[TR] Mount Stuart - Direct North Ridge 06/01/2019

[specialforest]

Trip: Mount Stuart - Direct North Ridge

Trip Date: 06/01/2019

Trip Report:

Disclaimer: in 2019 snow melted very fast.

At least three parties made it to the summit last weekend. All crux pitches are dry. Some running water on easy pitches below the notch. The slab pitch is partially covered with snow. Need to cross patches of snow on the upper mountain from time to time. There are four scattered bivy spots on a ground after pitch five, a few spots higher up along the route that are not covered with snow but can fit one or two, a large snow ledge about 400 ft below the end of last pitch towards a false summit.

Descended via Sherpa glacier. Left side (skiers) of it gets early sunshine and snow was soft to descent without crampons at 9am. Though my partners used them. Right side that stays in a shade was hard as rock.

Gear Notes:
BD .1, .2, .4 to 4.; Metolius 0&1; small nuts (placed one nut just because I can); 6 singles & 6 doubles, cordelette, ice axe, bivy, 1/2 crampons

Approach Notes:
ticks are swarming

Edited June 8, 2019 by specialforest