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East Face
Expressway | 5.7
Cross the moat about 50m to the right of the Cataract waterfall. Climb 4th to low 5th class for about 200m on the right side of the Cataract waterfall, until reaching a steep wall and an easier ramp trending out right. Climb the ramp for approximately 400m staying right where gullies/ramps branch off left and up to the Cataract ridge. The ramp finally ends at a crumbly rusty coloured notch and an amazing view down a shear face into Grand Central Couloir. Climb the steep face (5.7) above the notch for 1 pitch to the Cataract ridge (alt. 1700m). Climb the Cataract Arête to finish.
- First Accent
- John & Mike Waters, August 17, 2002
- Grade:
- 5.7
- Protection:
- set of nuts + 5 cams
- Height:
- 1000 metres
- Type:
- alpine
- Description:
About
The soaring 1000m high East Face has 8 of the most difficult rock routes on the Island. The East Face of Colonel Foster is the heart of alpine rock on Vancouver Island with its sweeping buttresses and deep couloirs. The rock runs from perfect bullet proof basalt with awesome in-cuts to atrociously loose and with huge run-outs. Most of the climbing is low 5th class or easier, but exposure is great and retreat could be next to impossible. Getting off the mountain often proves just as difficult as climbing; loose rock, tricky route finding and scary rappels all add to the experience. On Foster the summit is definitely only halfway. The glacier around Foster (berg) Lake must be negotiated to reach any of the East face routes. An ice axe is a must and by August a set of light weight crampons is often a good idea. Campsites are on the old moraine around Foster Lake with Colonel Foster standing above.
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