Fun alpine climbing on Grenadier quartzite. Exposed, but you won't find the climb to be difficult if you're in climbing shape, have mountain experience, and come prepared to be in the mountains (this is still remote alpine climbing).

Instead of climbing the "casual" route, which is the true ridge line of Wham Ridge - i.e., sticking to the right-most ridge line (arete) - climb straight up the middle/center of the Wham face. Again, the climbing's not difficult, but a little harder than the 5.3-5.4 along the ridge. Gerry Roach's 13ers guide rates this a 5.7. If there's 5.7, there's not much.  Most of it seemed to be in the 5.3-5.5 range. We encountered two short 15-20' sections that were pushing 5.7, all of which were blocky and easy to protect. There are a couple of lines up the middle, though the steepness and rock type doesn't change.

We simu-climbed most of it in approach shoes, pitched out two full rope lengths about 600' shy of the summit, and free-soloed the last 150-200'.  Carried climbing shoes, but never used them.

"Center Shift" is the name Roach uses in his 13ers guide.

Center Shift on Wham Ridge

Wham Ridge

East Face

This route is the north face of Vestal.  Walk up the low angle bottom part until you get to a large, grassy ledge that diagonals up and right.  This is where I roped up, but there is a large ledge with boulders sitting on it 2.5 pitches up that is visible from here that would also provide a good spot to rope up.  There are many possible routes, this is the one that I took.  The first 3 or 4 pitches are very easy.  Head up toward the blocks that are visible above that are to the right of a large right facing dihedral.  On the fourth pitch, the face begins to become more blocky and steeper.  The fifth and sixth pitches are the hardest (maybe spots of 5.5) and the most fun as the face transitions to low angle and smooth to steep and blocky.  Pitches 7-9 continue up a sort of bowl in the upper part of the face with ledges separated by steps and end on a false summit.  From here, follow a trail south and up to the summit.  It isn't necessary to stay roped up, but there is still exposure.  All pitches were full 60 meter pitches, basically climb until you run out of rope and find an anchor.

Although many variations exist on this side of the peak, the direct route up the east face climbs beautiful, orange rock with plentiful holds and ledges. The first pitch is up an obvious dihedral to a small ledge on the right wall above the prominent overhang, 5.8+. The next involves aid (or 5.11c-ish?) climbing for about 30 feet and then hard moves to the large, left-slanting ledge that crosses the entire face. From the top of the ledge, about 200 feet long, climb right on a steep ledge to a sharp corner. A couple easy pitches, more or less, lead up along the ridge to the east summit.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in Vestal Peak