[TR] Sherpa Peak - West Ridge 06/24/2018

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: Sherpa Peak - West Ridge

Trip Date: 06/24/2018

Trip Report:

Almost nine years ago I climbed this route.  However I found it unsatisfying for a few reasons:  we struggled with routefinding, I did not actually stand on the summit, forgoing the latter half of the final exposed scramble to the summit, and we got back to the car at midnight despite starting early in the morning.  I had unfinished business here, and it's finally been attended.  Moreover, two of three of my previous experience's downsides were remedied this time around.

We started up the trail at 9 am on Saturday.  There were no real difficulties in the approach, and we took 7 hours to get to the camp at 7400'.  I was quite pleased with this time which was faster than before, and considering my advanced years and being at death's door.  Here we ran into a party of two that I actually knew and we coordinated our start times.  Later we observed a party of three coming down from the top of the Sherpa Glacier.   One member of that party was clearly fatigued and not doing well on descent.  They approached our camp near 8 pm and bivied close by.  We chatted with them:  they also planned to summit the W ridge of Sherpa.  We told them our plans to head up around 4 am.  I heard them leaving the next day at 3:15 am - and we never really overlapped or had trouble.  Thanks to whomever that party was!

We got up at 4 am and headed up.  We managed to stay on route the whole way up and everything went smoothly.  The coordination with the other party made us effectively 3 teams of 2, and we shared a fixed line on the top and rappels all the way down to camp.

All in all it was an 11 hour day camp to summit to camp.  Unfortunately one party member struggled on the offtrail parts of the descent and it took us 7 more hours to hike out, and we arrived at the cars (and beer) and midnight. Well 2/3 ain't bad, and I'm calling this MISSION ACCOMPLISHED.

It is worth noting that while rappeling (around 2:30 pm or so in the afternoon) we noted a helicopter circling the false summit of Mount Stuart.  Apparently there was a fatal accident there.  That was a bit of a downer.  Other than that the trip was quite enjoyable.

Now, pics.

Mount Stuart money shot from Longs Pass:

Climber's trail turnoff at Beverly junction:

 Water break on the traverse into the lower basin at 5800':

Sherpa from the lower basin:

The prominent waterfall below the upper basin:

Perspective on the sweat equity we built on this approach:

Cozy campsite on the flat rock:

Full front views of the false summit of Stuart were in our face all day:

Sherpa's impressive SW face:

Old Geezer on the summit:

 

Gear Notes:
Small alpine rack, ice axe, crampons

Approach Notes:
Standard Cascades Approach