“Could anyone lend me a cordless leaf blower for today?”
It’s an unusual way to get brought into a new route. But I have a cordless leaf blower, and if someone is willing to haul it up Mount Yamnuska, I’m more than willing to respond to a Facebook post and lend it to them.
Anton is a Sydney native, and when new routing in the Rockies, he’s seeking to do everything right. Stainless hardware. Properly cleaned bolt holes in solid rock. All the death-blocks trundled. Using a hand brush to clean debris from ledges, and even a leaf blower.
And he’s doing his best to adhere to the inconsistent mess that is our ethics.
It wasn’t a ground-up project for him. It’s top down, and it’s an approach that seeks to leave behind the best result for climbers to follow. I think there’s a solid place for that, and I think the term ‘Modern Mixed’ captures that ethic well.
I didn’t know all this when I offered up my leaf blower; I just loaned it out and assumed that would be the end of it. But a week later, Anton invited me to join him on the FFA, and I gladly accepted.
Most of my new routing this year has involved an early start, lots of unknowns, a carefully curated rack, and a ground-up push. When we arrived at the base of Yam around 3:30 pm, I was reminded more of the weeks of my life spent jugging fixed lines on Anticipation, a longer route I put up a few years ago. Small caches scattered across the mountain, a random assortment of equipment, and a concrete plan.
Anton took the lead on Freak Out’s first pitch, which he danced up, largely uneventfully. But, Freak Out and Yam being what they are, he snapped off a handhold two-thirds of the way up and barely saved himself from barndooring off the wall. Par for the course.
Pitch two was a bit of a question mark. Anton had an idea of what it looked like, but hadn’t climbed it yet. He said that the top 10 meters of it might not have any meaningful protection, and that it probably warranted a bolt. Not wanting to be encumbered, I said I would try it without the drill first. He was right, and as I came to a tricky bulge, I stared what felt like a great distance down to my last cam and nut. I convinced myself the fall was clean, finished the pitch, and one bolt got added. Anyone repeating the route will be grateful for it.
Pitch three exemplifies the benefits of a Modern Mixed approach. Instead of heading up a sea of choss straight above the belay, it charges left onto a striking prow. Technical movement in a great position leads upward to an exposed belay. It’s a lovely pitch, and a strong lead by Anton.
Pitch four traverses to the base of the bomb-bay chimney. It was somewhat sparsely protected, as the falls are largely overhanging. Halfway through, I stumble across a beak Anton left in place while cleaning the route, and clip it, because why not? A few moves later, I break a foothold, and the beak saves me from what would have been a wild ride. I return to a no-hands rest below the sequence and finish the pitch. It’s something like my 35th route on Yam, and it’s the first time I’ve taken a lead fall on anything but a bolt. Seconding, Anton cleans the beak and leaves a bolt in its place.
If there is one thing that screams Yam to me, it’s wild chimneys, and pitch five delivers. Anton makes his way up to a horizontal break and makes a cam nest to protect the crux moves. He reaches way out sideways, cuts both feet, and swings into the base of the chimney. The rest of the pitch goes more easily, but features loads of great stemming and chimney movement.
It was a beautiful way to spend an afternoon, and I’d like to thank Anton again for bringing me along. More than anything, I think the route speaks to how much good terrain is hiding in plain sight on Yam, without impinging on existing lines. It’s a great route to work into a Bowl / East End linkup day.
Freak Off
Mount Yamnuska
5.11b 170m
Anton Korsun, Greg Barrett
September 5, 2025
Description by Anton
The new route takes the first pitch of Freak Out, then continues up four more pitches of stellar face climbing on very good rock, exiting through the obvious bomb-bay chimney that hovers above the overhangs.
Approach
As for Freak Out.
P1, “5.9+”, 50m
As for Freak Out. (realistically 5.10b)
P2, 5.10a, 25m
Take your largest cams and micro wires. They (and the two bolts) protect the hardest moves, but there is about six meters of 5.6 with no gear towards the top. Gear belay.
P3, 5.11b, 30m
Definitely the money pitch. Fantastic techy movement and fairly sustained vertical face climbing on bolts. Mandatory 0.5 and optional black totem for the top.
P4, 5.10c, 25m
One hard move, then up the airy arch. Optional black totem/wire after last bolt (otherwise 5.8 runout with a safe fall).
P5, 5.10c, 40m
You’ve been looking at this pitch from the ground! Hard move to enter the chimney, then stem and armbar your way to glory. Good gear.
Descent
Belay the easy but loose walkoff right to a single bolt anchor. Descend the scrambling route.
