The Canadian Route

This route climbs the right side of the imposing Basin Wall. To our knowledge, it is the second route on the wall. This is a serious undertaking with maximum adventure value. Some loose rock is encountered. The overall nature of the route tends toward thin cracks and face climbing; little to no wide cracks are present. All belays are situated on comfortable ledges and the scenery is unreal.

Pitch 1 (5.10a, 150 feet): Climb a low-angle left-facing corner utilizing the left crack where it steepens. Cut right on hollow rock and suspect pro to bypass the roof. Belay on the good ledge.

Pitch 2 (5.10a, 80 feet): Traverse left across the blank slab (photo op!) into a right-leaning crack which leads to a good belay ledge. Soft rock in the upper section makes this a challenging and heady lead.

Pitch 3 (5.7, 100 feet): Move up and left on stacked blocks. Head up the right-leaning ramp, but only for about 30 feet. Look left for an airy perch which is accessed by a discreet traverse and short boulder problem. Belay on the left side of the perch.

Pitch 4 (5.8, 110 feet): Awesome pitch! Make a wild jug traverse left to the edge of the arete. Head straight up the arete on varnished plates and discontinuous cracks.

Pitch 5 (5.8, 210 feet): Head up and left onto the airy arete. Bust a move over the small prow and chug all the way up the slabby ramp to a good ledge belay.

Pitch 6 (5.8, 150 feet): Head straight up on unpleasant flakes, then traverse right past a tree. Continue up the fun ramp to a cool alcove belay below the final crux section.

Pitch 7 (5.9, 150 feet): Jam the burly, mossy, right-leaning handcrack. Continue up easy terrain past a large pine tree to a belay among scrub oak.

Pitch 8 (4th class, 250 feet): Continue up the termination of the ramp as it meets a prominent notch in the summit ridge.

Summit scramble: Head left (south) along the ridge and scramble 3rd class to the south summit of Mount Wilson.

Descent: about 3 hours. Walk a few hundred yards north along the summit ridge to the cairns marking the descent into Hidden Bowl. Pretty straightforward 2nd/3rd class. Drop into First Creek Canyon and walk back to the trailhead.

Approach: about 3 hours or more. Park at First Creek Canyon. Walk the main trail for a couple hundred yards before turning right to parallel the wash. Eventually, an old dirt road is encountered. Follow the road as it curves due west and leads into the North Gully. Scramble up and up (and slightly right) and up the North Gully to the unmistakable shield of the Basin Wall. Some sections are 5th class. The final section will test your bushwhacking tolerance.

Double set of cams to 3", one 4" cam, single set of nuts