Wheat Kings is a newish bolted multi-pitch rock route, goes
at a cruisey 5.7, with most of the climbing being about 5.5. Route was equipped and first ascended by the
local guide and climber, Brandon Pullan, and Gaby James in July of 2016. Brandon wanted to honour and pay respect to
the great Canadian rock’n’roll band, The Tragically Hip, lead singer, Gordon
Downie. I totally understand why.
The Tragically Hip, and the voice of Gord Downie, have been
part of my enjoyment of music for all my adult life. I have listened to “The Hip” for over 30
years. Poor Gord pasted away October 2017 from brain cancer. I was fortunate
enough to see their final farewell tour in the summer of 2016. Thanks Brandon, great memories listening to
the Hip and love the song, The Wheat Kings, and a great route. Approach details and a pitch by pitch description is available here.
|
View up to route from our walk out. |
Laurie joined me on May 4 for this short day out, a great
pick for the first multi pitch of the year.
After our long winter, the end of April and beginning of May have had
great hot and sunny weather. We had no
problem finding the start of the route, on the approach, turn up hill (right)
at the big and fractured boulder that sits on the edge of the trail (picture
below).
|
Head up to base of route at this boulder beside the approach trail, about 30 minutes from the parking area. |
The grades described are appropriate
for a modern grade. The bolts are a bit
spaced apart, but not much, any 5.7/5.8 climber will feel totally comfortable
on this route. We didn’t link or combine
any pitches as it seemed like there would be a lot of rope drag if we did. I lead the crux 5.7 pitch and it was a blast,
great solid, very grippy rock, bolts were basically at a sport climb separation,
just fun and cruisey, best part of the route. We had cloudy day that threatened
rain, but it stayed mostly dry. We opted for the walk off, but I think the
rappel down would be equal time. Walk off was fine, a bit of loose sloggy
uphill to exit the top of the route up a gully, but then steep down through
light trees back to the approach trail and parking lot. Great fun and no ticks
for us. Below is the text for the route
details from the Gripped website. Do this route, it is fun.
|
At base of route, looking up start of pitch 1. |
Pitch One: Climb
up and left past two bolts and follow a foot rail up and right past a third
bolt. Climb the corner to a bolted belay at a tree. (5.5 30 metres, four bolts)
Pitch Two: Climb
good rock left of the corner past two bolts and up and left avoiding dirty rock
on the right. Angle up and right to a fourth bolt. Follow a crack up and right
to a break in the rock and left to a ledge with a tree and belay. (5.6 35
metres, seven bolts)
Pitch Three: Step
up and left and then follow fun features to a ledge. Take a faint crack right
up to a belay. (5.7 35 metres, eight bolts) Note: There is an endangered
whitebark pine far left of the second bolt, don’t damage or remove.
Pitch Four: Step up and left to a bolt. Continue up to a ledge and head
left to a belay. (5.4 20 metres, two bolts)
Pitch Five: Up two short walls past two bolts to a ledge. Up and right to a
corner that you climb for a few moves and then step left onto pillar. Up pillar
to a bolt and then right on low-angle rib to belay. This is the Pretty Things
belay ledge where you can see Mount Louis and most of the Bow Valley. (5.6 40
metres, five bolts)
Pitch Six: Up a steep move to a ledge and up the corner above past a
hard-to-see bolt. Continue up easy ground to a belay near a tree. (5.6 30
metres, four bolts)
Pitch Seven: Up the rib past bolts to a break in the rock on the left. Up
easy climbing to the final anchor. (5.5 35 metres, five bolts)
Descent: Rappel route with 70-metre rope using a rappel-only anchor
between the top of pitch five and three. Alternatively walk off a flagged trail
by heading up about 100 metres after the route and then left over small rock
steps until you take the forest down.
|
View from station to start of pitch 3, the 5.7 pitch. |
|
View down crux 5.7 section. |
|
From bolted station looking up start of pitch 5. |
|
LK nearing top of pitch 5. |
|
Looking up start of pitch 6. |
|
LK on top of route. |
|
OSWB getting hungry, yeah we are on top. |
|
Typical terrain on walk off through trees. |
|
Old relic barbed wired fence we had to climb over on the walk back to approach trail. |