After reaching the Kain Hut around midnight on October 10 and sleeping in past our alpine start, Tim McAllister and I hiked out toward the Howser Towers intent on some winter-conditions climbing. Sighting excellent conditions, we chose a line to the left of Perma Grin (AAJ 2003) and the Big Hose (AAJ 1979) on the northeast face of South Howser Tower.

Climbing through the ’schrund provided a pumpy start through steep icicles to a Styrofoam-like ice ramp. From there we found ribbons of sn’ice interspersed with mixed climbing up a prominent, left-facing corner system. Near the top we veered left out of the corner to continue up a lower-angled snow and ice ramp. From the summit we descended the standard rappel route.

Our route, Ethereal (1,000’, D+ WI4 M6 R), has eight pitches with excellent thin ice and mixed climbing. It shares some terrain with the Thompson-Turk summer route (5.10 R, 1990).

Jennifer Olson, Canada