[TR] Inspiration Peak - South Face 07/14/2024

[geosean]

Trip: Inspiration Peak - South Face

Trip Date: 07/14/2024

Trip Report:

Me, @Albuquerque Fred and Mike climbed the south face of Inspiration Peak over two days July 13 and 14. We also walked up Glee on the way to camp since Inspiration in two days wasn't enough exercise for them.

For beta we had @JasonG's TR:

and @Steph_Abegg's beta, although I thought her suggestion to go past the base of the gash was crazy. We did so and it involved an insanely airy step across where the ramp disappears briefly just past the gash, then you climb up just to go back down to just above where you were before the airy step. I say go up the ramp to the gash, then go up, easy.

This photo of Steph's was gold:

 

The camp is melting out with about 5 good sites available and dry.

We had excellent conditions on the glacier, easy navigating up a direct line, then a walk directly onto the approach buttress where we left the snow gear. A pitch, then simul traversing, up the ramp, up the gash, to the top. Easy route finding. We did like 12 or so raps with a tiny bit of down climbing right back to our snow gear. Many of the raps are tough. The big block to start the South Face raps has quick links going both directions, with additional stations below both ways. We went more westerly off the block but it was a hard steep traverse at the bottom of the rap to get to the next station. What have other people done here?

The climbing was, I thought, great in the gash. A good, tough route to a tough peak. Crazily enough the mountain was getting tons of action this weekend. We talked to a group that did the east ridge the day before, another that did the south face, and then on the hike out another going for the east ridge on Monday.

We were stupid and hiked out on the same day as the summit. Around 14 hours camp-summit-camp, 20 hours camp-summit-car. +2.5 home. Ew. In bed at 3:00 am with a 5:30 alarm for work.

The trail:

 

In camp:

 

Fred finding the direct line through the glacier:

 

Easy moat:

 

On the summit, beautiful day:

 

So happy to be on dirt again:

 

Terror Basin conditions from Glee:

Gear Notes:
Single Rack to #2, 2 30m half ropes, crampons not really needed but used, rock shoes.

Approach Notes:
Grueling to camp, easy from there.

[JasonG]

On 7/15/2024 at 3:49 PM, geosean said:

Around 14 hours camp-summit-camp, 20 hours camp-summit-car. +2.5 home. Ew. In bed at 3:00 am with a 5:30 alarm for work.

COME ON!  That is just downright sadistic. 

Well done on a cool route!  I can speak from experience that if you just go up from ramp to gash it is all fine.

[Surgeon]

This is so rad nice work!!