Climbs in Auyuittuq National Park, Baffin Island. Matt Walsh and I ...
C lim bs in A u yuittuq N ational Park, Baffin Island. M att W alsh and I spent a m onth in A uyuittuq N ational Park and except for the w alk up the W easel valley, w e traveled on cross-country skis. We did a lot o f ski touring because the w eather was often poor, but the w inds w ere not strong and the rock was good w ith short approaches to the clim bs. We did three new routes, all free and
protected by w ires and hexes. The new clim bs were done in a single push, two from cam p near the base o f Bilbo on the N erutusoq G lacier and the third from King Parade Glacier. “Red O ctober” (1500 feet, 5.8) was done on June 31. The clim b was on the Red Wall, a triangular wall 2.5 miles due east o f the northernm ost buttress o f Bilbo. The w all is characterized by a large hanging diagonal flake near the top in the center o f the wall. We started 20 m eters left of a square cutaw ay section im m ediately below the flake. Except for the first pitch, the next six are 5.8 on excellent rock up a series o f diagonal ram ps and flakes. We descended easy snow on the right. “G illig an ’s Island” (600 feet, 5.9) was clim bed on A ugust 2. This was up a large rock face on the right side o f the N erutusoq Glacier, a m ile north o f Frodo and on the sam e ridge line. We ascended the obvious w eakness up the left side of the face. “W aiting for the Sun” (1800 feet, 5.8 but m ostly easier) was ascended on A ugust 10. As you enter K ings Parade G lacier from the C aribou Glacier, slabs on the left form part o f the A sgard massif. We clim bed those slabs. At the right side o f the m ain wall is a strong diagonal line leading up to the right w hich m eets a diagonal heading back left about a third o f the way up the face. We follow ed these. We also m ade tw o repeats: A sgard by the Sw iss route and the northw est buttress o f Bilbo. C
am pbell
M
ercer,
Australia
protected by w ires and hexes. The new clim bs were done in a single push, two from cam p near the base o f Bilbo on the N erutusoq G lacier and the third from King Parade Glacier. “Red O ctober” (1500 feet, 5.8) was done on June 31. The clim b was on the Red Wall, a triangular wall 2.5 miles due east o f the northernm ost buttress o f Bilbo. The w all is characterized by a large hanging diagonal flake near the top in the center o f the wall. We started 20 m eters left of a square cutaw ay section im m ediately below the flake. Except for the first pitch, the next six are 5.8 on excellent rock up a series o f diagonal ram ps and flakes. We descended easy snow on the right. “G illig an ’s Island” (600 feet, 5.9) was clim bed on A ugust 2. This was up a large rock face on the right side o f the N erutusoq Glacier, a m ile north o f Frodo and on the sam e ridge line. We ascended the obvious w eakness up the left side of the face. “W aiting for the Sun” (1800 feet, 5.8 but m ostly easier) was ascended on A ugust 10. As you enter K ings Parade G lacier from the C aribou Glacier, slabs on the left form part o f the A sgard massif. We clim bed those slabs. At the right side o f the m ain wall is a strong diagonal line leading up to the right w hich m eets a diagonal heading back left about a third o f the way up the face. We follow ed these. We also m ade tw o repeats: A sgard by the Sw iss route and the northw est buttress o f Bilbo. C
am pbell
M
ercer,
Australia
