This took perseverence and adaptation to overcome the obstacles we faced to finally reach the summit of "The Wolverine Shield". The first attempt was in July 1988 on a trip with Franziska Garrett and Fred Beckey. Franziska and I bivied (unplanned) atop Pitch #6, the next morning we continued to Pitch #7, where exhausted (mostly thirsty and had shivered most the night away), we retreated.

In August 1997, Fred Beckey, Franziska, Kris Pietryga, and I returned. Kris and I had a portaledge bivy atop Pitch #7. The next day, Kris dislodged a huge rock that narrowly missed killing both of us....we retreated completely rattled.

August 1999 saw us there again with Fred, Kris, Franziska, Sam Fluckiger, John Chilton, and Ryan Hokanson. I think it was John who asked, "it must be an illness to come back all this way in here three times!" We dubbed the route, "The Illness".

I believe that a light modern party could most likely free the route given the right conditions.

Pitch #1: In the center of the face, plumline from the highpoint along the broad summit ridgeline, find an alcove with the left facing and splitter "finger crack pitch". This is a 4 star pitch and an amazingly beautiful natural crack system on the best of granite. Climb to the two-bolt belay ledge. 5.10a, 50m.

Pitch #2: Continue straight up more left facing dihedral to a roof and upward on the featured rock to a belay. 5.9, 50m.

Pitch #3: Now trend left following an arching overlap that leads to the main right facing dihedral system that sweeps to the summit. Belay at the base of the dihedral in an alcove with a fixed nut. 5.8 to 5.9+ (a move), 40m.

Pitch #4: Climb the crack in the dihedral that soon becomes an unexpected seam and pass a bolt to easier climbing to a two-bolt belay. 5.10, A2, 30m.

Pitch #5: Continue on past a rap station into steep crack climbing and eventually reach a small ledge and two-bolt belay. 5.9, A1, 50m.

Pitch #6: Pass a bolt where the crack thins out to a seam in places until a more broken up ramp area to steep cracks, a roof, and the Flake Belay ledge. 5.8, A2.

Pitch #7: From "the flake pitch", a steep hand crack leads to a wider section and double cracks to a thin crack and a pin/bolt hanging alcove belay. 5.9, A1.

Pitch #8: Leave the tiny alcove for "The falling boulder" pitch. Steep climbing to a fixed bashie to good rock/left facing dihedral. Reach a small belay ledge and find several pitons and one bolt. A1+, 45m.

Pitch #9: Climb 5.8 hands to a jumbled section with many crack systems to choose from. Trend a tad to the left where free climbing takes the leader through a contorted roof and the top of the wall to a fixed #3 Camalot/bolt belay. ("where it is very flat"). 5.9, A1, 55m.

Wolverine Peak, The Wolverine Shield

CAC Route

Adamantium

Bad Larry

Follow the main weakness up the NW face for about 5 pitches. Traverse left onto the face and take to the top. We descended via rappels.

Cashiers Alpine Club Route

This route ascends the North Tower of The Shield. We were the first team to summit this alpine spire.

Pitch 1 climb chossy ramp left of left facing corner until reaching small roofs with cracks. Climb up right crack and continue up until you reach a giant flake that creates a small shelter. Climb behind flake and walk to the left side and belay 180’ 5.9

Pitch 2 stand up on flake and climb hand crack up through bulge and continue hand crack to build a belay on large ledge 120’ 5.9

Pitch 3 Scramble left around large blocks to climb the corner on the right with the thin crack in the back. Follows this upwards and then climb the squeeze offwidth/chimney to another big ledge 180’ 5.9

Pitch 4 climb left off belay and mantle onto the slab. Clip a fixed beak and make cruxy moves up and left. Continue up to overhanging fist crack in corner. Climb out the roof and up corner to a ledge before the crack gets thinner and mungy then climb right on ledge to build belay with another hand crack above 100’ 5.11. Alternatively there is a large offwidth directly above the belay for this pitch. Instead of going left like we did you could go straight up through this roof and climb the wide crack till it turns into a giant flake that trends left to meet at the same belay ledge for pitch 5. This crack appeared to be easier climbing than the route we took but you would need at least a 6” cam to protect this section so I went with the other variation.

Pitch 5 Climb out bulge and continue up hand crack for 150’ to a nice ledge 5.9

Pitch 6 scramble 70’ to the summit 5.8

Descent: we down lead 180’ off summit to a fixed nut. Rap 100’ to a fixed tricam. Continue down route for another 100’ to a fixed nut. Make another 100’ rap to another fixed nut. Rap again to another fixed nut. Then rap to the flake at the top of pitch 1. Careful the ends don’t reach all the way so down climb to flake shelter. Make a final 180’ rap to the ground off the flake with a sling.

Larrius Malus

This route climbs the south facing buttress in the north end of the cirque. We were the first team to climb this face and have dubbed the formation “Good Buddy Buttress” in honor of the young pushers at the Pinedale skate park.

Pitch 1 & 2 approach directly under the line which can be identified using the picture. Climb 5.easy up ramps and around roofs for 300’

Pitch 3 climb obvious corner system up and right passing a roof on the right using finger crack. Continue to climbing and build belay on ledge. 180’ 5.10

Pitch 4 continue up ramp system trending left until underneath roof system with right facing dihedral above 180’ 5.9

Pitch 5 Continue up under roof and pull the right side on fingers then continue up splitter hand crack to the top 100’ 5.10

Descend by hiking ridge to summit and go down other side of ridge until notch is reached. Scramble down the notch to a drop. Rap off the chock stone anchor we made (bring tat) or build another anchor. Rap 90’ foot and then continue scrambling down.

Description

Location

Protection

Routes in St. Lawrence Basin