[TR] Mount Challenger - Easy Ridge to Challenger Glacier 09/03/2018

[geosean]

Trip: Mount Challenger - Easy Ridge to Challenger Glacier

Trip Date: 09/03/2018

Trip Report:

Fred and I did Challenger in 3 days over the Labor Day weekend via Easy Ridge. Simple conditions/bragging report is all you will get since the route is pretty straightforward and well documented. 

Good trails and cool weather made 15.5 miles and 6500' vertical melt away to camp on Easy Ridge just before point 6553'. The next morning we descended and crossed the Perfect Impass. This was easy, ascend 150' up from the base of the buttress, boot tracks will aid you; follow a faint self system. The climb back out was better than it looked up to come red rap tat (sketchy to rap off of)! The Steph Abegg beta photo is only good when the Impass is filled with snow which it was not.

We cruised over Perfect Pass and traversed the glacier to the NE ridge of Challenger. The various moats and bergschrunds appeared to be impassable so we took the rock to the left, scrambling in crampons, then up the steep snow arete to near the summit rocks. The top out was easy, 4 pitons and a fixed cam, a ridiculous amount of pro for 30' of 5.5 and a couple of scramble moves. 12 hours camp to camp.

Down to camp again and out the next day in the fog, perfect timing on the weather.

 

Easy Ridge Trail down low, it improves higher up:

 

Challenger Glacier from Perfect Pass:

 

Fred on the glacier:

 

Looking up to near the summit from the ridge.

 

Luna Cirque:

 

Fred's awesome summit shot of me, thanks!:

 

Hiking out the next morning:

 

Gear Notes:
Glacier Gear, 4 slings

Approach Notes:
Trails all in good condition, Chilliwack River was an easy ford, attaining Easy Ridge was better than many "maintained" trails.

[G-spotter]

I took a summit shot of you as well. You're pretty small though

[bellows]

Nice trip report and pics.  I love that climb!  The summit picture is a classic, so much so that it's the cover of Nelson's Selected Climbs vol 1.