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[TR] Dorado Needle - Northwest Ridge 6/30/2009


Le Piston

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Trip: Dorado Needle - Northwest Ridge

 

Date: 6/30/2009

 

Trip Report:

My friend Rod and I hoped to climb Dorado Needle last summer along with Eldorado and Klawatti in one day. Due to trouble getting off Klawatti, it wasn't to be. So, this summer we wanted a rematch. After to lovely trudge up to the Eldorado Glacier, we set up camp in the rocks below the East ridge.IMG_0594.JPGWe considered tagging Eldorado again, but wanted to save our strength for Dorado Needle and possibly Austera. The night brought chilly brisk wind and a few showers and we awoke 0330 to socked in conditions. So, we slept until the weather cleared and got a "crack of 9" alpine start. We were glad to be roped up as my partner found a crevasse on the way to the col near Tepeh Towers. We dropped down onto the McAllister glacier and wound our way up to the northwest ridge. The snow bridge on one of the larger crevasses was sagging but sturdy. The snow slope below the ridge led all the way up to the rock, with a snow bridge over the schrund climbers rightIMG_0703.JPGThere are two pitches of fun mid 5th class rock on mostly clean rock to the summit...which unfortunately was socked in at the time.IMG_06921.JPGWe downclimbed and rapped the ridge back to the snow. We thought about doing Austera, but decided with the late start and the prospect of sleeping in our own beds to head out. This was a fun climb and we had the peak to ourselves away from the masses on Eldorado.IMG_0734.JPGIMG_07011.JPGIMG_0758.JPG

 

Gear Notes:

Standard glacier climbing gear and small rock rack to 2.5 inches.

 

Approach Notes:

The boulder fields are mostly free of snow. There is a lot less snow than last year, so more open cracks. Rodents at camp able to foil my rock bunkers and get to my garbage and food bags.

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