LITTLE DAG 2690m
The summit between Mount Dag and Batwing. It appears pointed when seen from the north.
There are two ways to reach the headwaters of Robertson Creek if one is not in the Mulvey Cirque; directly over the south ridge of the West Ear, or go up and east to the col between two small peaks, and over, farther south of the West Ear.
If one is in the Mulvey Cirque, pass over the East Wolf’s Ear-Nott ridge directly to the head of Robertson Creek. Stay low under the rock and on dirt to pass under Nott and Batwing.
From the Batwing-Little Dag notch, a ledge with some technical moves leads over to the north ridge of Little Dag, used by Paul Allen and Steve Horvath in 1985 to approach Route 2
In 1978, a Tyrolean traverse was rigged above the notch.
1. Southwest Slopes, South Ridge. Pass behind Mount Nott, traverse Batwing and rappel from Batwing’s east ridge into the Batwing-Little Dag col (notch). There is Class 4 climbing out of the notch (5m diagonal ledge; possible rappel on descent), and then Class 3 on the south and southwest sides and the south ridge to the top. (III,4, A1,s).
FRA John Carter, Lynn Lennox, August 31, 1969. The party also climbed Mount Dag (see Route 3 of Dag and Batwing).
To return, a fixed rope can be left above the col, or the wall to the east ridge of Batwing may be climbed. Go a little way down (south) from the col and climb 7 meters (tricky, mossy; see Route 2) of Class 5.5 rock.
2. North Ridge (Ptarmigan Ridge). Descend 450 meters diagonally down the north faces of Mount Nott and Batwing, aiming for the largest snow field on the bottom of the face (Batwing, on top of the bushy slope below; there is a hidden fault line, a gully, crossable at only one place).
Cross the snowfield, then angle up low-angle slabs until it is possible to climb a short vertical step, thus gaining a bushy traverse. Then go up broken ground, first trending left, then slightly right until confronted by the downsloping, black, slabby north face of Batwing. A good wide ledge leads left to the start of “Unnecessary Ridge”.
Climb 7-9 pitches of low Class 5 rock to its end. The hardest part is the start, a dirty off-width crack (15m). (One can also climb, and after 2-3 pitches rappel to a snow-filled gully on the left side of the ridge.)
From the top of the ridge (roughly at the level one can see from the lowest meadows on the north side), there is an easy scramble up steep grass and sand, then a series of grassy ledges lead left to the ridge proper.
Scramble up an easy slab to where the ridge becomes vertical; one Class pitch to another grassy ledge, this one to the right, then scramble up steep grass and small blocky steps to the ridge proper.
From here, three pitches of pleasant Class 5.5 (starting right of the obvious gendarme) lead to the Ptarmigan Ledges – a massive ledge system visible from the lower meadows, crossing the whole face. Pass difficulties on the right on this climb. (Route can be exited from here – cross the ledges until one can climb up through several chimneys on the Batwing side a little way above the Batwing-Little Dag notch.)
The two cruxes lie above the ledges. Go 30 meters or so right from the ridge, then climb 30 meters or so to a grassy alcove at the bottom of an obvious dihedral (right-facing)-off-width crack. This 50-meter pitch (5.8), and another 50-meter pitch (5.7; a crack in a left-facing dihedral, moss, loose rock) and then a perfect chimney lead to scrambling to the summit. (IV,5.8,s).
FA Paul Allen, Steve Horvath, July 28, 1984 and September 10, 1985 (two trips).
For an alternate approach to the upper ridge, consult Route 1.
Take chocks, some small stoppers, Friends and a really large chock (old tubular, 4 inches (10 cm)) for the crux, and an ice axe. Use a 50-meter rope.
The descent is tricky. Go down to the Batwing-Little Dag cleft, and climb the Batwing side (easiest way; descend south a little from the high point, then up 7 meters, tricky, mossy, Class 5.5). Climb the east ridge of Batwing, go down its nose (north ridge, Class 4) and cross behind Mount Nott.