In early November, Blake Berghoff, Aidan Whitelaw, and I attempted to repeat the route Quantum Entanglement (2,100’, WI5 M4, Hoiness-Kisner-Willis, 2020) on Silver Run Peak’s (12,542’) northwest aspect. We found less ice than reported on the first ascent, and after getting off route and ending up in a terribly chossy chimney with a 20’ chockstone roof, we bailed. However, earlier that day, I climbed a new pitch on the face’s central cliffband. It seemed like a direct line through the steep rock guarding Quantum Entanglement’s upper ice would be possible and exciting.

Blake and I returned with Paul Shaughnessy the following week. From the snow ledge where Quantum Entanglement cuts right onto easier terrain, we headed left up the pitch I had established the previous week: a full rope length of three-dimensional M6 climbing on good rock. A short section of dry- tooling then brought us to a snow ramp heading up and right. Two more pitches of easier but slabby mixed climbing, interspersed with snow hiking, brought us directly to the ice headwall of Quantum Entaglement, which we did in two long pitches.

Our variation, Quantum Direct (WI5 M6), adds about 300m of new ground, and we highly recommend it for those seeking a relatively easy approach to varied, engaging climbing, with just enough protection and moss sticks to keep the difficult climbing fun.

— Adrien Costa