skykilo Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 There seems to be a running commentary here about how people should climb the Kennedy Glacier, so I thought I'd give it a go... We left White Chuck TH 8:37 Saturday morning. We carried our overnight gear and makeup kits to 7,000 feet on Kennedy Peak. Then we continued to climb Frostbite Ridge and scope Kennedy Glacier. The glacier looked doable and interesting. Frostbite Ridge had a nice enough bootpack that we went all the way to the true summit without using the 'poons. We summited a little after seven in the evening. We got back to the skis at ~9,000 feet as the sun went down, just in time for the corn to go crusty. We left camp Sunday morning at about 9:00. The crux of the route may be getting onto the Kennedy Glacier from the Vista Glacier. Kennedy Glacier has HUGE cracks, some of those things had to be at maximum depth. The scenery is spectacular. Up high, Jeff didn't want to climb the Beckey route, so we went further right. The path through the cracks to end-run the 'schrund was circuitous at best, and in the end passing the 'schrund required a couple steps up off a snow bridge on nearly vertical ice. Nice climb. I had wanted to ski the Kennedy, but Jeff was going to downclimb Frostbite. I probably would have skied the Beckey route, but there was blue ice shining through in spots above it, and I didn't know if the same would show up in the middle of the steep portion next to the rock below. It was so warm I got buck naked below the rabbit ears and spent fifteen minutes just erasing tan lines. There was some perfect fifty degree corn at the top of Frostbite Ridge. Yum yum. We got back to the trail head at 8:15, safely below the 36 hr mark. Route photos: http://staff.washington.edu/skykilo/Kennedy/Kennedy.html Vid of killer steep corn: http://staff.washington.edu/jam03/Glacier%20Peak%207-26,27-03/MVI_0461.avi Enjoy Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted July 28, 2003 Author Share Posted July 28, 2003 The second link didn't work, but you guys should be smart enough to figure it out if you want it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stephen_Ramsey Posted July 28, 2003 Share Posted July 28, 2003 Hello, Were you guys the party of two we saw on Glacier Ridge, hiking up towards the Frostbite Ridge route late Saturday afternoon 7/26? If so, thanks for the tracks! We were the party of three camped at 7400' on the ridge. Heard a couple of folks ski by the campsite about 9:30 PM, maybe that was you? Nice TR. -Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted July 28, 2003 Author Share Posted July 28, 2003 That was us on both counts. I can't really take credit for the tracks, I think they've been there for more than a month, but no sweat reinforcing them. Beautiful night to camp up high, eh? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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