Restoule New Route
Checked out Restoule on Sat Mar 1 with Elaine and Chris as per previous reports the Snake is enormous-never seen it so phattt-should last until mid-April!
We also climbed what I think is a new route-it's not listed in any of the S.O. updates
To the left of The Snake and Anaconda we climbed the thinly steep ice smears left leaning to just under a birch tree (possible to get stubbies in) small cams are useful under the birch - keep traversing left -(tricky) until you get to a steep right leaning ice hose that leads to the final pillar-the final pillar did not touch down-only ice daggers on the left so you have to climb the ice hose to a cave with a decent stance to load up the crux with ice screws I was at this stance forever! The trick is to leave the security of the cave and traverse high enough above the daggers and climb the pillar that sported an overhanging crux. The ice was glassy-hard and brittle it was minus 8 all day with a nasty wind chill around minus 15 -sticks were not happening on my left tool- with a screw just below the crux I went for it-but with multiple wacks with my left tool-the ice fractured and gave way-I popped and took a mini 12 foot whipper-I was held by a BD screw with just a locking biner on it-no sling - nice to know the screw worked and held my fall!-I was wasted and got lowered down
Chris took over and we top roped him from my last screw- from there he traversed over and led the crux in fashion-stating it was the hardest lead he'd ever done.
My question is-we led the climb from the ground up on sight but with two different leaders-so is this a FFA?
Again if this climb has been done before-and its not in any of the updates-please let us know and I'll retract the climb.
New Route:
The Rattler W-4- to 4
25 meters
First Ascent Chris Talbot, Dave Britnell (co-led) Elaine Taylor
March 1 2008
Cheers Goo
Left the house at 7am got back home 12 15 pm-in the morning-just another typical day at the office!

NIIIIIIIICE!!! Sounds like a
NIIIIIIIICE!!! Sounds like a good one. Keep 'em comin' Goo