Iron Curtain

A fantastic voyage up splitter granite cracks in an amazing setting. Preferred Approach: Take a helicopter. There's a great landing platform right at the base of the curtain which also makes for a great camp location. Long Approach: Take the Mendenhall Glacier Trail to an overlook well past the toe of the glacier. From here the trail heads up the mountainside and away from the glacier. Find a weakness in the cliffband and descend loose gully to the ice. The lower glacier is a maze of crevasses. You're the mouse, go find the cheese! Head up glacier and to the climbers right below and partial icefall. The towers will be in view and you'll have to find a way through 200-400' of lower cliff band before reaching the upper glacier that sits below the curtain. Plan on at least 2 days to approach. The Climb - Begin just right of a gully to the east of the Main Tower. There was lots of natural rockfall activity in the gully while we were there. You can pick out the climb because some of the dihedrals are golden colored.

P1:After negotiating a bergschrund, Splitter cracks for breakfast gain a bowl. Belay on ledge. Easy to locate as this is the most logical way to gain the bowl above. 5.10 P2: Climb up water streak working right to reach a ledge at the base of the steep wall. 5.10 P3: Climb finger crack and pick a ledge to belay on. 5.11a P4: Climb solid stacked blocks into a dramatic overhanging radiator feature. 5.11 P5: Climb slightly right. When crack ends, make face moves left to a committing mantle. 5.11a R P6: Continue up cracks and belay below roof with splitter crack. 5.10d P7: Climb splitter crack through roof (#1 camalot size) into splitter crack above. P8: Move left into a wide crack. 5.10 P9: Easy rock leads to the ridge of the curtain. 5.7 Main Tower: via splitter cracks on the ridge (4 pitches, 5.11a). Route finding is straightforward. Fourth Tower: summit via a 100' rappel into a notch and then 3 short pitches of 5.10c with a R section getting out of the notch. If you go this way, you'll want to descend the Southeast face of the fourth tower. Descent from Main Tower: return the way you came. There are many options for blocks you can leave slings on.

Climbs the left side of the Curtain, a steep wall connecting the Main and Fourth Towers on the South Facing Side.

Double set of cams to #4 Camalot. Maybe a #5 camalot (I forget on this detail) Stoppers, Quickdraws, 2 ropes at least 60M, some cord to leave behind for rappelling.