Went up and tried to the climb Mt. Index by the East route yesterday. Though I didn't summit, the day was a fun exploration with some challenging climbing. Unfortunately it's tough right now focusing on the good stuff because of one bit where I nearly got really f*cked up or dead.
Due to constantly changing days that I could get out I ended up heading out Sunday without a partner. The avalanche forecast was nearly saying "go for it, conditions are the safest they've ever been", so I decided to give Mt. Index a try.
Things went well up past Lake Serene then up the ridge out on the East shoulder of Index. It was steep and fun cramponing with lots of yarding on bushes. I was stymied at a particulary exposed spot for quite a while then finally figured out the problem using mossy rocks and large tree branches. I ran the scenic ridge and then slogged across the huge powder bowl East of Mt. Index to the "obvious gully". Halfway up the gully it started to look like the time I took figuring out the ridge and the increasingly deep snow was gonna keep me from the summit. Between not being confident I would summit in time and nerves about what lurked around the corner up the giant couloir I was ready to turn around. Down climbing the trickier part of the ridge was weighing on me too.
Glissading down the bowl was great. I was basically skiing with my boots on the hard crust a foot deep in the powder. Skis would've been excellent. I tried to avoid the steeper part of the ridge on the way down, but no dice. Downclimbing the cruxy parts all ended up going well though, just with a lot more trepidation than on the way up.
I passed the crux and had now met another pair of tracks that I left behind at the first tricky spot. I definitely let my guard down as I didn't remember anything scary below that part.
I pushed through a tree and just noticed I was off route as I saw my tracks out on the other side of a little gully. I don't remember exactly what happened next but as I turned to figure out how to get back on path I started sliding. I remember thinking, that it wasn't too bad. I was not in an exposed position, but you never know. So I concentrated on quickly arresting and I did. When I got my wits back about me I had my arm wrapped around a little bollard of snow that I must have made by thrusting down my hands in an attempt to arrest. I looked down and my feet were both hanging over the top of a steep dihedral, coated on each wall with ice. It was probably 30 feet down the ice to the next snow, which was not much less steep which carried over another bulge before the steepness ran out. "Holy fucking shit!" went through my mind a few times as I got myself composed.
There was a half a brown tree, probably about 20 pounds on top of me. Either it broke and caused the fall or I broke it off on the way down. It was now hung up on my pack and in my face. I dug out the bollard and held on as best I could, praying it didn't give way. I kept my right leg still, as it was apparently holding some of my weight, but I couldn't get a look at it. My left leg was dangling.
I found a marginal purchase with my pick then carefully pulled up on the bollard. When I got a little better situated I made sure the tree was not tangled with anything then heaved it off. Finally in reach of some sorta live looking alder I had two independent handholds and I pulled the left leg up to a spot that would hold some weight. A bit more careful maneuverings and I was standing back up and out of immediate danger.
When I found the trail I had taken up I was surprised that it traversed on a fairly thin ribbon of snow right above the ice-covered slab I almost took a ride on. There were no tool placements above. Purely trust your feet territory. I guess I hadn't given it much thought on the way up since I was following someone else's tracks. I was giving it a lot of thought now!
My tracks wound around below and I met up with the bush that I had tossed off my backpack. It had come to rest probably 100 feet downslope. The fall probably wouldn't have killed me but with a 30 foot start down very steep ice, with crampons and an ice axe attached to me and no helmet, I'll bet I would've been pretty f*cked up. Not having a partner that day could have sucked big time.
So there it is. I don't know if this is the best thing to be sending this out to the internet. Especially with all the trip reports today of glorious conquests in the prime conditions out there right now. But I doubt I was gonna get through the day without telling this to someone. I took some pictures of the spot. I don't know if that was a good idea. It'll probably make me wanna puke every time I look at them.
Have fun out there. Be safe.
