Nothing But the Breast
150 m, WI 4
ATES 2 (Challenging)
Nothing But the Breast (NBTB) is a popular 3-pitch, WI 4 located on the east face of Mt. Ernest Ross, directly above Highway 11 (known as the David Thompson Highway), approximately 33 km east of the Saskatchewan River Crossing. The first two pitches are often thin, followed by a short walk up a ledge to reach the final pillar. The route forms in a gully and is exposed to avalanches from overhead.
Although NBTB is located within an avalanche path, the route has an ATES 2 rating due to the relative infrequency (i.e., not annually) of avalanches affecting the route. While the region generally experiences dry conditions, occasional intense snowstorms occur, and climbers are advised to avoid the route during periods of heavy snowfall when the avalanche hazard can escalate rapidly.
Popularity
- 34 people completed the survey
- 35% climbed NBTB once
- 44% climbed it 2-5 times
- 21% climbed it over 6 times
Avalanche Frequency
- 30% have seen avalanche debris on the climb or the approach
- 70% have not seen any avalanche debris
Avalanche Runout
- 18% saw avalanche debris on the approach
- 73% saw debris at the base of the climb or lower
- 45% saw debris between the pitches
- 36% saw debris above the last pitch
Notes on Avalanche Debris
- Avalanche debris was noted below the route by several people.
- The runout stopped at the top of the climb, with smaller chunks of debris scattered at the base of the final pitch.
- Multiple respondents mentioned seeing small amounts of debris. Although the route has big terrain above it, the consensus is that most years there's not enough snow accumulation to be much of a problem. The odd big snow year could be different though!
Summary
- We spent a bit of time up there developing the mixed route on the right of the pillar. That pillar is worth noting as it comes and goes regularly. I try to mitigate my exposure whenever I take the right-side rappels as a descent. It is worth noting that the VF trail is an excellent descent option on warm days.
- In 2023, I climbed this route and spent time analyzing the terrain above while belaying my friend. I concluded that while there is terrain above, it lacks a big start zone (mainly just the snow in the gully above the route - no big bowl like on some of the Elliot climbs). Given the typical dry conditions, avalanches in this area are likely infrequent.
- The area gets a lot of sun which can greatly affect the slopes above the climb.