Description:
These routes are on the thumb shaped tower just above Abraham Slabs and before the routes on Upper Abraham. Make sure to start with your belayer out of the way of rockfall. Look for fossils in the rock!
Approach:
Park as for Abraham Mountain (52.2441, -116.4387). Take the main Abraham Slabs trail, and take the left fork. Walk past the Slabs, then stay low and backtrack up the ridge line with the tower on your right.
Descent Note: The route can be descended via the Abraham descent route (preferred), or rappelled via Rockies Ringlock and then back down the Abraham Slabs trail.
Beta
P1: 66m 5.6
Park your belayer well out of harm’s way. Start climbing in the shallow grooves on the right side of the stunning low angle dihedral. Working your way up the grooves moving slightly left after 15 metres and then back to the right on the most solid ground. Continue to weave your way up the grooves. You will reach the two bolt belay ten metres before the lone tree.
P2: 67m 5.7 2 bolts
Trend up and right finding tricky small gear placements and staying on the right side of the prow. Clip one bolt and continue on the right side of the prow. A small runout section leads to a bolt. More gear can be found on the right of the prow before the terrain eases. A final 30 metres of easy terrain lead to the tree belay. Belay on the massive limberpine.
P3: 70-90 m, 4th Class
Continue up from the tree belay following the large groove just left of the prow until terrain steepens and you find a hidden two bolt belay behind a tree. Consider shortening the rope or using alternate techniques to manage rockfalls for your partner.
P4: 70m 5.7, 3 bolts
Follow the prow on your right. Stay on the prow and consider your belayer’s safety by cresting straight above at 15 m. Look up and slightly left, you will see a bolt protecting the next short crux, trend up through broken cracks to a ledge. Move left towards a bolt protecting another short crux. Climb through a small tree island to gain a two bolt belay at a large ledge. A rope stretcher.
P5: 40m 5.7 2 bolts
Head slightly left from the belay then straight up towards a bolt on a bulge. Climb up and right into rampy terrain. At 25 metres move left towards a bolt with a good corner above. Continue to the two bolt belay in a sheltered bay.
P6: 45m 5.10a A0 or (5.10c) 3 bolts
Traverse 3m left from the belay and climb up on the corner past 2 bolts. Gain a ledge and move 2 metres left to a third bolt. Continue up trending slightly left and ignoring the chain station visible out left. Take care to tuck your belayer behind shelter as the rock quality worsens near the top of the pitch. There is a higher two bolt anchor 10 metres up the ridge if you choose to gain that one rather than the rappel station.
Walk-off Descent:
Scramble or pitch out the short 4th class section above the ring bolt belay to the two bolt anchor 10 m above. Continue until you cross onto the Abraham Shoulder route. Head down the buttress and locate a lone tree with a chain station right of it. Rappel 20m down and slightly right to find a ring bolt anchor hidden in an alcove. One more rappel down and right takes you to 3rd class terrain and scrambling down the Abraham Shoulder. There are numerous fourth class steps on that portion of the descent.
Rappel Descent:
Rappel down following the route Rockies Ringlock from the top anchor in 4x 35m rappels.
* NOTE: No Lights on Fridays is not fixed for rappel.
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