A rare line that requires a high degree of technical skill, including rappels.

Statistics

0 - 1

hrs

0

m

353

m

44

max°

Difficulty

FATMAP difficulty grade

Extreme

Description

Odell's Gully is a popular ice climb at WI2-3 Moderate Snow, but sees very few ski descents.

This is mainly because of the high degree of technical ski mountaineering skill that goes into it, including ice climbing, no fall skiing, snow and rock anchors, rappelling and possibly v-threads.

With that being said, the line is mostly snow, and makes for a high quality ski objective, if you have safe avalanche conditions and good knowledge of rope work.

It makes the most sense to climb the line from below, that way you can assess your anchors, get a feel for the line, it's hazards and it's snow conditions.

For this, bring a rack of 6-10 screws, with at least one big screw for a V-Thread.

Bring nuts and tricams as well.

Comfortable parties can solo this section, in which case bring a few screws anyway and a thin line for the rappel.

The ice pitch starts mid way up the route, avoid the steeper ice on the right, instead sticking left on the lower angle stuff, until you can surmount a final headwall to reach the bottom of the snow gully.

A few options for belay here.

Climb the final section of steep snow to the Alpine Garden.

From the top of the alpine garden, theres a few rocks that guard the entrance, it makes sense to put skis on just below them.

A few tight but lower angle turns give way to steep 40+ degree skiing that gets wider as you go, manage slough well and stay in control here, you don't want to fall with that ice bulge beneath you.

Soon you’ll reach a big rock that splits the line into a left and right option, here is a good spot to build a snow anchor and do a ski belay, sending one person down to look for a rappel station.

A few options exist here, we found a slung rock just above the ice pitch the was frozen in by water ice, bounce tested it, then backed it up with a tricam and our own tat.

It's also possible to down climb to V-threadable ice, or pound pitons into a crack to skiers left side.

Parties should not expect fixed anchors and be skilled enough to make their own anchors in any medium.

Either way, belay in your second and rappel.

On good years a 60m will make it, we skied it in a lean year and did an extra V-thread to get us down 10 more feet.

From here, enjoy wide but engaging skiing down the lower gully and the fan.

Look back in awe, you freakin did it.