South Twin - West Ridge (Southerly one)????

[Stefan]

There appears to be two west ridges of the South Twin. The northerly WEST RIDGE, most people climb. However, I am interested in the southerly WEST RIDGE. A road appears to go to 4100 feet on this ridge from satellite pictures.

 

Has anybody been on the southerly of the two WEST RIDGES for South Twin?

[Bill_Simpkins]

There is only one West Ridge on the South Twin. What you see on the photo is just dark colored land. There is a small peak that lays South of the upper portion of the Ridge, but it is not on a ridge. The Ridge that you see even further south may be part of the Little Sister.

[Stefan]

I am looking at the photo for the roads, but the USGS map definitely shows another ridge--although not as prominent as the one people climb. Still, has anybody climbed it?

[Dru]

There is a photo in Beckey (p 42) that shows that whole side of the mountain

 

I only see one ridge. Unless you think the S ridge is the W ridge?

[Stefan]

You can kind of see what I am talking about on page 42 of Beckey. The ridge I am talking about is to the right of the basin on page 42. The basin is to the right of the west ridge on page 42. On the USGS maps the ridge I am talking about kind of ends at 6100 feet to a "basin" which leads to the summit.

 

The USGS shows that it may be class 5ish from 5600 to 6000 feet and I didn't know if anyone knew about this section.

 

I asking becuase the road goes to 4100 feet with brush ending around 4800 feet. That would only mean 700 feet of bushwacking for this peak! This is why I am so curious about this "little" west ridge.

[Bill_Simpkins]

Those roads by the South Twin ARE bushwacking. They are very overgrown. I think you are talking about the ridge that connects with the South Ridge.

 

The shortest, least painless and fastest way to the summit that I know of is to take the flagged TRAIL to the basin between the North and South Twin, then cut up the snow to the ridge. From here it's a scramble to the summit, and sometimes a little more snow if you cut right across the SW slopes near the summit.

[Stefan]

The fastest way/most painless way you speak of Bill is the best option if you are doing just South Twin. I agree with that.

 

But I would like to do a traverse of the Twin Peaks range from the South Twin going south--to Barbara Peak, so getting back to my car is a logistical problem......

 

P.S. Anybody had access problems with Crown Pacific and the gate at Hamilton????

[scot'teryx]

For your Mountain Porn pleasure

 

 

Taken 5/27/03

 

The Glacier looks very cool on the Southeast Face?

[whiplash]

Climbed Barbara Peak yesterday, no promblems with Crown. You have to stop at the gate in Hamilton and get a permit. There logging up past the gate on Howard Creek, so had to dodge logging trucks on the drive up.

[Stefan]

Whiplash,

 

Were all the gates open? (Sometimes they close them) Thanks!

 

How was the climb on Barbara???

[whiplash]

The gate on Howard Creek that is closed most of the time for elk was open in the morning but closed when we got back at 6pm. The guard said it was open for the loggers only so we parked there and biked in.

The climb was good, bushwacked up into the basin between Barbara and Nancy peak, snow cover made it alot eaiser to get up through the lower section. Took steep snow to a ledge about 100' up the south face, this ledge is about 50' below a nice corner crack with a gold face that you can see from the approach. Climbed 2 rope stretching pitches to summit. Down climbed ridge to the SE until we could scramble down a loose gully and back to our packs on the ledge

[marek]

stefan

one thing for sure, whatever you see on the map as a logging road could possibly be a mini bushwalk.i was just there 2 weeks ago, with 2 feet of new snow i had to turn around from about 1/3 of the ridge ( std, west ridge )

take a bike with you, it will make things easy on the way home.i,ll be there on sunday , again!

marek