of the mountain. scramble on 3rd and 4th class rock to sub-summit then a short downclimb then up to the main summit. IV 5.9+ It has 4-5 good pitches and 4-5 not very good ones, with much 3rd and 4th class scrambling
Location
Bedal basin approach, same as for the west face routes. From the meadows below the broad west face(from Bedal basin) It begins on a corner of the darker rock at the lowest and left part of the face.
Protection
medium alpine rock rack to 3+ inches, 8-10 runners, helmet
Routes in Sloan Peak
- 1Northwest Buttress5.9+Alpine · Trad