Rating: WI2/3
Length: 2,000 ft gulley, 2-3 sustained sections, many more boulder problems
2000ft ice gulley up the north side of Mt Benson. Starts with a highflow thin crux(5m) then turns into a fun boulder field with ice patches. Route meanders above, being all ice early season. Final step is a narrow slot canyon staircase. Best during early season flash freezes with no snow.
FA: Joe Nyholm and Cody Klingman, 2019-12-25
Descent:
Posted by: Joe Nyholm, 2021-09-22
Rating: M6 WI6
Length: 160 Meters
Pitches: 4
P1: Climb “Hooligan” to a 2 bolt anchor on the party ledge below “Glass Onion”.
P2: “Pandemic Pitch” Follow the generously bolted line up the better quality rock hooking and pick torqueing through 30 feet of slightly overhung climbing. Pull a moderately exposed couple of moves to the upward left trending ramp. Continue to follow the bolted line to the 2 bolt anchor in the “Room with a View” to the left of the direct ice flow. Special thanks to Travis McAlpine for spearheading this bolted project.
P3: The “Super Susy Pitch” Originally named by Sue Nott and Brian Teale on their legendary bold first ascent of the “Indirect Onion” variation in 1998. Traverse from the “Room with a View” through 15 feet of exposed mixed moves to gain the icicle. Climb through very steep to overhanging ice directly straight up until the route starts to trend right. This is a serious pitch of climbing and requires run out short screws through overhanging moves on thin ice.
P4: The last pitch is where the standard “Glass Onion” takes over. Lead through the steps of vertical ice with good rests in-between to finish off the route.
FA: Ryan Sims, August Franzen, Taylor Brown. Special thanks to Travis Mcalpine for the vision and Benny Lieber for putting in some work with us. 2020-11-27
Descent: The route can be rappelled on double ropes using standard rappelling practices. However, I have always walked along the canyon rim to the north where a patch of tall spruce trees are. Walk down slope into the Simple Twist drainage to find a nice fat Spruce tree with rappel tat. Make sure to use common practice and inspect the tat before committing. Rappel through the alders straight down onto the top of Simple Twist and finish out the rappels on v-threads. Use common sense and be mindful of potential other parties on route before throwing ropes or committing to this descent route. A heinous walk-off is also possible down the chute to the south of Keystone Greensteps but be mindful of avalanche conditions.
Posted by: Ryan Sims, December 8, 2020.
Rating: WI5
Length: 75 meters
This route of ice exists high on the wall to the right of Gingus. Start in the dihedral of Gingus and traverse right on the right headwall to a large flake with a chimney to gain access to the route proper.
FA: Steve Garvey & Mike Tumey, 1989
Descent: Rappel Gingus.
ALERT: Avalanche danger exists in this area. Know your surroundings and know the conditions!
Rating: WI3
Length: varies, 3 distinct pitches
From Eddie Phay’s Crag Alaska: Climbed a possibly new route on the right hand side shortly after China Wear, located fairly high up above a boulder slide. Looks pretty cool from the river, ended up only being about 25 meters though. The meat of the route had a really airy wind bell.
FA: John Giraldo and Eddie Phay, 2013
Descent:
Rating: WI3/4
Length: 70 feet
Clear blue ice on west side of creek that forms pretty consistent from year to year.
FA: Aletha Martin & Sammy White, 1990
Descent: Rap from trees.
Rating: WI5
Length: 400 feet
Pitches: 3
P1: A massive dagger that is situated in an overhanging alcove. It would take a really fat year to see this beast touch down into one epic pillar. Until then, expect an M-hard mixed route (unequipped).
**A hike around climbers left, followed by a rappel into the drainage exists to get you to the base of P2.**
P2: Consists of a few short steps of WI3 with a 20′ curtain of vertical ice in the middle.
P3: The $$ pitch! A lower ramp leads to beautiful vertical flow of ice. This will catch your eye from the road!
FA:
Descent: Rappel route using v-threads and alders. Alternately, climb out of drainage and hike off climbers left or right.
Posted by: Steve Job, November 10, 2020.
Rating: WI5
Length: 1,000 feet
Pitches: 4 distinct pitches
These four steps of broken ice are nearly as spectacular as Broken Dreams and located about ten minutes upstream. The first pitch is 200 feet of a very fat pillar called “Fat Pig”, WI4, similar to Valdez‘s Rain Check.
For more information refer to Roman Dial’s 
Chitistone Canyon Ice Climbs Guide .
From Roman Dial in November 2020: “Chuck and I almost got in a fight at the base of this….hence the name: rhymes with “cry babies”, but also perhaps the best of the big ice routes we did.”
FA: Eric Breitenberger, Chuck Comstock, Roman Dial, Carl Tobin, January 1987.
Descent: V-thread
Posted by: Ty Gaenzle, November 10, 2020.
Rating: WI2
Length: 250 feet
Pitches: 1
This narrow gully 250 feet right of Lucky Man and left of Stray Comet is a highly enjoyable route that turns corners and climbs short steps and bulges. A 30 foot step of ice in a corner on the second pitch forms the esthetic and enjoyable crux. This serves as the descent as Lucky Man.
Descent: Alders.
FA:
Rating: WI3
Length: 75 feet
Pitches: 1
This is a thin seam of ice that is clearly visible 300′ right of Lucky Man. Thin ice and skimpy protection can make it a serious lead.
Descent: Alders
FA: Roger Pollard, Skowboy, 1989
Rating: WI3
Length: 90 meters
Pitches: 2
20m of wide, easy ice leads to a steeper, narrow flow in a corner. A couple of more steeper steps above the ice hose lead to the end of the ice.
Descent: v-thread
FA: Sam Volk; November 4, 2020
Posted by: Sam Volk, November 9, 2020
