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Robson north face


meganerd

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Why does everyone approach the N Face of Robson via the rock/scramble route directly from Berg Lake instead of taking the Kain Route approach up the Robson Glacier? I read somewhere on here that there was some problems crossing the Helmet-Robson Col, so does anybody have conditions for that from last year? Also, does anyone know off the top of their head whether the Rockies are having a light or heavy snow year?

Edited by meganerd
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Dru said:

heavy snow year

lots of lingering instability right now

 

as for why, cause it is way more direct (like 10km shorter) and faster, and less crevasse travel (scramble up 4th class rock instead)

 

I've been up both the Robson Glacier and up the Berg.

 

The R Glacier is a long long way.

 

The worst part of the Berg is fording the river from the Robson glacier. You don't even have to scramble. Go up on the left side of the Berg glacier, then trend further left into a basin, turn some cliffs and then head back right to gain a ramp in the middle of the Berg glacier at about 2/3 height.

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I don't think I mentioned that I wasn't planning to go anytime soon. That would be "sick..."

 

I just get bored during winter when avalanche danger reads "You will die, slowly" and I'm supposed to be doing homework. So I'm vicariously planning my summer out day by day knowing fully that it won't happen remotely like I plan. (At one point I was thinking of going to Alaska and climbing Ham & Eggs on Moose's Tooth. Bwaahhahhahahahhah....:)cantfocus.gifbigdrink.giffruit.gifhahaha.gifhellno3d.gifyelrotflmao.gifmushsmile.gifthumbs_down.gifthumbs_down.gifthumbs_down.gif

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meganerd,

agreed with the others; do the berg lake approach cuz it's WAY shorter. fact is, you can be bivvied on the rock shoulder at about 2600m-2700m, within 1-2 hrs walk of the schrund, in under 24hrs from vancouver. drive up overnite, walk in next morning, shrink the gonads crossing the outlet from berg lake, and hike up to the shoulder. get up early, climb the face, descend the kain, cross back thru robson-helmet col to your bivvy. reward yourself with single malt.

re: N face in winter, those of you who saw barry's inspiring presentation at the vcr mtn film fest will recall he and big jim elzinga and jo jo (i think?) went in to attempt the emperor face in feb, but climbed the N face instead cuz it was -40C. spent the nite on top, i recall, i perfectly clear, calm, deadly cold weather. what a "cool" bivvy - in every sense of the word.

cheers,

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The North face of Robson from Berg Lake

110robson_and_helmet-med.jpg

 

 

Up high on the Berg Glacier

110robson_north_face-med.jpg

 

On this climb we got th the schrund on the north face, but it was too hot to climb the route.

 

I've posted some photos of a successful ascent of the Wishbone Arete in the photo gallery.

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wayne1112 said:

I believe the n. Face hasnt bben done in winter?

 

I believe it has been descended . Now that's good TV.

 

The next big event on that face will be when Dwayner and I descend it sitting on an expedition sled.

Edited by pope
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I tried it with one other many years ago the last week of July/early August. Long hike to base camp (12 km) but on easy trail. We chose to take the direct approach and scramble up the Dog Buttress. Fording the Robson River was interesting since we couldn't see our feet (too much glacial flour) and it was quite swift. We hiked around Berg Lake and then ascended the Dog Buttress directly, mainly 3rd/4th class on rotten rock (imagine about 5,000 feet of shower tiles or peanut brittle) with occasional bands of decent rock. We saw mountain goats frolicking around on stuff we were thinking of roping up over! You can pretty much follow ledges to a final shallow gully that takes you to the top of the buttress and the base of the icefall. We only got that far, as weather socked in, we ran out of food, and had to rescue someone who got separated from his partner and had no gear with him. It was an adventure! Plan for a day to base camp, a day to the high camp/base of the climb, a day to climb and descend to high camp, and a day to come out. You may want to add a "float" day in there for bad weather.

 

We heard from others who climbed it later that the gargoyles on the summit ridge were the hardest part of the climb. A couple other guys we met ended up going up and down the Kain instead, since they couldn't get over the 'schrund. At least a high camp below the Helmet or even as low as the top of the buttress will allow a climb of the Kain Face.

 

I said that if I ever attempted to climb it again, I would go via the Robson Glacier, and give myself two days to get to high camp. Good luck, meganerd!

 

 

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