Scramblegs: Uto Peak – Southwest Ridge

Wednesday, August 22, 2018

Uto Peak – Southwest Ridge

PD 5.1.
2,927m

Finding myself in Roger’s Pass without a climbing partner for Mt. Sir Donald (at the top of my wish list this summer), I climbed up the SW ridge of Uto and down the NW. For a 5.7-8 alpine climber (and, perhaps, more to the point, a dad and husband) this was right near the limit of my comfort zone as a solo climb. I brought climbing shoes ‘just in case’ and ended up using them for the entire climb! A very nice route on good rock, though plenty of loose stuff to pay attention to. It’s been a smoky month or so in the Rockies and across the province, but I had a relatively nice day, and stunning views. I had Uto all to myself, and saw just a couple parties on Sir Donald. Pretty sure I also saw a wolverine at first light in the boulder field on the hike up.

Participants: Pip.

Guidebook: David Jones (2012), Rogers Pass Alpine Guide.

Photos Strava Bivouac.com GPX KML

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Subjective rating systems used in blog

Reference: The Mountaineers (2010), Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. 8th Edition (pp. 566-567).

NATIONAL CLIMBING CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
(overall difficulty; technical / scrambling portion only; see posts for length of our outings).

Grade I: Normally requires several hours; can be of any technical difficulty.

Grade II: Requires half a day; any technical difficulty.

Grade III: Requires a day to do the technical portion; any technical difficulty.

Grade IV: Requires a full day for the technical portion; the hardest pitch is usually no less than 5.7 (YDS; see below).

Grade V: Requires a day and a half; the hardest pitch is at least 5.8.

Grade VI: A multiday excursion with difficult free climbing and/or aid climbing.

YOSEMITE DECIMAL SYSTEM (YDS)
(climbing difficulty)

Class 1. Hiking

Class 2. Simple scrambling, with possible occasional use of the hands.

Class 3. Scrambling; hands are used for balance; a rope might be carried.

Class 4. Simple climbing, often with exposure. A rope is often used. A fall could be fatal. Typically, natural protection can be easily found.

Class 5. Where rock climbing begins in earnest. Climbing involves the use of a rope, belaying, and protection (natural or artificial) to protect the leader from a long fall.

5.0-5.7. Easy for experienced climbers; where most novices begin.

5.8-5.9. Where most weekend climbers become comfortable; employs the specific skills of rock climbing.

5.10-5.11. A committed recreational climber can reach this level.

5.12-5.15. The realm of true experts!

ALPINE GRADES
(Reference: David Jones, Rogers Pass Alpine Guide, p. 28)

F (easy).

PD (little difficulty). 4th and easy 5th class; some exposure.

AD (fairly difficult). Low to mid-5th class and/or steep snow and ice. Mixed terrain. Route finding challenges.

D (Difficult). Mid 5th class and/or very steep snow and ice. Sustained climbing; possibly loose rock; route finding challenges; typically descended via an easier route.

TD (very difficult) and ED (extremely difficult). Not likely to encounter these grades in this blog!