Immense New Canadian Mixed and Ice Routes

Climbing.com reports that Will Meinan, Brandon Pullan and Will Gadd have free climbed a 300m long M12 in Alberta, Canada. The Jimmy Skid Rig (300m, WI5 M12) tackles the North East face of Pigeon Mountain and had been a project of Meinen and Pullan for the last two seasons. Will Gadd was ‘suckered’ by the pair into helping them free the line on the 30th January this year.

The route is just over two thirds rock with the remaining third made up of a curtain of WI5 ice that allows the route to be completed. Gadd describes with reservation the grades for some of the pitches calling them ‘M9ish’ or ‘M12ish’. On his blog he focuses much more on a descent from the route in gale force winds that makes the climbing of this impressive line seem positively uneventful.

In February Gadd completed a second project with EJ Plimley to climb a 1,000 foot half frozen waterfall. The Hunlen Falls in British Columbia are the third highest in Canada and present a certain amount of objective danger due to their remote nature and also their potentially collapsing nature.

Gadd gave The Hunlen falls "Maybe 5.10 A2". This is apparently what you grade something that is ungradable in the Canadian Rockies. To elaborate on the grade he went as far as to call the route 'hard'.

Gadd says on his blog that these two climbs are two out of three big objectives that he has for this winter season. Keep an eye out for massive route number 3.

For some great photos and the full story of The Jimmy Skid Rig and the Hunlen Falls Route go to Climbing.com

For Will Meinan’s report on the Mountain Hardware blog click here.

For Will Gadds own blog click here.

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