[MCR] Jasper - Hidden Valley Route Update - September / October 2013

[Public Mountain Conditions Report]

Since Hidden Valley is one of the last venues available for rock climbing at
this point in the autumn I will update some recent changes in the area.

In the last month I have been involved in a number of upgrades. Some are
self evident and won't be described. Others are relevant changes to be aware
of. As mentioned in my earlier post, Hidden Valley is still bare and dry and
can often provide fun rock climbing year round if you are dressed
appropriately and prepared for chilly and often windy belays!

Back Wall area changes:
All of the old upper anchors in this area have been upgraded from rusty old
ugly chains to unobtrusive shiny ring bolts.

The last remaining old chains on "Romulus" have been replaced.

The 5.7 route "Solo" to the left of "This Bolt's for You" has been
retro-bolted and has eight bolts to an anchor at two ring bolts. This is now
a fun straight forward sport route.

The really old station on "This Bolt's for You" has been removed leaving
just one upper station with two new ring bolts. Don't climb above these
rings looking for the higher station as it is gone! Believe me, looking at
the old bolts I removed, it was a spooky station to be lowering off of
anyway. I'm glad its gone...

Main South Wall changes:
"Old Salt" - One bolt has been added on one of the first pitch starts for
Old Salt. Two more bolts have been added to the steep prickly rock pitch.
One of the elderly self drive bolts at the belay below the prickly wall has
been replaced with a new stainless bolt.

"Winter Wanderland" - two or three bolts were added to both the last and
second last pitches which means you should have at least seven draws to use
the fixed protection. One old orange piton was removed since it was
criminally loose. The block it was placed behind is no longer solid. Two
bolts were added in this section.

"Winter Wanderland Rappel Route" - Winter Wanderland can now be rappelled
following the original Winter Wanderland route. This was retrofitted with
ring bolts in September / October 2013 and is 6 short rappels that can be
easily completed with a 50m rope.
 
Rappel One: 20m ­ rather than scrambling to the top on loose rock, rappel
from the ring bolts at the top of the final pitch to a cramped semi-hanging
station at two ring bolts.
Rappel Two: 15m - Rappel down the slab to the large ledge with three bolts
(two ring bolts)
Rappel Three: 20 - 25m - Rappel past the bolts and pitons to the small ledge
with two ring bolts.
Rappel Four: 20 - 25m ­ Don¹t traverse but rather rappel following the
slanting strata down, looking for two ring bolts at a tiny ledge.
Rappel Five: 20m - Rappel following the terrain looking for a station on a
ledge off to the right side of the gulley (looking down) to avoid the
rockfall hazard.
Rappel Six: 15 ­ 20m ­ Rappel down the gulley to the ground next to a large
tree.

Several other generally easy new routes from 5.3 to 5.9 have been added on
the Fossil Bed wall and in the upper part of the wall between Spiderman
Slabs and the Intermediate Slabs.

Have fun while waiting for the ice and snow to fill in on your favourite ice
climbs and ski tours.

Cyril Shokoples
ACMG / IFMGA Mountain Guide
www.rescuedynamics.ca