Old School WB - May 12, 2023 10:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2018
'Opoca Peak' (GR 368155), East Face and traverse, 5.7+ R, Alpine III
June 19, 2018 Laurie Kimber and I (OSWB, Kevin Barton) had success on the East Face of Opoca Peak. First tried to gain the low end of the North West end of the East Face, but solid 5.7 without protection had me bailing. Up to Col (shared with Elpoca Creek Hill) then high up on the easy slope against the East aspect where we traversed North (climbers right) about 35 metre on an exposed 4 th class traverse to the bottom of a wet rock bay. Laurie led a scrappy 5.7+ pitch with basically no pro. 40 metres to a piton station at the base of a scree bowl. From the station about 100 metres vertical of easy scrambling gains the north summit.
Traversed from the north summit to the south summit directly on the summit ridge. The final steep ridge step to the south summit block looked difficult but turned out to be 4 th class exposed scramble. Yeah the summit! Huge summit cairn, but the black tube register had no bottom and no paper. Still don’t know who did the first ascent. Easy descent down the South Ridge until above the steep step than kicked Laurie and I off before. I found a single piton with an old locking biner. Banged in another piton then rapped to easy ground. Simple walk down lower south ridge, we traversed below the impressive tall wall facing highway 40 to stay out of the bear closure; pack to Elpoca day use area and then back to the truck. Beautiful day out, happy to get this summit.
Old School WB - May 12, 2023 10:46 am Date Climbed: Jun 19, 2018
'Opoca Peak' (GR 368155), East Face and traverse, 5.7+ R, Alpine IIIJune 19, 2018 Laurie Kimber and I (OSWB, Kevin Barton) had success on the East Face of Opoca Peak. First tried to gain the low end of the North West end of the East Face, but solid 5.7 without protection had me bailing. Up to Col (shared with Elpoca Creek Hill) then high up on the easy slope against the East aspect where we traversed North (climbers right) about 35 metre on an exposed 4 th class traverse to the bottom of a wet rock bay. Laurie led a scrappy 5.7+ pitch with basically no pro. 40 metres to a piton station at the base of a scree bowl. From the station about 100 metres vertical of easy scrambling gains the north summit.
Traversed from the north summit to the south summit directly on the summit ridge. The final steep ridge step to the south summit block looked difficult but turned out to be 4 th class exposed scramble. Yeah the summit! Huge summit cairn, but the black tube register had no bottom and no paper. Still don’t know who did the first ascent. Easy descent down the South Ridge until above the steep step than kicked Laurie and I off before. I found a single piton with an old locking biner. Banged in another piton then rapped to easy ground. Simple walk down lower south ridge, we traversed below the impressive tall wall facing highway 40 to stay out of the bear closure; pack to Elpoca day use area and then back to the truck. Beautiful day out, happy to get this summit.