Rad

Don't give the media coverage your eyeball hours or clicks Don't click on anything that gives extra attention to the shooter. Don't fan the flames.

As I mentioned above, I'll write up more on this route in a separate thread. Feel free to express your opinions there. Thank you for keeping this thread clear of bolting debates.

You cannot rappel the route with a single 60 meter rope unless you use some variation of tag line techniques. Basically, you tie slings or cord on one end of the rope (in this case you'd need >10 meters worth), tie a knot in the rope at the new mid-point (35 meters if you've added 10 meters of slings/tagline to a 60 m rope). Wedge the knot against the anchor rings (all Fixe ring anchors on this route). Clip the knot to the other strand so you don't somehow pull the knot through the anchor. Clip your rap device onto the full length rope segment (weight to test BEFORE unclipping from the anchor) .Rap on a single strand of rope on the long rope end (not the tagline end)(tie a knot so you don't go off the end accidentally). Rap. Clip into the next anchor. Pull the tag line/sling end to retrieve your rope. Easy. But if you screw it up you could die. You should NOT try it for the first time 6 pitches up an alpine route. Go get it wired in a safe setting and find a better source of information than me. This is a useful trick to have in your toolkit anyway. Or just borrow a 70 meter rope.

Two simple cautionary comments based on our experience and what I've heard: 1 - Top rappel (p7). If you try to rap straight to the p6 anchor from the summit anchor you set yourself up for a short pendulum across the lower face that may swing you into a flake. Instead, rap down to the obvious flake climber's right of the belay, lower yourself along it, then walk left to the belay. Don't un-rope until you're connected to the anchor. 2 - Bottom rappel (p1). The ledge at the start/bottom of the route is still several hundred feet above the talus and there are some exposed spots near the base of the route. It might be wise to walk back to the starting bolt while still on rappel. You can pull the rope from the starting bolt position. Be safe. Have fun.

Sorry to hear that. I'll send a pm about your rope and injury. Yes, that gully is a bad place to be if people are knocking rocks off up high. We've put in a lot of work to remove most loose rock where it's likely to come off, and the gully scramble is short (3-5 minutes max). But there is some danger and helmets and speed in the gully are recommended.

How did you get the route overlay shot? Friend w drone? Google earth? telephoto from Sperry?

I will respond by writing a separate TR on the story of the FA. Actually, there are at least two good stories. So save your style questions and comments for that thread. You'll have to wait a bit, though, because I have work to do, dishes to wash, and will be taking my 7yo to Camp Orkila this weekend. Meanwhile, the weather is looking good for repeats this weekend. The summit register is ready for your entries. And remember, the first rule of Mile High Club is you don't give away the secret. The second rule of Mile High Club is.....YOU DON'T GIVE AWAY THE SECRET.

Think of it as old school 5.9 and you'll be fine. Besides, you can always french free if needed.

Trip: Mile High Club - a new alpine rock route near Vesper, Sperry and Morningstar Peaks. 7 pitches, 5.10a. Date: 9/12/2015 Trip Report: Mile High Club is a new alpine rock route that Darin and I put up this year. We hope you will climb it and enjoy it. The purpose of this TR is to provide information on how to find and climb the route. First ascent stories can come later. We believe this route has all the ingredients of a modern classic: excellent climbing, solid rock, a striking feature and summit, grand alpine views, and a quick and easy approach and descent. The route ascends the southwest-facing buttress of a striking 5280 foot sub-summit of Morning Star Peak. The buttress is a very prominent feature on the east side of Headlee Basin, and it dominates the view from Headlee Pass. The rock, part of the Swauk formation, is metamorphosed sandstone, littered with positive holds, and devoid of continuous cracks. Mile High Club offers seven pitches of excellent face climbing and exposure on the crest of the buttress. Its low elevation and southwest exposure should give it a long season compared with other alpine rock routes. Although this route is fully bolted, climbers must be prepared to handle steep snow in spring, multiple rappels on the descent, and some loose rock on ledges. Care should be taken to avoid knocking rocks off the right side of the route as these will shoot down the approach gully. For this reason, climbers are advised to wear helmets for the short scramble in the approach gully and avoid lingering there. Hikers on the Sunrise Mine trail can hear and see climbers on the route. They could misinterpret shouts among climbers as calls for help and might even activate an un-necessary rescue. This is exactly what happened to the first ascensionists, who were greeted at the base of the route by a hovering helicopter with a spotlight and at the trailhead by a full search and rescue operation. Season: May through October. Approach: ~2 hours, 2100 feet elevation gain. Drive about 28 miles east on the Mountain Loop Highway, turn right on FR 4065 (1 mile past the Dickerman trailhead), and follow it about two miles to the Sunrise Mine trailhead. NW Forest Service pass required. Follow the Sunrise Mine trail approximately two and a half miles to the last major switchback (~4300 foot elevation) before the trail begins zig zagging up to Headlee Pass. Leave the trail and begin a surprisingly easy traverse northeast across talus toward the Mile High buttress. Pass just above a large flat-topped boulder near the first set of trees. Follow a natural passage through the small stand of trees to a second open talus field. Continue across open heather and talus, cross a strip of trees near a rocky bluff, and ascend to the obvious red gully right of the Mile High Buttress. A convenient seep just before the Mile High gully provides water through mid-season and for a few days after rain. Scramble up and left on rubble-strewn ledges to a lone fir tree. Pass the tree on a ledge to a single belay bolt at the beginning of the route. Route: Pitch 1: Hero climbing up and left on steep jugs leads to a beautiful face and arête. 115 feet, 5.10a. Pitch 2: Continue up the featured face to a belay on the crest. 70 feet, 5.9. Pitch 3: Cross a large ledge and ascend a 30 foot headwall with some cracks and good holds. Easier climbing leads to the base of the next headwall. Note that an intermediate anchor about 15 feet right of the climbing line and 10 feet above the lip of the lower headwall is used on the descent. 150 feet, 5.9. Pitch 4: Step right and climb a clean face to the base of a dihedral. 70 feet, 5.10a. Pitch 5: Climb the stunning dihedral and exit up and right to an airy belay. 80 feet, 5.10a. Pitch 6: Head up the lower arête, balance on top of a large flake, and climb a beautiful face to a spectacular arête. 115 feet, 5.10a. Pitch 7: Make a tricky move or two on a vertical face, cross ledges to the final headwall, and follow a clean ramp to the summit. 100 feet, 5.8 Summit: According to USGS maps, the peak is 5280 feet above sea level. This inspired the route’s name. There is a summit register with a secret. Please do not post photographs online or otherwise spill the beans. The idea is that only those who have visited the summit and become members of the Mile High Club will know its secret. Descent: Rappel the route using the pitch 3 intermediate anchor. Avoid a pendulum on the Pitch 7 rap by lowering down to the large flake before walking left to the belay. The starting ledge is several hundred feet above the ground and rather exposed. Climbers might want to traverse back to the starting bolt before unroping. It's possible to pull the rope on the final rappel from that position. Gear: One 70 meter rope, 12 quick draws, and a few shoulder length slings. First Ascent: Darin Berdinka and Rad Roberts, September, 2015. View from the point where you depart the Sunrise Mine Trail. The 5280 peak is on the left. View of the approach from the route. The trail is in the sun in the upper right. The MHC gully is in the lower left of the frame. Route overlay Another route overlay The start of Pitch 1 The top of Pitch 1 Pitch 2 Pitch 3 About to head onto moderate terrain on Pitch 3. Pitch 4 Start of Pitch 5 Nearing the top of Pitch 5 Approaching the arete on Pitch 6 Arete on Pitch 6 Arete on Pitch 6 Pitch 7 just below the Mile High summit On the summit at sunset with Sperry and Big Four in the background. A taste of the alpine ambience: Mile High Club is the right profile in this photo taken from the road. “Climb the mountains and get their good tidings. Nature's peace will flow into you as sunshine flows into trees. The winds will blow their own freshness into you, and the storms their energy, while cares will drop away from you like the leaves of Autumn.” - John Muir.

Boom indeed! I've been thinking the river would be a good way to go on a low snow year. Knowing what you know now, would you still walk the river or try to find that trail?

So would subsequent parties need pins? What's the pro like? R? PG? X? G?

Sweet!

Very nice. Welcome to CC.com and thanks for posting a TR! TRs are the best part about this site, along with connecting w other members of the community. BTW, I got started on this site in 2003 after googling for info on a Pickets traverse, much like you did for bears near Glacier. Many of my idle hours have since been vaporized here, but I continue to find things of value. Hopefully you will as well.

Excellent. My only comment is you should remove everything above, create a new trip report, and paste it all in there. Then you'll have your own TR and record of your trip wo all the bear discussion bs preamble. Sounded like an excellent adventure, by the way. Wilderness is a treasure that captures the imagination and punishes your body. If you enjoyed this consider heading out to the Pickets sometime. Even if you don't climb anything you'll have an adventure.

That last photo pair is kind of scary. MAybe you don't need to take your trips any more. Just take Google earth shots from the vantage points you expect to encounter along the way, have Google generate a story based on your past TRs, experience, fitness, and sexual orientation, which they already know, and voila! Instant virtual trip report!

This time of year rain in the lowlands can mean snow in the mountains, and short days and cooler temps make it slower to melt off than in the summer. Mountain-forecast.com can be a useful mountain weather forecast tool: Liberty Bell forecast example

Sounds like a race to pirate booty complete with a treasure map and clues. Arrr!

Classy!

Nice. If you don't fail you're not aiming high enough, so don't feel like this trip is an error in any way. Also, GPS can help you know where you are on the map even when you're in the brush. Plenty of phone apps out there to help. No need for a separate device.

sport climbers try mountain route Sport climber and her partner are going alpine climbing. Sponsor says, "hey let's do something like the Dawn Wall updates, that worked great!". But it doesn't fit alpine climbing so well. Carlo gets sick and has to go down. There is some loose rock. They get rained off. Then the mountain gets snowy and wet. Then they change objectives to something easier. All very reasonable and normal for real life, but doesn't fit so great with the video blog format. Largo's voice overs just sound silly. Ugh. Contrast with Scott Bennett and Graham Zimmerman's FAs in Pakistan Badassery without the real-time media hype.

I learned that Faith was repeated twice in the past week. The description above is sufficient to get you up and down the route. Once you hit the last ledge there are a variety of options. One party stayed in the corner left of the 10c crack and found 10a climbing followed by 5.9 climbing to the summit. The rock is very clean, the climbing is super fun, the runouts really aren't scary (if you can climb 5.10 you should be fine with 20 foot runouts on 5.7), and the setting is outstanding. I would say Faith and the Sentinel Direct are both quite good and would make good fall routes. Enjoy!

Yikes! Glad you are OK. The gully below the W Ridge of Inspiration is a nightmare of Jenga death blocks, so that might not have been any better.

NY Times article "Why Bernie Sanders' momentum is not built to last"

So are you putting your money on Bernie? Who are you picking for the R nomination?

Oh, and I'll bet $100 it's Clinton and Bush taking the D and R nominations. Who's got another pair?