Zodiac Wall's sea of dihedrals gives up it's first free route in 17 years.

all photos by Paul Bride, article by Matt Maddaloni

Astro ledge on the Zodiac Wall is quoted by the late Ben DeMenech as being the home of the Gods of Radness, and anyone worthy enough to climb there needs to pass the test of "The Alaska Highway." Five pitches of gut wrenching overhanging flaring corners at 5.11+ the 'Highway' requires good technique in body smearing and endurance to climb. Most parties who reach Astro ledge for their first time will gladly take the easy rappel line down and crawl into bed. For those with enough energy some of Squamish's most stunning crack lines await to impress.

 

Up here among the clouds stand routes like Vision Quest 12a, Gone Surfing 11a, Ron Zalko's workout 12a and the grand poobah, The Calling 12a which stretches for another 6 pitches as the only climb to free the entire Zodiac Wall until now. Climbers have been staring over from the well travelled Angels Crest for years at a beautifull unclimbed white pillar near the upper ramparts of the Zodiac. It was this pitch that convinced Mateo Antonelli and myself to find a new way to the top.

6 days of climbing ground up while cleaning and hand drilling brought us to the top. The day we reached the pillar we noticed that Chris Geisler had beat us to it climbing by aid up it's left overhanging wide crack. I onsighted this 5.11a offwidth by laybacking the edge while placing two #4 camalots and one #5 for it's first free ascent. On top we discovered old bolts from years before when climbers had tope roped the pillar. Each day we would leave fixed ropes and rap back to Astro Ledge to bivi and rest.

Finally finishing our route we headed down and returned several days later with photographer Paul Bride. Our first attempt at freeing the entire line went well except for the second pitch which turned out to be the routes hard crux, every other pitch goes at under 11a. Immediatley off the belay small piton scars allowed me to desperately jam my way into the initial corner. Pulling on one fixed pin after several falls I climbed through a changing corners section at 5.11+ into a long stretch of 5.12+ smearing with more small scars. One more pin was needed as aid for my hand sequence was wrong. After that I was able to enter the final overhanging 11a corner to the top. This pitch went mostly free with two points of aid at 5.12+. I'm hoping to come back for another try, 5.13? As is Yukon Gold can be climbed at 5.11a with maybe 5 points of aid off fixed pins on the second pitch. Overall an easier climb than "The Calling." So if you find yourself on Astro Ledge after passing the test on Alaska Highway, give Yukon Gold a shot and climb some of the most stunning granite in Squamish.