The Scimitar

Named for the curving, blade-like arete followed for the first half of the climb. An enjoyable alpine outing on mostly good rock, with ample but crafty gear opportunities and bolts where the gear runs out. Belays are from bolted anchors or trees and escape is possible from anywhere on the route. As is the case with many ground up routes, it is not perfectly clean and expect some minor runouts, but it is relatively protected from rockfall due to its position on the arete.

Pitch 1: 5.8, 35 m. 2 bolts. Cross gully and climb up broken rock, placing small gear to reach the first bolt. Climb past one more bolt to reach low angle slab. Move right and up to belay anchor on grassy ledge.

Move belay up and right to tree below the base of short bulge.

Pitch 2: 5.9, 60 m, 3 bolts. Climb up short flake to small bulge with bolt. Climb through bulge with short crux to low angle face above. Continue up to reach edge of arete, following it up and left past two bolts to bolted anchor. Rock on top of arete can be loose but is safely tossed behind.

Pitch 3. 5.8, 65 m, 3 bolts. Gingerly climb through short section of suspect rock (5.5) past two bolts to reach first steep bulge with good gear. Stay on arete proper to next bulge and climb it head on (crux). Continue though fun, rambling climbing with easing difficulty to obvious tree belay 40’ below peak of arete.

Pitch 4. 5.3, 25 m. Scramble around belay tree to the left before diving off right into gully formed by arete and main wall (don’t climb arete to its summit as it is difficult to downclimb backside). Climb rock ledges up and right to a bolted belay at the base of the next wall.

Pitch 5. 5.8, 55 m, 1 bolt. Climb up fun face past a bolt and small gear options to bulge leading to treed ledges. Continue up to next good ledge and bolted belay.

Pitch 6. 5.8, 35 m, 2 bolts. Climb short steep-ish section to easy mantle and first bolt. Climb awesome chert knobs leading to good gear in corner crack, continue up crack before pulling over onto face on good holds (crux). Move up fun easy face past a bolt to bolted belay between two trees.

Pitch 7. 5.9, 55 m, 1 bolt. Climb up and slightly left on featured rock to bolt. Continue up steep face past short crux to reach lower angle terrain.  Make your way up to next steep face, stepping right to continue up the right-most of the two cracks to top. Bolted anchor is just under ridge line.

Summit of Ross is to the climber’s right (west). Standard descent beta on Ross Peak main page.

Follow main page description for approach of north face of Ross. Scramble up short gully underneath the buttress that forms the knife-edge arete, belay from small flat spot across from obvious grey streak left of arete proper.

Cams to 2”, doubles from .1 to .4”. (TCUs or other narrow head cams). Nuts. Offset cams useful but not necessary. 10 alpine runners, 2 double length slings, 6 quickdraws. Leader should carry a nut tool for gardening out gear placements. Belays are bolted anchors or trees, all on good ledges. 70 meter rope required. Wear a helmet!