Rating: WI4
Length: 60 m
This icefall exists on Winner Creek. At least 1 hour approach. Be prepared to cross Winner Creek to gain access.
FA: Bob Dugan, Jason Moncrieff, and Andy Garrigus, 1995.
Descent: Descend the route or walk off. Best to rap the route.
Posted by: Jason Moncrieff, October 10, 2020.
4th of July Creek pours into Resurrection Bay on the east side, directly across from Lowell Point. Take Nash Road north of Seward proper and drive south to the river crossing where you can gain access leading up the drainage. Climbs are located upstream, primarily on Godwin Creek, which empties into 4th of July Creek. Access Godwin Creek taking the left at the Y after a short hike.
Rating: WI5
Length: 174 m, 4 pitch
Climb Tonsina Pillar (75m, 1 or 2 pitches), then continue through a slot canyon with easy soloing and snow walking to a large brushed terrace and gully abutting a south facing headwall. Trend left through moderate brush to a small drainage leading to the bottom of this two pitch pillar and/or curtain feature splitting the headwall. Two pitches (100m, 2 pitches) of ramp into steep and featured waterfall ice with rollovers that allow for comfortable belays. Around 500m long with 175m/575 feet of roped terrain, with snow and easy slot canyon in between.
FA: Samuel Johnson & Joe Nyholm Jan 2020
Anchor/Gear/Descent: Screws including stubbies. Alders and natural gear exist for the descent.
Posted by: Samuel Johnson, October 2, 2020
Rating: WI4 M4 R
Length: 167 meters, 4 pitches
A pitch and a half easy/moderate but serious mixed addendum to Jailbreak. Climb Jailbreak. On the third pitch, climb the Jailbreak’s small pillar and then veer left up a short vertical wall (spectres) onto a left trending ramp feature (2 bolt belay). For the fourth pitch, continue up the left trending ramp to access a 40 ft pillar that is slightly harder than it looks from below. After the pillar, trend left over thinly iced rock (stubbies, girth hitched icicles) to finish via a short pillar, manteling over to the tree belay in the hobbit forest at the top of the cliff.
FA: Samuel Johnson, Joe Nyholm, & Cody Klingman Jan 2020
Anchor/Gear/Descent: Cams 1″-3”, 3 Spectres, screws including stubbies
Posted by: Samuel Johnson, October 2, 2020
Rating: WI4 M6+ R
Length: 242 meters, 5 pitches
A spicy two pitch mixed addendum to the Cash Joyce route, arcing up the wall to the right of Blood Moon‘s headwall pitches.
A gorgeous mostly hidden 600 foot ice apron (Cash Joyce route) leads to gradually steepening ice in a slot canyon where you will find a 2 bolt belay.
Where Blood Moon continues up the guts of the drainage headwall, Varcolaci goes about 40 feet up the drainage and climbs the second small pillar/dagger on the right below an arching roof. It steinpulls out the right side of an arching roof and onto a slab to its right. Continue around the corner to a nice flat spruce tree belay (WI4 M6/6+ R). The final pitch climbs disconnected daggers above the spruce tree, utilizing corner systems (M6+ R) to end up in the hobbit forest at the top of the cliff.
FA: March 2020, Ryan Sims and Samuel Johnson
Anchor/Gear/Descent: Standard clean mixed rack, spectre, screws including stubbies
Posted by: Samuel Johnson, October 2, 2020
ALERT: Occasional loose rock.
Rating: WI6 M6
Length: 318 M, 5 pitches
Climb thin ice and rime systems for 4 pitches past granite ramp features to access the base of the skinny pillar and/or mixed headwall to final ice eyebrow at the top of the wall that comprise the 5th pitch. In Feb 2012, this unclimbed feature formed as a pure WI6/6+ ice line. In 2020, on the first ascent it was climbed primarily as an ice feature with the exception of the final pitch which climbed an overhanging and skinny WI6 twin pillar to 5 or 6 overhanging rock moves (M6) to access the final ice eyebrow at the top of the wall.
FA: Climbed March 2020 by Samuel Johnson & Ryan Sims.
Anchor/Gear/Descent: Screws including stubbies, 1 spectre, & small pins OR small offset nuts/cams.
ALERT: Suicide Icefall exists to the left of the route. There is a large low angle slope above the route.
Posted by: Samuel Johnson, October 2, 2020
Rating: WI2/3
Length: 15 meters
Relatively easily climbing through alder with a 3 meter section of steep ice.
FA:
Anchor/Descent: Alders may provide an anchor, but bring v-thread gear just in case.
Rating: WI2
Length: 10-15 meters
A small handfull of ice flows exist in this area which make it a perfect destination for ice bouldering. If using a rope make sure to bring plenty of webbing to reach the alders above.
FA:
Anchor/Descent: Alders can provide an anchor, but may not be readily available at very top of the ice. Bring v-thread gear just in case.
Rating: WI3
Length: 25 meters
Hike snow and rock to the base of this route then climb 3 short sections to the top.
FA:
Anchor/Descent: Alders can provide an anchor, but are not be readily available at very top of the ice. If you wish to top rope the route make sure to bring plenty of anchor material so the rope does not run over the ground. Bring v-thread gear just in case.
Kodiak Island (aka Alaska’s Emerald Isle for its lush green appearance in the summer) is most known for its salmon fishing, large brown bear population and the never ending rain. However, when tempertures fall and the seas are too rough to kayak, break out the climbing gear and go look for some ice.
