MOUNT PRESTLEY West Peak 2730m (8950′), Central Peak 2640m (8650′), East Peak 2670m (8750′)
This is a handsome triple summit west of the Mulvey Group and south of Valhalla Lake. The west summit is the highest. The Prestley Group consists of all the peaks on the ridge between Mulvey Basin and Drinnon Lakes.
Difficulty: D2 to col, D5 to summit West peak
Elevation gained: 4,100 feet to summit West peak
Key Elevations: Parking area at switchback 4800′; Base of West/Central col 8200′; summit West Peak 2730m (8950′), Central Peak 2640m (8650′), East Peak 2670m (8750′)
Distance:
Time: 7-8 hours
Season: July to mid-September
Map: 82F/13 Burton and 82F/12 Passmore for access
Drive: To access the southern Valhallas, drive south from New Denver or north from Playmor Junction (between Nelson and Castlegar).
From New Denver. Start at the Petro Canada Station at the junction of Hwys 6 and 31A in New Denver. Drive Hwy 6 south, along Slocan Lake’s east shore, 32.5km to the village of Slocan. Near the village, ignore the signed turnoff for Drinnon Pass, but turn right (west) onto Gravel Pit Road. Zero odometer 0.0
0.0 Start west on Gravel Pit Road. Go straight and cross the bridge over the Slocan River.
.8km Stay left on Slocan West FSR.
1.2km Cross a bridge over Gwillim Creek.
2.3km Go right on Little Slocan FSR.
13.2km Right is Bannock Burn FSR to Gimli Ridge / Mulvey Basin TH.
Bear left SW on the main road for the rest of the Valhallas.
20.3km Right is Hoder Creek FSR to Drinnon and Gwillim lakes. Left continues southwest on Little Slocan FSR. Reach Little Slocan Lakes FS campground in 200m.
From Nelson or Castlegar. Start at the Playmore Junction, the junction of Highways 6 and 3A between Nelson and Castlegar. Turn north on Hwy 6 up the Slocan Valley.
The southern Valhallas are accessed from Passmore Road, 15.6 km from Playmore. there is a large transformer station at the turn. This is 12.1 km south of Winlaw on Hyw 6. Turn left (west). Zero odometer.
0.0 Start NW on Passmore Upper Road.
.3km Cross the Passmore Bridge over the Slocan River.
3.1km Pavement ends
3.6km Left on Little Slocan FSR. Red 44 KM sign.
5.2km Right.
7.5km Go straight on the main road.
9km Stay right, following a sign for Valhalla Provincial Park.
13.2km Straight on Little Slocan FSR. Left is Koch Creek FSR to McKean Lakes.
16.1km and 23km Proceed straight.
25km Go straight. Turn off to the right for Little Slocan Lakes campground.
25.2km Junction for Hoder Creek FSR – left to Drinnon/Gwillim Lakes. This is 20.3km from Slocan City.
32.3km Junction with Bannock Burn FSR going left northwest to Mulvey Basin.
For Bannock Burn FSR to Gimly Ridge and Mulvey Basin. This junction is 13.2km from Slocan City and 32.3km from Passmore.
0.0 Start NW on Bannock Burn FSR.
8.4km Go straight.
10.5km Curve right on the main road and ascend steeply.
12.5km Bear left
12.7km Curve sharply back, heading toward jagged peaks. Park here at the switchback and the old road heading left (west). Continue on the main road for 0.2km for the parking area for Gimli Ridge and Mulvey Basin (1750m 5740′).
Before the Gimli Ridge trail was built in 1994, this now totally overgrown old road was the main access to Mulvey Basin. Remember that the Bannock Burn Road was closed from about 1980 to 1989 and the only way here was by helicopter or the traverse from Drinnon Lakes. Before 1980, you could drive almost 2kms down the road to the park. The route went straight up heading roughly towards the top of Midgard. Once above the trees and steep stuff, contour east heading for the low point on the Midgard/Niselheim col. The gentlest slopes into Mulvey Basin descend from here.
Prior to building the Drinnon Pass / Gwillim Trail, the only route there also started here.
Route: Now walk down this overgrown road to wherever you feel might be the easiest bushwhack up towards Prestley. Often the easiest route is through the bits of mature forest on the slope where the undergrowth is the least. Aim for the closest boulder fields for the easiest scrambling.
MOUNT PRESTLEY West Peak 2730m(8950′), Central Peak 2640m (8650′), East Peak 2670m (8750′)
Here is a handsome triple summit west of the Mulvey Group and south of Valhalla Lake. The west summit is the highest.
East Summit 2670m (8750′)
1. East Ridge. The approach was from the Bannock Burn Creek road with a camp below Midgard The ascent is a scramble near the crest of the east ridge. (I,3).
FRA Rick Askew, Howie Ridge, John Steed, 27/08/1968.
2. West Ridge. The west ridge is four pleasant pitches on good rock. It can be climbed at a higher standard by keeping more to the right (south). (II,5.4).
FRA Paul Allen, Steven Horvath, 30/07/1984.
Centre Summit 2640m (8650′)
1. Climb from the West-Center col (difficulties to reach the col from the south; rappel on descent). The west ridge is of loose rock and requires 0.5 hours. (I,4).
FRA Gerry Brown, Bob Dean, David Parfitt, August 7, 1969. Exposed.
2. North Ridge. From camp, 70 meters below the Midgard-Prest1ey col (on the south side), descend the north side on snow. The north ridge starts as a walk becomes knife-edged, and then an a-cheva1 (exposed). Pass the overhanging beak on its east side (Class 4). The final tower is Class 5.3 (slabs, crack). (II,5.3,s).
FRA Doug Brown, Sandra McGuinness, 18/07/2005.
West Summit 2730m (8950′)
1. East Ridge. Climb from the West-Center col. The rope is used only for the start of the east ridge from the col. (I,4).
FRA Iain Martin, Peter Renz, Frank Tarver, 6/08/1969.
2. Southeast Ridge. The southeast ridge is a natural line on good rock. No pitons, only chocks etc., were used in the Class 5
Pitch 1. Start in a corner on the east face just around the ridge. Climb the corner and then make a rising traverse right until under easy terrain below the ridge. 45m, 5.3.
Pitch 2. Climb easy slabs and surmount a big flake to gain the ridge crest, and climb the crest to a boulder belay on the south side. 45m, 5.6. (Variation: climb the right-facing corner to the left of the easy slabs to the same flake, 5.7.)
Pitch 3. Climb a steep off-balance flake-crack to the base of two parallel corner systems. Start up left dihedral, and move right when you become scared. Continue up the corner to a boulder belay (dodgy). 55m, 5.6+.
Pitch 4. Climb the rest of the dihedral to the ridge crest. Follow the ridge and go down the east side to a good belay. 50m, 5.6; mostly easier.
Pitch 5. Return to the crest and walk the sharp ridge for one-half rope length. Very exposed. 30m, Class 4.
Pitch 6. Class 3 rock goes to the summit. (II,5.6).
FRA Les Brown, Ken Holmes, 08/1980.
3. North-Northeast Ridge (Consolation Ridge). Climb the obvious left-hand skyline ridge as seen from Valhalla. There are 6 pitches of good rock, up to Class 5.6, at a fairly low angle. (II,5.6,s).
FRA Paul Allen, Steven Horvath, 28/06/1987.
Descent was by 2 or 3 rappels on Route 1.
Doug Brown
“JAILHOUSE ROCK “ (2510m, 8250 feet; 498-136)
This is the small rock summit on the west end of the Prestley massif.
Route: On the west ridge (from the pass), pass a difficulty (short, low Class 5) on the north side. There was a cairn on top in 2006.
FRA Doug Brown, Rene LeBel, 09/2006
The east ridge, descended by the same party, is hard Class 3.
The small peak just northwest of Jailhouse Rock has been climbed.
JAILHOUSE ROCK and the SOUTH RIDGE OF PRESTLEY by Doug Brown
On several occasions, I have cast an eye in the direction of Mt Prestley, and seen a couple of unnamed peaks lying on the ridge between Prestley and Drinnon Peak. While these two peaks are dwarfed by Prestley to the east, they are rocky peaklets and worthy objectives – the east one in particular has an attractive tower shape. My favourite and most reliable Valhalla resource confirmed that the two peaks are unnamed, and while he had climbed the northwest one, he had no ascent info for the east, and more statuesque, peak. Music to my ears. I enticed René LeBel to join me in investigating the east unnamed peak by dangling the possibility of a new rock route if not a virgin summit. We thought we would make a long weekend of it by trying our luck on the southeast ridge of West Prestley.
So, on the Labour Day weekend (2006), with the requisite pouring over maps and digital photos completed, René and I headed off for a 3-day camp on the south side of Prestley. We drove to the Prestley spur at km 10.2 on the Bannock Burn FSR, and parked at the first avi path down the spur road.
We did the usual (my third trip in two summers) moderate bushwhack into a camp at 2200 m. After making camp, rather than actually exert ourselves, we chin-wagged and lolly-gagged around in the warm sun.
We were up bright and early the next morning and headed off on a westerly traverse under the three peaks of Prestley. Once immediately under our objective, dubbed “Jailhouse Rock” (498136), we looked up at the steep compact rock of the south ridge and decided the west ridge, which presents an attractive outline from the north, was worth checking out. We continued west around the south side of the Prestley massif; after passing one tricky section on an exciting narrow fourth-class ramp, we easily scrambled around to the pass west of Jailhouse Rock. The west ridge of Jailhouse Rock looked entertaining and promised to provide us with our sought-after rock climb. We started scrambling the low angle and broken section of the lower ridge to the firmer rock above. As we continued scrambling along the ridgecrest, I kept thinking “Uh oh, I hope it gets harder ahead or this rope on my back will be for naught…” We came to one tricky section that had us discussing the merits of the rope, but René declared it was short and quickly bypassed it via some low fifth moves on the north side of the ridge. I followed and shortly thereafter we were on the summit.
Sadly there was a cairn on top. We lay about in the early morning sun; I took solace in the knowledge that we would surely need the rope on my back for a rappel on our planned descent route down the East Ridge. Much to our surprise, the East Ridge proved no harder than class 3+. We scrambled down the ridge to a gully on the east face, which we descended with only one short chimney section worthy of note, all the while the rope safely stowed in my pack.
We were back at camp in time for lunch, after which René scurried up the east ridge of the east peak of Prestley.
The following day, another warm and cloudless one, we climbed the southeast ridge of the main (west) peak of Prestley, first done by Ken Holmes and Les Brown in 1980. After traversing west from camp, we bypassed the somewhat scruffy-looking lower ridge by scrambling gullies and slabs on the west. Remarkably, we found some bear diggings at 7800’ at the base of the south face of West Prestley. We gained the southeast ridge at the base of the second step and climbed initially on the right side of the ridge and then on the ridge crest to the summit. The climb was characterized by generally excellent rock, with the upper pitches in an airy position.
A blow-by-blow account of our climb:
P1: Start in a corner on the east face just around the ridge. Climb the corner and then make a rising traverse to the right until under easy terrain below the ridge. 45 m, 5.3.
P2: Climb easy slabs and then surmount a big flake to gain the ridge crest. Climb the ridge crest to a boulder belay on the south side of the ridge. 45 m, 5.6 (but mostly easier). Variation: climb the right-facing corner to the left of the easy slabs to the same flake: 5.7.
P3: Climb a steep off-balance flake/crack to the base of two parallel corner systems. Start up the left dihedral, and move right when you get scared. Continue up the corner to a (dodgy) boulder belay. 55 m, 5.6+.
P4: Climb the rest of the dihedral to the ridge crest. Follow the ridge and drop off on the east side to a good belay stance. 50 m, 5.6 (but mostly easier).
P5: Return to the ridgecrest, and walk the sharp ridge for half a rope length. One step to left will put you at the base of the very steep south face. 30 m, 4th class.
P6: 10 minutes of class 3 scrambling puts you on top.
Yet more lolly-gagging and rubber-necking in the sun on top, and then we took the usual descent down the east ridge with two raps. Monsieur LeBel nipped up the Centre Peak of Prestley whilst I coiled the rope.
The last time I was at the Centre-West col (July 2005), there was a pile of snow 6+ metres deep. This time there was none. The last time I descended the gully on the south side of the col (also July 2005), it was a steep and icy snow slope. It could hardly have been more different this time, as all the snow was gone after the long hot summer. We scrambled down nasty loose choss until we came to step in the gully where it narrows. It was probably only fourth class, but the mountains of choss encouraged us to do as others before us had done: rap the step. I would hate to ascend this gully in the absence of snow. After the rap, it was an easy amble back to camp. We hiked out the following morning in 1.5 hours.
