Sloan solo

[Jim]

Thinking of going up the tourist route on Sloan via Bedal Creek. I've done the west face a while ago so don't quite remember the bottom of the ramp. Is is possible to scamper across the top of the glacier to acess the ramp alone? Appreciate any beta.

[Quien_Sabe]

Go solo the glacier?

Power to you, but someone in our group fell in just last week

 

[Jim]

Are we talking the same route? I'm talking about Bedal Creek to the top of the glacier - can't be more than 200 yards or so to the ramp. Or do I not remember it correctly?

[Quien_Sabe]

I guess not, I dont have my beckey book with me, but you said "glacier" so I assumed you meant the sloan glacier.

[catbirdseat]

Sloan Glacier is the only one on the mountain to my knowledge. The corkscrew route requires crossing it. There is a fourth class scramble to reach the ledge from the west ridge coming up from Goat Lake, but I haven't gone that way before.

[mvs]

Sunday I descended via the Ramp Route back to Bedal Creek, and it is a route which it makes sense to solo (as opposed to the Sloan Glacier route).

 

The route is as described in the Green Beckey book. The interesting points

 

1) are getting from the snow to the rock of the lower ramp (there is at least one snow bridge here that is very solid)

 

2) The slabs of the lower ramp are easy to climb up, but you might want to make a rappel on the descent.

 

3) There is a 5th class short pitch getting from the lower ramp to the corkscrew trail in an open book. We were glad to be able to rappel that.

 

So carrying a rap rope may be a good idea.

Have fun!

 

 

[dberdinka]

I've been up Bedal Creek, up the west face then down the ramps and "glacier" you're describing on what I think is more the SW face. I downclimbed the ramp to snow on 3rd/4th class slabs at the bottom. So it all goes.

[Jim]

Exactly what I needed to hear. Thanks dude.