When I first moved to Vermont I remember skiing up in to Smuggler's Notch and seeing the Quartz Crack Face adorned with icicles and capped by some of the most massive roofs around. I immediately pictured a mixed line weaving through the roofs and connecting icicles. A couple of weeks ago, Peter Doucette and I climbed the classic Snotcicle route on the right side of the face and I dry tooled out left from the top of the ice, hanging in order to place a pin and find some gear in the shattered rock. That day we rapped after the traverse and returned yesterday to finish it up. We climbed three pitches out and left from the top of the Snotcicle with some of the most wildly positioned mixed climbing I've done. We called the route "Post Nasal Drip" (M7 WI4+).
Post Nasal Drip with the belays marked.
Peter leading the Snotcicle on the first attempt.
Me starting the pitch 2 traverse on the first attempt.
Me sending pitch 2 on our 2nd attempt.
Peter following pitch 2.
Peter latching the ice on pitch 3.
Pitch 3
Peter at the crux move of pitch 3. Tourqeing in the crack proved to be especially awkward so we both utilized a tiny edge which locked off on to reach up into the corner. Neither of us could believe that the hook stayed in place!
Me leading the very Scottish final pitch with amazing position above the roof.
Going for the top-out turf shot on the last pitch.
Peter following the last pitch. (Check out the ropes hanging in space below!)
Pretty cool spot to belay on the final pitch!
