Climb: Mt. Stuart-West Ridge
Date of Climb: 7/10/2005
Trip Report:
On sunday Craig (Gyselinck), Liz (Lyger), Kat (Longpause), and I climbed the west ridge of Mt. Stuart. We left Ellensburg on saturday night and camped near the trail down from longs pass, just across from the creek near where the cascadian would spit us out the next day. After a dinner of cheese, wine, and canned chili, we caught a few hours of sleep before waking up at 4am.
We left camp at 4:30 and were approaching the entrance gully when it started getting light. The weather was cool with some high clouds and even some blue sky to the west.
The gully climbing was fun and straightforward and not too exposed. We saw many one man bivy sites and a few rap slings on the way up.
Eventually we came to the top of the gully at a notch and got a look down another possibly entry onto the route, which looked like slush covered rock and loose crap.
From here we traversed over a rib and below Long John Tower where an easy but exposed class 5 section led us around the tower.
From behind Long John Tower we began traversing west below the ridge crest for several hours while the weather slowly began to suck. The traverse to the summit notch was less interesting and more complicated. We followed a series of discontinuous climber/ goat paths over several "minor ribs" to the summit notch. During this time, Gyselinck continually whined that he was looking for more burly adventure. This was obviously a cover for his overwhelming fear. I guess he's just not as tough as most people.
At the notch, we intended to scramble as much as possible, but a slick ice ledge prompted us to pull out the rope. The final few pitches were thankfully not "lot's of fourth class terrain covered by a shitload of unconsolidated slop" as JayB reported in June, conditions here were much improved. Gyselinck led the way as we simul climbed and belayed the odd pitch to the summit.
The final pitch was a left facing corner that Gyselinck recalled being "really scary in crampons and in a whiteout" that ended up being thirty feet of awkward 5.8. Since Gyselinck is like 30 feet tall, the rest of us had trouble following the opening move so Longpause stood on my shoulders to reach a key hold. This was probably my favorite move I've done in the mountains.
We didn't stay long on the summit because it was raining/snowing and we couldn't see far so I tossed a piece of cheese down south from the summit and headed east.
Guided by carins and craig's magic box (GPS) we later found the piece of cheese and immediatly Craig shoved it in his mouth, snarling at anyone who made a move to take it from him. Eventually we made our way to the cascadian in low visibility and after a knee aching descent we arrived back at our camp where we packed our bivy gear and headed back to the car.
Good route except for the crap weather and the soggy descent.
There is an exposed snow section just below the summit and snow at the top of the cascadian. Ice axe was very useful.
Thanks for a good trip guys and thumbs down to Lyger and Longpause for spooning in the tent while Gyselinck and I were spoonless in the dirt.
Gear Notes:
Ice axe
Gear for two rope teams of two
Could have used more than 1 liter of water (had to bum off of others)
Edited to add that photos should be up this afternoon
