West Rosebud - across the way from the Mystic Lake trailhead

Submitted by moonwalker44 on Mon, 04/13/2009 - 14:25

This weekend we went up to West Rosebud intending to check out the Spillway when my buddy spotted some ice across the way, just left (east) of the Power Tower and it looked good so the next day we checked it out. We went up two falls, a lower one at WI2 and the upper at WI3+. The lower one, which we called 'Anticipation', is two short falls with some snow in between. It looked as if earlier in the season they would be taller, but it was deep deep snow at the base. From the bottom of Anticipation we stretched a full rope length pitch to the couloir above. We slogged up this couloir for 700 feet and came to the next climb. It was around 30-40 feet, and really wide so many different variations could be done, from WI3+ to WI5 to WI4/M4. This we called 'Satisfaction'. There is a large tree around 30 feet from the top of the climb that we slinged for a toprope anchor and played here for a while. For descent, cross to the right (west) into the next couloir and descend. If you have the equipment and energy, haul skis up with you and the exit couloir would be one of the most amazing ski descents possible. And, if you got an early start, you could take the ascent couloir all the way to the summit and ski down all the way to the river (almost).

For the approach, start up the Mystic Lake trailhead untill you cross bridge over the water pipe for the power station (very short, just past the houses). Head straight to the creek after you cross the bridge and look for the snow bridge just left of the cliff that drops into the creek. Cross the snow bridge and head up the mountain, slanting up and left (east). Buchwack through the forest and cross 3 rock gullies, coming to the exit couloir, where you'll see a small cave. Drop your skis/snowshoes here if you wish. Continue east, hugging the rock wall, until it comes to an end - then you will be at Anticipation. You can bypass Anticipation by climbing the snow just right of it if you wish. After ascending Anticipation, climb the obvious huge couloir up 700(?) feet untill you can see Satisfaction on the left. It is big and obvious, very hard to miss. It gets steep but is fairly easily accessible to get to this climb. At the top of the climb, head right (west) for a couple hundred feet, staying well above the cliffs below, until you get to the first obvious couloir. Head straight down here, near the bottom you'll have to get creative in downclimbing to get around the aforementioned cave. Pick up your gear you left and leave the same trail as approach.

If this route has been done, congrats on whoever first did it, otherwise, we propose 'Anticipation' for theĀ  lower ice and 'Satisfaction' for the upper ice

A note on the photos - The red line is the approach, the red X is where to leave gear, the blue lines are the two climbs, the light blue line is the ascent couloir, and the green line is the exit couloir. If it is not obvious, Satisfaction is the climb up high with the rock on the right and the Power Tower in the background. We gave Anticipation a 'Lower' and an 'Upper" part, because there is a bunch of snow in between.

Map of route from Mystic Lake trailhead

Lower and Upper Anticipation

Satisfaction