Dragons of Eden

Dragons of Eden is one of the longest hard routes of the Stuart Range. The meat of the climbing is steep crack climbing on a gorgeous panel of granite soaring off of Aasgard Pass on the NE side of the mountain. After topping out the hard climbing a further 1500' of 5th class scrambling leads to the top.

The first two ascents added 2 pitches below the approach ramp but these are not commonly climbed.

Start off on 5th class slab and make your way to the base of the first pitch, a hand crack in darker rock

P1 5.10a

From a sloping stance, climb the hand crack which turns to lower angle fists and then climbs left to a single bolt belay.

P2 5.11 Yorkshire Gripper to Butterballs pitch

A tricky traverse move leads to a splitter on great rock. Excellent rock quality the whole pitch. Step right to a stance high up on the pitch after fun double hand cracks.

P3 5.9

From the stance head left into a flare. After mantelling the flare a nice flake gives access to a nice ledge underneath the crux.

P4 5.12a

Head up the left side of the pillar and mantel it. Scope out the moves, place a bomber cam, and fire off a few face moves to get into a finger crack heading into a tight corner. Not a long pitch but is it short enough?

The Headwall 5.11

Move the belay up to the next ledge underneath an imposing white headwall. This can be done in anywhere from 1-3 pitches but any belays will be hanging belays. There are 3 cruxes, one at a big low roof, a double crack crux, and the final roof 20 feet from the finish. Just enough lichen on this pitch to keep it interesting.

You can rap from here with 2 X 60M ropes, or continue up the Northeast Buttress. Climb up and right from the belay for maybe 30-40 meters until you can spot a ramp system on the left (Ramp trends right). Follow this ramp for 1000+ feet, only turning left 30M from the summit around a pillar. From here make 2 35M rappels off of horns down a gully, then downclimb to get to Aasgard pass

From Colchuck Lake, head up Aasgard pass and look for the distinctive headwall.

00 to #3 Camalot. Triples of finger sized to .75 are worth bringing. 70M rope or 2 60M ropes