Mosquito
Mosquito
Approach:
Mosquito follows the NW ridge that comes down close to the highway, just south of Roche a Perdrix. There is an obvious grassy patch about a third of the way up. The approach can be quite swampy and buggy, dry summers are good!
Park on highway 16 about 200m inside the park boundary at the east gate. Look for the firebreak recently ploughed. The firebreak leads directly to a small lake? (it may be dry) Find your way around the right side of the lake. (There can be water well into the woods on wet years) From the base of the ridge a faint trail can be followed steeply up and right on the south side of the lake. The trail goes into an opening towards a rocky creekbed and then cuts back left through a band of dense but skinny trees. Soon steep scree and bedrock can be followed to the climbing.
The route begins just left of where the rock comes down the furthest on the ridge. It takes about 30 minutes for the approach.
Pitch 1: 45m 5.5
Walk left on a ramp then break right up a steeper wall. Cruise your way straight up to the middle of the ridge. Look for a 2 bolt anchor.
Pitch 2: 40m 5.6
Climb up on prickly rock past a bolt. Once past the first bolt trend left passing a second bolt on your way to an alcove and a 2 bolt belay.
Pitch 3: 30m 5.4
Head straight up on even pricklier rock past two bolts to a single bolt just below where it flattens out. It’s a rope stretcher to the grassy ledge. Look for a 2 piton anchor at the base of the steep wall on the right.
Note: An option here exists to rappel 50m on low angled slabs to trees and a walk back down to the highway. It is set up for 1 rope but you will need to leave slings.
Pitch 4 20m 5.8
From the anchor angle up left on the ramp until it’s possible to climb up a steep face. Angle back right to the first bolt. Follow right trending ledges passing three bolts. Make steep moves straight up smooth slabs of rock clipping a piton before finishing the pitch on a ledge on the right.
Pitch 5 35m 5.8
Awkward moves lead up past a bolt and then follow left trending ramp systems. 4 bolts later a cruxy move must be made to gain the belay ledge and a 2 bolt anchor just below a treed ledge.
Pitch 6 40m 5.5r
Traverse up and left for about 10m passing two bolts. Meander upwards and left passing a third bolt high up on the pitch. From this last bolt trend back right to a 2 bolt belay.
Pitch 7: 4th and easy 5th class
From the belay head left on goat trails and scramble up to the ridge crest. About 15min of scrambling and another 30min walk gets you to the base of the second major cliff on the ridge.
Note : Once past the scrambling bits lower angled terrain leads to a bench on the ridge. From the crest of the ridge it is possible to descend by walking down steep scree ledges skirting the base of the cliff in the big trees, and eventually meeting up with the approach trail.
To get to the next bit of climbing keep following the ridgeline until goat trails can be traversed below an incredible slab feature. Start down the scree at the base of the second rock cliff. The next pitch of climbing starts 15m up from the lowest point on the face below a major corner system. This corner system is capped by a small roof about halfway up.
Pitch 8: 40m 5.7r
Climb a rib separating two corner features. The rock quality is at times dubious. About 15 to 20m up move left passing a bolt. Follow this second rib to a bolt and piton belay.
Pitch 9: 45m 5.8
Cross the corner system and follow the rib left of this main corner keeping to better quality rock. Sustained face climbing past about 10 bolts gets you to an anchor underneath an overhang just left of the corner. The climbing is generally on sound rock but until there has been more traffic watch for the occasional loose hold.
Pitch 10: 52m 5.9
From the anchor move right into the corner. Follow this corner (5.9) past about 5 bolts until just below a roof capping the corner system. From the last bolt before this roof step down and right traversing onto the prow of a rib. The climbing eases off here and another 2 bolts can be found on your way to the top of the corner. The anchor (bolt/piton) sits on a small ledge right of the crest of the giant buttress rising to the summit.
Pitch 11: 100m 5.5
Generally 4th class with loose rock, and the odd bit of steeper climbing on generally good rock. Keep to the right of the prow and aim for a ledge with a couple of small trees about 45m up. From the treed ledge step out right on a steeper wall. The climbing is on generally good rock, but the higher you get on this pitch the looser the rock gets. Near the top, the climbing is easy 5th class but mostly all on loose blocks. Be careful! Short pitches may reduce rockfall hazard in this terrain.
Descent:
Follow the NW ridgeline back down which is mostly a walk off, but some 4th class scrambling is required in spots. Once off the upper cliff continue down the ridge a little ways until it looks good to head down the trees and scree bands on the south side of the ridge. Traverse right under the lower cliffs and join back up with the approach trail.
A minimum amount of gear: small rack to 1″ and the #4 camalot helps in the occasional spot. There is a very welcome spot for the pink tricam on the 7th pitch. Bring at least 10 runners for the upper cliff. A small set of pitons may come in handy in some spots on the upper cliff.