A quick ski tour followed in which we eyed potential lines to try in the morning, our main objective was a beautiful line up what we were calling the Northeast Pillar on Mt. Dickey’s East Face. The line graces the edge of the east face on mostly steep rock divided by a snowfield. The climbing appeared to consist of hard free climbing where we could increase our speed on the snow field up to the final rock pillar, and then the on the shale band to the summit. Our logic was to go super light and climb the route in a single push. We were not even bringing boots, but using our Sportiva gaiter covered rock shoes and strap on crampons to negotiate any snow and ice. Thus our whole set up weighted virtually nothing. We awoke at 4:00 am to a storm, which rained consistently for a full day followed by zero visibility and sporadic rain for the next 4 days. Bedsores were our biggest fear at this point and we decided to climb regardless of the weather.

Despite unstable weather we went to our route on Dickey, after flailing trying to get across the bergshrund protecting the route, we were rewarded with an incredible splitter on the first pitch. Eight pitches later we were roughly 1400 feet up the route an encountered a 1000 foot long blank slab protecting the upper portion of the climb. This in combination with a rock the size of a holiday ham marching toward Jared’s head confirmed our decision to bail.

More storms, chess games, single malt whiskey, and plenty of salami later we were more than ready for our next objective. Moose’s Tooth West Face had an incredible looking arête in between the West Ridge and the Moose’s Antler Route, from the aerial photographs we were stunned the obvious line had not been done. We navigated through the maze of crevasses and ice falls to a gully known as the Root Canal which would put us directly in front of our objective. After bad snow conditions on the approach (2 small avalanches) we stood in front of our route instantly realizing why it had not been done. The bottom portion of the climb was guarded by a massive roof, and the overall climb appeared void of crack system and plagued with choss.

Strike two left us wondering if the conditions in the Ruth were suitable for the style of climbing we were attempting. We found that many of the walls had gully systems which would make nice alpine climbs, but had very few if any continuous crack systems for free climbing. 1000 foot stretches of wall would literally be free of any crack systems, the few obvious routes had already been plucked by greats Andi Orgler, Jack Tackle, Jim Donini and so on. Formations like the Eye Tooth and Sugar Tooth Walls of good size appeared to only have one possible route up there faces.

After further investigation for new free routes to no avail we decided on trying to free climb some of the areas routes which had not seen free ascents. Our first of objective was Mt Barrille’s Cobra Pillar VI 5.10+ A3 established by Jim Donini and Jack Tackle. The route pierced directly up the El Capitan size East Face. Of the routes 28 pitches 3 required the use of aid. We felt establishing a free ascent in a fast single push was a worthy objective, as the East Face had never seen an all free ascent. Our first attempt was to investigate pitch 4 which was a pendulum across a blank face, and pitch 5 which was an A2 rotten corner system. We only went up to attempt the bottom pitches due to poor weather. We found the pendulum pitch to be surprisingly casual, I was able to climb across a 5.9 slab to reach the pitch 5 corner. Pitch 5 was horribly rotten dirty and overall good grovely excitement. This pitch was to dirty to free on this attempt but we believed the pitch would go free. A couple of days of unsuitable weather followed, after which we had a break and attempted the route. All was going well and we had free climbed everything up to pitch 17 at roughly 5.11 when a black cloud began enveloping the Ruth. We decided to bail, wind ripped across the face as we rappelled; with one stuck rope which required re-climbing the pitch we eventually made it back to base camp only to find the storm dissipate to nothing.

Round three, we again found ourselves at the base of the Cobra Pillar. I lead the first block which consisted of the first 8 pitches. Jared would belay and jug with the pack when I reached the anchor. My block consisted of excellent technical pitches down low, to the previous aid pitches. The pendulum pitch went free without trouble, and the rotten corner went free after I donated some sweat and blood to its flaring and crumbling crack. Jared’s block of 8 pitches were some of the best on the route, incredible splitters that cut through the face. We were making good time when we reached our previous high point on a large ledge on pitch 17. We had no topo so it was exciting to feel what Jack and Jim must have felt navigating the exposed face hoping the crack system would continue. I was not sure of the direction I was heading in as I started my next block. I began climbing up an excellent face with minimal gear, which turned into my worst lead of the climb. The good rock phased out into horribly rotten no pro section of maybe 60 feet. The climbing was only 5.8 or 5.9, but very loose and exciting. I was running out of rope and Jared began climbing in boots and pack up to my first piece, luckily I was able to build an anchor. From this anchor began the best pitch on the climb. An incredible open book corner system of the finest granite we encountered. The pitch alone was worth all of the work to get there.

As my block came to close, we ran into the A3 headwall that Tackle and Donini had found ending the continuous cracks. Tackle and Donini had begun to drill hooks up the totally blank face. I wanted to try and onsight the pitch. I began up the face and made it just past the first bolt before stopping, unable to find the smallest of holds. I lowered to the belay to get hooks to aid up the face, and look for a potential free variation. I grabbed the hooks and started up the face, however we failed to bring a talon hook to hook the holes that were drilled so I was unable to place the broad hook we brought into the drilled bat holes. With out being able to advance through the pitch Jared and I felt a hopeless feeling wash over our dream of doing the east face free, or even completing the route. After reading reports from Tackle and Donini, the pair were unable to find an alternative finish so they began up the headwall. We were well aware of this and felt it was unlikely we would find an alternative route up the face. At this point we were more worried about getting to the top which was maybe 5 moderate pitches away instead of facing rappelling 23 pitches back down. I climbed out left to find nothing but unclimbable choss. Jared then took over the lead and began climbing out right, amazingly we found a splitter crack, with water pouring down its sides. Jared was able to jam his way through the small stream running over the crack enabling our free climbing to continue. We were so happy to have found a free variation, and replenish our dehydrated bodies with fresh glacial melt. 5 more moderate pitches followed and we found ourselves on the summit snow slopes.

We had heard reports of the casual walk off so we foolishly had failed to investigate the back side of the peak for ourselves. I began descending the snow slopes which were steep enough for me to have to punch trough with my hands climbing on all fours. The snow continued to become steeper, and I found myself on only 6 inches of snow over glacial ice. I was terrified of the thought of an avalanche cleaning Jared and I off the face. In addition to this we had no crampons, snow, or ice protection, or even ice tools, I continued lower until I was edging on miniscule edges I had kicked in the ice, overlooking a serious drop. We had enough with this descent plan, Jared and I sprinted back up the snow and made our way back to our starting point. A storm was approaching and the glacier below was becoming enveloped in clouds. We thought it would be safer to descend the Northeast Ridge which was mostly rock. Our fear eased as we made it back to the rock and began a series of rappels and down climbing to reach the glacier. We looked up to our previous descent route to find a 400 foot drop just a few feet lower from where we were descending. A long walk across the crevasse fields found us back at our tent 20 hours later, as a 3 day storm hit the Ruth Gorge.

Poor weather followed and we were ready for our flight out. An excruciating ski with hundreds of pounds of equipment up the glacier was the final episode to our adventures in the Ruth. TAT picked us up and gave us an amazing flyby of the incredible east face of Mt. Barrille, a sight that will remain with me forever. Jared and I were both more than excited to have climbed such a gem, we both agreed that the first ascent was an awesome effort and the route deserves a place among the best alpine wall free climbs in the world.

Trip Stats:

• First free ascent of Mt. Barrille’s East Face via Cobra Pillar VI 5.11
• North East Pillar on East Face of Mt. Dickey attempt
• Other investigation and attempts on Moose’s Tooth West Face, Eye Tooth, and Sugar Tooth