Huntsville Area-New Route
Dave Britnell has asked me to post this new route info. You probably all know the location.
Walk down and left of Ziggy's Route not too far where you'll see a series of bulges and ramps.
Climb the first bulge of thin ice to a left leaning ramp. Climb this ramp leftward until you get to a pillar. The pillar is short but a bit over hanging and faces to the right. Climb this pillar W-3 and you'll get to the next leftward ramp. Steep climbing over thin ice with no gear--climb this left leaning ramp until you get to a flaring crack on the right at the end of the ramp--from here I was able to place two small cams in the crack. Some dry tooling here. A left traverse of a few feet will take you to the crux. (M3) From here there is a horizontal crack system that offered bomber gear. I placed two T.C.U. and a small cam in the horizontal crack. From here climb up and a bit right over a steep snow covered ramp with little ice--it's all footwork here. Once past the crux climb up a steep snow and ice ramp to bushes on the left and rock on the ice. Climb straight up until you hit a rock groove. Climb the groove with very little ice and no gear until you reach a small cliff band where I placed another TCU. Climb leftward and straight up until the trees. Belay here.
Bring small cams and short screws.
Rampway to Hell
First Ascent
Dave Britnell
Chris Talbot
W-3 M3
Jan 9th 2010
Special Thanks to Jon Gullet for belaying.
Another reply from Dave Britnell
Hey Greg
No problem--sometimes when you read something rather than talk to the person you have different interpretation(s) When I first met you last year I was kidding you about your adventures on La Mer De Glace so you can call us even! (just kidding)
I guess I can call my route a variation of the route that your climber did ten years ago--since I don't know what ramp system he took I'll just leave it as a variation FA if that's possible!
Hopefully we can meet and do some climbing before the rotten weather sets in! (Spring)
Cheers Goo
Hi guys As far as i know
Hi guys
As far as i know that rout / area was climbed over 10 years ago during a lead course. The climber/students name escapes me but i remember he did it in two pitches? I also recall he had only a very small set of nuts and 1 or 2 stubby screws. Despite his pro he climbed it well and proteced it safely.
A reply to Swordfish from Dave Britnell
Hey Greg
When are we going to meet up and climb a really big one on the Quebec side in your neck of the woods?
I know Rosseau is a well travelled cliff but I posted my route as a new route since there was no historical documentation to consider otherwise. Keep in mind that there is a two left leaning ramp system that parallel each other--a lower ramp and a upper ramp system--and I did my climb in one pitch approx 110 ft. The climb also meanders a bit so it could be that my partner and I climbed a new route. Did your climber take the upper ramp system or the lower ramp system?
Since your claim was most likely an Equinox outing, would their archives record exactly what date the course had taken place, the participants and who was on the climb that is in question? If so then it can be posted on the ACC BB and I'll recant my claim.
As far as the route itself, my partner and I found it challenging enough, a bit spooky in spots and tough. I don't confess to climb at the M12 level (too damn old for that!) and I climb for the sheer enjoyment of it--and the journey. That's what it is all about.
Cheers Goo
(personal comment from Don: pictures would really help.)
Hey Dave The river is still
Hey Dave
The river is still poor so getting out to the Ice is somewhat sketchy but when it comes in perhaps in Late Feb. Who knows with this years weather? I was out for a ski earlier this year and things were moving along OK but no real idea what the rain did to it, I should have a better idea by next Monday.
Sorry for the sly wording on that post.. No it was not a EA group, anyhow its no big deal, sorry to stir the pot. My intention was in not to discredit or give an opinion to your experience or grade etc. My apologies to you and your partner, nicely done with a keen eye in such a well traveled area.
On another note Calabogie is in fine shape both the main area and beyond the ski hill.
Cheers