[TR] Mount Temple - Greenwood Jones 08/03/2017

[John Frieh]

Trip: Mount Temple - Greenwood Jones

Trip Date: 08/03/2017
 

Details: Given the reputation and lore select Canadian Rockies north faces hold I've always wanted to climb one but never had the opportunity minus a failed attempt on GCC on Kitchner way back in the late fall of 2008. High my list was/is any route on Mount Temple but avy conditions in the winter and grizzly conditions in the summer/fall had prevented me from ever trying.

My understanding is most years the CAN parks require (communists  ) a minimum party size of 4 for anyone entering the area below the north face or risk BIG fines (and possibly a grizzly encounter ). As finding another team of 2 keen on an alpine start that was also willing to climb a different route was pretty much impossible I never have had a chance to try.

However in August of 2017 I heard they made the party size a recommendation and not a requirement. Lucky for me Daniel Harro was also keen so we pointed it north. Based on dawn & sunrise times and our plan to filter water at the lake we settled on a 3:30 departure. We started the face slightly later than I had hoped and wandered around trying to make sense of the beta before settling into the route.

Everything you heard is true: choss to perfection and everything in between. Not the worst rock I have climbed but Oregon volcano climbers have a high threshold. Managed to climb it without placing pins but we definitely clipped a few along the way. 

All in all an awesome route and deserving of the status. I definitely want to come back for Greenwood Locke (in colder temps) and the Cardiac Arete on the Grand Sentinel looks awesome.

We found this TR in conjunction the most useful for route finding but even then we scratched our heads more than once and I had to reverse/downclimb a few false starts. Pins can show the way as well as get you way off route 

If you try to do it in a day (which I recommend as it makes the packs more manageable) you need to save as much daylight as possible for the descent; I would expect attempting to follow the cairns down in the dark even with a headlamp challenging at best especially if you go back to your car via Paradise Valley. A google search will turn up more than a few TRs that detail a night spent out high on the mountain.

Gear Notes:
Standard rack. Took pins but didnt use them. Crampon and mini ice axe.

Approach Notes:
Opted for the car to car option

Edited May 22, 2018 by John Frieh

[John Frieh]

GPS struggled at times on the face but it give you a good general idea of the route.

SuuntoMovie.mp4

[JasonG]

That traverse pic is crazy!  Wow, thanks for posting this, it isn't often you see a TR from these types of routes.

[layton]

Thanks for sharing John. That's one of those routes always on the list but never makes it past the daydream stage in my planning. Thanks for the vicarious send!

[Trent]

Wow! Thanks for posting. That traverse pic is impressive!