Route Reviews

[crusty_climber]

What are some good uns?

 

Let's hear the good and the bad of some of the routes you've done in the range.

 

Let's hear why?

 

Leave out the sufferfests if the route was a pile of doo.

 

I like the North Ridge of Mount Stuart, the East Ridge of Eldorado Peak, Prusik Peak by the West Ridge, Sulphide Glacier of Mount Shuksan, Easton Glacier of Mount Baker, and the Serpentine Ridge of Dragontail Peak for example.

 

Some bad ones. Or should I say over rated are the West Ridge of Sherpa Peak, the South Face of Ingalls Peak, the North Face of the North Peak of Mount Index.

 

Name as many as you like. You don't have to tell us why.

[layton]

What's up w/N.Face of N.Peak of Index in winter being overrated? Just curious.

[DPS]

North Face Shuksan

 

Approach difficulty: Overated

Route quality: Overated

Quality of the company: Could not have been better (Colin and Juan)

[Szyjakowski]

the Joust on sface of prusik. condorboltarama...suks...too many studs on that one... cracks to the left are cool though.

N ridge of Stewart kix

many more but can't think this morn.

[crusty_climber]

michael_layton said:

What's up w/N.Face of N.Peak of Index in winter being overrated? Just curious.

 

You tell me. Never did it winter. Probably better as a winter climb.

[mattp]

I did the full Index traverse in late summer many years ago and I thought it was great! It is extra-sub-alpine and the rock is generally poor to mediocre, so you might not like it if moss, brush and poorly protected loose rock are not your kind of thing -- but it's MOUNT INDEX! In my book, the N. Face is not a bad route, unless you are looking for something really good.

[crusty_climber]

mattp said:

I did the full Index traverse in late summer many years ago and I thought it was great! It is extra-sub-alpine and the rock is generally poor to mediocre, so you might not like it if moss, brush and poorly protected loose rock are not your kind of thing -- but it's MOUNT INDEX! In my book, the N. Face is not a bad route, unless you are looking for something really good.

 

It sounds more like you think it was cool to do it once and that you'd never have anything to do with it again since you bagged all the summits?

[Szyjakowski]

crusty_climber said:

mattp said:

I did the full Index traverse in late summer many years ago and I thought it was great! It is extra-sub-alpine and the rock is generally poor to mediocre, so you might not like it if moss, brush and poorly protected loose rock are not your kind of thing -- but it's MOUNT INDEX! In my book, the N. Face is not a bad route, unless you are looking for something really good.

 

It sounds more like you think it was cool to do it once and that you'd never have anything to do with it again since you bagged all the summits?

i heard this route is better in winter conditions.

need to climb index...need to climb index....need to climb....

[mattp]

Crusty: I haven't gone back so, yes, I would have to say that part of what made it cool was simply getting up those peaks that I've driven by so many times. But for the last couple of years I've been looking at some different routes on those peaks that look interesting to me. I take it you wouldn't likely be a willing partner.

[crusty_climber]

I'm willing to crust my way up Index only in winter after my last foray. I'd rather go to the Canadian Rockies instead. Mt Index is like a giant dingleberry

[Dwayner]

The effortlessly cool MattP speaks truth. Mt. Index North Peak might not be the most aesthetic of ascents, but it usually is a nice adventure. I did the Traverse route several years ago, left the car at around noon and bivied on the tiny summit of the north peak where we could look down and see tiny little headlights on Highway 2 below and a great night sky above. The next day, the route finding and some of the climbing were challenging to the Middle and Main peaks and a lot of fun although we found no water that entire second hot August day until late afternoon when we hit the main peak and drank out of some puddles on top. The Traverse has been done in winter at least once, although I think it was during one of those crazy winters where there wasn't really snow up there...it certainly would be interesting in full-on winter conditions.

Anyway...the point....Mt. Index....good. And bring lots of water in late summer. (By the way....I climbed the north peak.north face once with a guy who was drunk....and no, it wasn't me.....when we got to the summit I asked him where his water bottle was and he pulled out a big old flask of whiskey that he'd been nursing all day. The guy could operate like that....must take years of training.

 

- Dwayner

[slothrop]

crusty_climber said:

Some bad ones. Or should I say over rated are... the South Face of Ingalls Peak...

 

The two pitches of 5.easy, though fun, aren't really worth the hike, but it's not a bad outing if you climb the east ridge first, then rappel and climb the south face. I thought the super-slippery green rock in the initial chimney on the e. face route was cool. Great view of Mt. Stuart, too, and Ingalls Lake is a pretty spot.