erik Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 i think i did it in may back in like 96 or sumpin does that help?? Quote
JoshK Posted April 9, 2003 Author Posted April 9, 2003 No, not really Was wondering what the supposed ice pitches might look like now from somebody who has been up there this early. I'm thinking I'll find nothing but snow... Quote
scott Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 I did it in early april a long time ago. it was apparently the first ascent of the season. it was cloudy just below the ice pitches. we had a pitch or two of 50 to 60 degree neve/ ice (we didn't belay) and then 15 feet of WI 3 that was running with water. it was blue glacier ice and was kind of hard at 9600 feet. this was the only part where we belayed. bring two technical tools just in case the upper part of the route was easy, meandering around crevasses, and very scenic. the summit was struck by lightening just after we got there. the descent must have been cake- we ran down i think- i don't remember it. this is a good route to do car to car. the glacier approach was kind of awful, too many crevasses in the dark, punching through etc. also, the night before a huge piece broke off top of the coleman headwall area and came crashing down, house sized chunks we wandered by the next morning. it was warm. i would bring a few pickets and two ice screws. Quote
scott Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 obviously, it depends on the conditions. the person i did it with thought it was a little tough for a very short while, and he has guided 8,000 meters. we couldn't pick a route on the headwall area because it was cloudy, so we just climbed where we ran into it. the next people to do it after us died. it took us less than 7 hours round trip from camp. not very hard, but i would still bring a second tool and a couple of screws. Quote
JoshK Posted April 9, 2003 Author Posted April 9, 2003 whoa, died? what party was this and when? I don't recall that. 8,000 meters is tough, but it doesn't always mean you can climb technical. Quote
erik Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 yeah no offense on the guide comment but in reality it means shit!!! certainly there are good guides and there are more run of the mill guides...but who cares!! there is only one guide i respect personally and he is my best friend..the others are just climbers.....selling the backcountry!!! i did it with a homeless bum(seriously!) and a skool teacher.... we did have two tools(and theu were not my partners!) ha! Quote
Dru Posted April 9, 2003 Posted April 9, 2003 its a pretty long approach for essentially a pitch of ice. Quote
erik Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 Dru said: its a pretty long approach for essentially a pitch of ice. I WAS JUST THIKING THAT WHEN I WAS TAKING A LEAK! Quote
specialed Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 You atleast gotta do it in August or September Quote
genepires Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 If you are looking for a real alpine ice climb, wait till august like mentioned earlier. But if you are looking for a good mountaineering climb, then the NR is a great climb. I've done it in several different months (including may) and I've always enjoyed it. It was my first ice lead back in 92. The glacier travel to the route should be OK but I did punch through in may a couple of times. Might want to scout out a path the day before or have a good time by going through it in full daylight and bivy on the ridge below the serac "ice" wall. Never done that but heard from others that it was really cool. (of course you would carry over) Be wary of avi conditions though as there are a few slopes you climb up that are the prime angle. I would bring a few more screws than previously mentioned. I would bring four and have one screw for each belay and two for pro. I would definately bring pickets for running belays. Those deaths mentioned earlier I believe were the russians who fell while roped up without a running belay. I lost a climbing partner in another similar situation. Something to think about. As far as the two different starts, I like the right side start. (the face vs. the full ridge) You get more steep snow climbing that way. Enjoy the mighty Baker-horn! Send me a PM if you have any questions. Quote
catbirdseat Posted April 10, 2003 Posted April 10, 2003 We did it in June of last year and encountered a lot of unconsolidated snow over ice above the ice step, which made for some scary climbing. We only had two pickets and which we had more for running belays. The ice step can be done in various ways. You can climb the face of the step for a short but almost vertical ice pitch, or you can go around to the east for a longer, but easier and more meandering two or three pitches of alpine style ice. The glacier crossing was quite straightforward. We wish we had done the climb a little later in the year. This year, June might be best. I suggest just camping at Marmot Camp and setting out from there at about 4 am. You can do the climb as a one day, as we did, but it wasn't all that pleasant losing all that sleep. Quote
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