This route follows a varied crack up a corner for approximately 70 feet. The route then traverses right across a clean face (2 bolts) to an "Optimus Prime" shaped corner where the top chains are tucked under a small roof.

Hint - Save your #5 for the wide spot

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The Arborist

Flame

Ben Parson's Memorial Route

Keeper of the Flame

A really great route dedicated to a really great friend, husband, father, son, brother, firefighter, paramedic, skier, and cyclist ... who didn't really climb much.

The longest all-trad line at Stone Hill?

First pitch is 5.10b/c, second is 5.9, great gear all the way.

This is the longest, most direct route on the cliff formations NW of the Kookanusa bridge. Although it is a long single pitch (55m), I set it up with a mid-station rap point. This allows the choice of two raps from the top (with a single rope) and it allows a two pitch climb with a nice bolted station at a small ledge. As there are very few two-pitch climbs at Stone Hills, it's nice to use as "practice" for multi-pitch climbing.

Although one of the guidebooks attributes the first ascent to another climber, don't believe it. The nature of the cliff surrounding Flame has huge variety in route selection. One or two other climbers may have halfheartedly attempted death-defying trad routes in and around that area...

But Flame was prepped solely by myself, with a great amount of scrubbing, cleaning and drilling, in 1996... and I can say with great confidence, no one climbed it before me.

I chose the route very carefully and I believe it is the best climb on that whole section NW of the bridge (maybe one of the best climbs in the whole Stone Hills area). As I haven't climbed there since 1997, I really hope there has been more route development in the last 10 years?

Going from memory... I think the crux (very thin face) was on the first pitch? The second pitch is steep and sustained, with great exposure and a great view. The whole route is basically thin face climbing - with a few small finger cracks and pockets for variety.

One of the few two-pitch lines at Stone Hill. 70m rope required if rapping! No seasonal falcon closure!

Pitch 1, 120 ft., 5.10b: Lots of bolts, one or two placements to 2 (can be skipped if feeling confident) to a semi-hanging chain belay.

Pitch 2, 45 ft., you have three options: - The left line is mixed 5.8 (**)

- The middle line is 10.a sport (developed 5/2019 by Greg Stenger)

- The right line is fantastic crimping, 10.c sport (***)

If you do the 10.a or 10.c route, you will find belay chains on a boulder about 20 ft. back from the top of the wall; it is easiest to rappel from the 5.8 chains.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Lakeside Walls