Southeast Arete

A long, fun backcountry climb that has fantastic views and exposure! The Bob Kerry guide gives it three stars.

Between the approach, climb and descent, expect to spend a long day on the rock. Bring plenty of water and if you stray during the approach, climb, or descent (which is easy to do), expect to be in the dark and prepare accordingly.

Note that there is a tradition of taking I'itoi a gift at the summit. If you are planning to take a gift for I'itoi, you might choose a gift that I'itoi can hand back out to stranded climbers. This might include lighters, waterproof matches, rain panchos, space blankets, flashlights, etc.

Pitch 1

Climb straight up. The first 30 or 40 feet are 5.easy to a 5.4 bulge. Pull the bulge and continue up the easy face. There is a tree to the left that can be used as a belay/rap station, or continue straight upward to a large ledge and an easy 4th class scramble up another 30 feet in a chimney to a notch with a vertical wall section on the right and lots of exposure to the left. There is a solid dead tree trunk here that can be used as a belay anchor.

Pitch 2

Climb the verical wall (5.6) via stemming or using good foot and hand holds. The few moves here may seem a bit tougher than 5.6. The massive exposure to the left of the route also adds to the experience. 30 feet of climbing gets you over the vertical section and back onto easy scrambling to a huge ledge for belaying.

Pitch 3

Scramble up the 4th class chimney past a shady tree to a belay ledge with blocky rocks.

Pitch 4

A couple of 5.6 lieback moves early in the pitch yield to lots of scrambling for 120 feet to what Bob Kerry describes as a 'spacious' vegetated ledge. Compared to previous ledges in the climb, this ledge is small, but roomy enough for 2-3 people. This ledge can be used for a belay; however, continuing another short 25 feet left via a traverse brings you to two anchor bolts and skips the short 25 foot traverse pitch in the Kerry guide. These bolts are a bit manky but there is good opportunity for placing pro and establishing a solid anchor here. Belaying here also helps with rope drag on the next fun pitch.

Pitch 5

A fun 5.easy lieback pitch climbs up for about 80 feet at which point you move right and start 3rd class scrambling. At that point, find any comfortable place to belay once you get to the easy stuff. From here, continue 3rd class scrambling and bushwacking until you reach a notch or gap. Move left along the notch and scramble down. There is more awesome exposure here to the left and some may choose to be belayed down from the point to the notch.

Pitch 6

Easy face climbing from the left part of the notch for about 20 feet quickly yields to a scramble all the way to the summit.

In general on this climb, follow the path of least resistance and you won't go wrong.

Approach The approach can be a bit tricky - both to find the Lion's Ledge and to also to find the start of the climb. The start of the climb is located on the southeast portion of the Lion's Ledge. However, you do not actually start the climb from the Lion's Ledge - you have to scramble up about 100 feet in a notch between a huge rock that is separated from the main east wall and the Lion's Ledge. Look for a 50 foot tall huge rock formation that is separated from the main wall on the far southest part of Lion's Ledge. You can scramble up the notch between this rock and the main wall from either either side of the separated rock formation.

At the top of the notch is the dead tree with rap slings described in Bob Kerry's guide. From this point, scramble up and left (south) another 20 feet or so through some brush to a belay ledge. The first pitch starts here - not from the notch but from above it.

If approaching from the east, drop your packs and gear up at the east saddle. From the west, drop your packs and gear up at the base of the Great Ramp.

A light rack consisting of some small & medium cams, standard stoppers and some small to medium tricams.