MOUNT DAG (GIMLI I) 2745m 9,006′
Dag is the south-easternmost of the Mulvey Cirque peaks. A steep, narrow gully separates Dag from a lesser point to the west, Little Dag and another gully separates Little Dag from Batwing. Its enormous north face sports three routes to date.
Dag was the Norse god who drove the Chariot of the Day. See Little Dag for access on the south side.
Dag has wonderful views down the Slocan Valley, Kokanee Glacier, Slocan Lake and the Devils Range.
Rating: ♦♦♦♦◊
Location: 2.5 km due east of Gimli Peak. The first mountain of Mulvey to be climbed, the last mountain of the “horseshoe” and the most visible summit in Mulvey Basin.
Difficulty: D3 strenuous, class 4 scrambling
Elevation gain: 945m 3100′
Key elevations: Parking above Gimli lot 1800m 5900′; Summit 2745m 9006′
Distance:
Time: 5 hours one way.
Season: July through September
Access: Depends on the number of water bars on Bannock Burn FSR. Generally a 2WD high clearance road. Road above the Gimli Ridge parking lot of poor quality.
Map: 82F/13. F/12, F/14 for access.
Drive:
1. Road above Gimli Ridge parking lot. Instead of turning left (north) into the Gimli Ridge parking lot (located in an old cut block), continue up on the rough, little-used road that keeps left. It ascends and turns north to enter a cut block above the cut block for Gimli parking. The road tends to wash out and you may need to park outside the cut block. It gets no maintenance, deteriorates with each year and may not be passable into the cut block.
(From a 2002 trip to climb Dag, it is mentioned that the above road was followed for 3 km. They then found the old Gimli Trail that took them to the alpine below the Wolf’s Ears. I believe this is the same as above)
After parking, continue along the road into the cut block. A ribboned trail exits from the end of the road. It ascends the south ridge of the West Wolf Ear, crosses into Robertson basin and follows a cairned route that crosses the headwaters of Robertson Creek and ascends the west side of Dag.
2. North Bannock Creek FSR. This road is the access to the Gimli Trail; from the switch back to the Gimli parking area, continue straight ahead and slightly downhill. Follow the well-traveled road as it switches backs twice going downhill. The next intersections were marked with rock cairns. The road ends in a very good turn-around eight kilometres from the Gimli turn.
A route was flagged through the bush and timber to the base of the large avalanche path leading up to the Mt Dag basin. This is a spectacular hiking area with a very short approach—only 1.5km from the road end to the slide path. Late June is the best time to go before the snow leaves the upper slopes and the green succulents erupt. Expect to see bears.
Driving to the very end of the north Bannock Cr FSR is some 32km from the pavement at Slocan City. In 2012, the road was in excellent condition with no impediments.
1. South Slopes.
FRA August 1927, exact route unknown.
A ski ascent of Mount Dag was made by Leon Blumer and Loren Calder in May 1954. Go up the talus slopes of the east ridge (just south of Mulvey Creek) to the south snow slopes to 50 meters from the top, and climb the rest. See Route 7.
This is probably close to the route of the first ascent, from the south or southeast, from the Little Slocan River or Mulvey Creek.
2. South Ridge. From the Mulvey Basin, go to the East Wolf’s Ear-Nott col, traverse the south side of the Nott-Batwing ridge (alplands, trail with cairns) across the headwaters of Robertson Creek to the west side of the south ridge of Dag. Ascend the prominent couloir (loose rock), and then a 5-meter chimney to the south ridge (belay).
There is a large, loose boulder at the top of the chimney; the chimney may be difficult to find from above on return. One may rappel. An ascent was recorded in 1983 but this route was certainly done much earlier.
From the top of the chimney, it is an easy 1-hour walk up the ridge to the summit.
Round trip, 11 hours from the road access, mostly hiking. The chimney is the one spot where the rope may be necessary. (III,4,s)
3. Traverse Nott, Batwing and Little Dag to Mt. Dag. Descend the south ridge of Little Dag, easily gain the Dag-Little Dag col and make a rising traverse right or east on Class 3 – 4 broken rock. Most parties rappel off Batwing and leave a fixed rope for the return, but the wall at the Batwing-Little Dag col is climbable at about Class 5.5. See Little Dag Route 1, and Route 2 descent.
At least one party has done a Tyrolean traverse across the Batwing- Little Dag notch.
4. North Buttress (Sweet Judy Blue-Eyes). Ascend up and right from the bergschrund to the large couloir between Dag and Little Dag. Go left on Class 3 and 4 ramps for about 100 meters or so. Class 5 cracks lead to a large ledge system (Smorgasbord Ledge).
The route is on the right-hand side of the north face, where 2.5 days were spent cleaning and nailing moss-filled cracks. There is also free climbing, mainly in slanting jam cracks and one short, extremely difficult, chimney.
From the prominent ledge that cuts across the entire face near the top (the White Whale), several difficult leads, including aid, put one on top.
Just below the White Whale ledge, the crack system ends and expanding flakes and loose blocks on the right were encountered. Cliff-hangers used on nubbins on a wall, and then hard free climbing, lead to the ledge.
Take a good selection of 50 pitons, mostly angles up to 7.5 cm, cliff- hangers and hammocks. Several bolts with hangers in place were used for belays only.
Ice, Glacier (VI,5.9,A3,s).
FA Roy Kligfield, John Roskelly, 4-7/8/1971.
Another ascent of this route was on August 6-10, 2000, by Craig Clarence, Andrew Magness and George Ortiz, who rated it at Ice, Glacier (VI,5.10, A2+,s). Approach from the north side of Mulvey Basin.
Start from the top of the bergschrund just left of the gully between Dag and Little Dag. Climb up and right (Class 4, easy Class 5) on ramps to just below a car-sized chockstone in a gully. Bypass the chockstone to the right via easy but dirty Class 5 for three pitches, then rappel onto the top of the chockstone from trees above. Fourth-class ledges up and left, above the chockstone, lead to a good bivouac.
Climb three fourth-class pitches to Smorgasbord Ledge. Go up a steep corner at the left end of Smorgasbord Ledge. Mixed free and aid climbing for three 50-meter pitches above Smorgasbord Ledge go to a tension traverse left below a roof; belay at an alcove.
Climb free for two pitches to a ledge. Bypass an ugly chimney system at the left of the ledge by climbing directly above the ledge (A2+), which leads to one bolt and a bolt at the belay.
Continue up a chimney/flake (Class 5.9+) and wander back left to belay in a crack system. Climb up a steep ramp, just right of the main chimney system, to a good ledge (5.10, 50m).
Go to the left end of the White Whale ledge via Class 4 climbing. Continue up for 1.5 pitches up a corner system and blocks, to the beginning of fourth class rock to the top.
5. Northeast Face. Approach the northeast face as for the north face, from the north side of Mulvey
Pitch 1. 5.9. Rappel into bergschrund; traverse right, up corner. 60m.
Pitch 2. 5.8. Up corner onto sloping slabs. 50m.
Pitch 3. 5.8. Go right of the dihedral; left at roofs. 40m.
Pitch 4. 5.9, A1. Three points of aid, traverse left, up, and end on a ledge. 30m.
Pitch 5. 5.5. Slabs, up right on sloping ramps, then seams. 50m.
Pitch 6. 5.7. Continue up ramps. 45m.
Pitch 7. 5.10+. Go from a good ledge up left-sloping cracks, through an off-width crack.
Pitch 8. 5.7. Runout; one piece for protection; the belay is thin.
Pitch 9. 5.10+. Steepening wall left of roof band. Placed 2 rivets and 1.25 inch bolt for belay.
Pitch 10. 5.10. Rising right traverse to a left-facing dihedral, with a crack and moss. To the pedestal below the groove. Excellent.
Bivouac at Chocolate Pudding Corner, a sitting bivouac for three on slabs.
Two pitches were fixed (#9 and 10). Rats chewed rope and ran over Brown’s feet; no one believed him.
Pitch 11. Very dirty crack, Class 5.9 groove. At the top, head left along flakes to a stance belay below and left of the roof system.
Pitch 12. 5.10. Stem up a corner, then an easier crack system.
Pitch 13. Now above roofs. Class 5.10 up left-sloping corner, then traverse right toward large dihedral. One bolt, delicate slab moves. Finish on good ledge.
Pitch 14. From the right side of the ledge, climb up and right into the corner (5.9+) that leads to below roofs in the dihedral system.
Pitch 15. 5.11. Turn the roof, up the corner/square-cut stem box to the roof; turn the roof. More corners to the little ledge with a tree. (This pitch is the start of the steep climbing, and doesn’t stop until the top.)
Pitch 16. 5.10+. Continue up corner/flake on right face to a bad stance where flake becomes a mini left-facing corner.
Pitch 17. Continue up to the top of the pedestal (5.10+). One is now below a wide off-width crack and corner system and arching roof above. Place a large piece and pendulum left to a crack system around the arete. Dirty climbing, french free, wide, layback, jamming, stemming. Would be outstanding if clean. Stance belay.
Pitch 18. 5.10+. Finish at dark at a great ledge, “Percocet Ledge”. Wall rat chews on Jason’s shoes and climbing gear. Bivouac.
Pitch 19. 5.11, A1. Climb the above ledge to clean the crack system left of the main chimney dihedral. Four points of aid were used to get into it. Steep, clean laybacking. Classic stance belay.
Pitch 20. 5.10. Traverse across the mini “Thank God Ledge” and into a wide chimney/off-width crack. Belay on the block and an alcove below the roof.
Pitch 21. Class 5, is nasty. Continue up, and turn the roof, until reaching another ledge below a big chimney.
Pitch 22. Class 5, is nasty. Go up a big chimney through convoluted unpleasant mossy roofs to a “water cave”. Sam squeezed water from moss.
Pitch 23. Traverse out right onto the face and follow the crack system. A thin Class 5.11 move leads to an off-width crack, the roof. Once through this, climb a Class 5.10 crack to the top. Excellent. Some Class 4 climbing remains. Ice, Glacier (VI,5.11,A1,s).
Mike Brown, Jason Magness, Sam Price, August 7-9, 2000.
6. Northwest Corner, North Face. (Riding Skinfaxi)
Skinfaxi is Dag’s horse, whose mane shines so brightly that it illuminates the heavens and earth as Dag passes through the sky.
The route can be divided into three parts
1. Gain Smorgasbord Ledge (300+m). Pitches 1-8. See Route 4 and the ascent of the year
2. Headwall (500m), sheer rock, 12 long pitches of steep, straight-up hand cracks on sound and clean rock. Mostly 5.10, with some harder sections. On “Sock Thief Ledge” (bivouac), an unknown creature stole a pair of sweaty socks. This is two long pitches above Smorgasbord Ledge.
3. Class 4, a little Class 5, 180m direct to the summit. Traversing left can go to the east
Pitch 9. Follow a rising ledge overlooking the gully right of the prow (50m).
Pitch 10. Go up a clean right-facing corner to a shallow chimney, then climb face cracks to a ledge (55m, 5.10-).
Pitch 11. Traverse left 10m, then climb a right-facing corner to Sock Thief Ledge, directly on the prow at the west end of the north face (45m, 5.9).
Pitch 12. Climb the straight-in crack to a ledge 5m above, and continue up thin finger cracks for 8m (small angle useful). Traverse right on thin slopers to a small ledge at the base of a shallow right-facing corner. Layback and jam, some face climbing on the right, to a shallow alcove at the base of a left-facing corner (fixed pin at the belay; 45m, 5.11-).
Pitch 13-15. Gain a big left-facing corner and follow it for three pitches; stem, layback and jam hand crack to a ledge at the base of a right-facing corner (145m, 5.10+).
Pitch 16. Follow the right-facing corner through a short, wide section (4.5 in.; 10 cm) to an open book (sustained 60m, 5.10+).
Pitch 17. Follow the open book (thin for hands) to a right-facing corner for 35-40m, step left over a steep wall, then face climb to a ledge at the base of a right-facing corner (50m, 5.10).
Pitch 18. Follow the corner to the White Whale ledge (40m, 5.8 fist).
Pitch 19. Continue directly above and climb the intimidating squeeze to a stance (35m, 5.9).
Pitch 20. Go straight up the stem box above (powerful crux) on thin gear to a roof with better protection. Move up and right under the roof to a good stem, turn the roof (loose) and continue up face cracks to an alcove belay (55m, 5.11).
Pitch 21. Climb above the alcove to where one can traverse left on the bivouac ledge. (25m, 5.7).
Pitch 22-25. Fourth and fifth class to top (180m). Ice, Glacier (VI,5.11,s,*).
FA Alan Jones, David Lussier, August 2002.
7. East Ridge (Smoke Gets in Your Eyes). Access Dag from the headwaters of Robertson Creek (tedious, gigantic boulders), arriving at the east ridge at the base of a prominent chimney.
Pitch 1. Climb the chimney for 30m and belay. (5.6)
Pitch 2. To the east ridge. (5.7)
Pitch 3. Turn a wall on the ridge, on the south side. (Class 4)
Pitch 4. Climb 30m of Class 4 to the base of a small corner; then up the corner and cracks for 20m. (5.6) Then Class 3 and 4 to the summit. (III,5.7,s).
FA Doug Brown, Sandra McGuinness, Aug. 7, 2007.