Peter Doucette and Freddie Wilkinson climb new route on Cannon

Firing Line NEI5+ M6

FA: Peter Doucette and Freddie Wilkinson 1/4/08

On January 4th Freddie Wilkinson and I did three new pitches left of Omega. Our route, Firing Line, began when we exited Omega from the left edge of the large belay ledge below its crux curtain.

Leaving Omega, I traversed left across the large ledge to find a short and unexpected knife blade crack. Pulling a couple strenuous moves I worked up and left to another large ledge. Lassoing a huge block and small iced chockstone, I built a belay below a right-facing corner that offered possibility. (M5 80ft).

Freddie grabbed the next lead. Stepping off our belay block into the corner system he found torque cracks, turf shots, and just enough ice for upward progress. The crux came as the corner dead-ended into a steep bulge. Working out the bulge sequence involved the use of an iced fin and a bit of laybacking. Above, several moves up left led him to a short blocky alcove and a belay of pins and rock gear. The pitch protected surprisingly well though the gear was challenging to place. The corner and its exit moves offered sustained, excellent, and sometimes delicate climbing. (M6 90ft).

Our final pitch was entirely ice, except its final two body lengths. I left the alcove belay heading right, moving up on thin ice and over a few funky mushroom overhangs of increasing mass. Next, I worked into a cave that had a 12 ft. freestanding pillar drooling down its right side, I corkscrewed around behind it and found some excellent rock gear then continued around it’s front, to the side that faces Omega. Pulling up on the weathered freestander, near the top off the cliff, I eyed the horizon for my exit. Another pillar much more stout than the last poured from the base of a 4” crack. A top this pillar, after a few more moves on rock I pulled over the top and into the strangely welcoming waist-deep shrubbery, completely
psyched. (NEI5+ M4 120ft).

Freddie followed quickly and topped out beside me. As the light faded, nearly a whole day's worth of climbing was descended in two 60m rappels. We left a sling anchor on the top and a nut and sling at the chockstone belay at the end of the traverse pitch.

-Peter Doucette