Cpt.Caveman Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 Last weekend - Matt Perkins, David Parker, Bill Pilling and I climbed a fine possible new route on the rarely climbed Princess Mountain on the southern end of the Monarch Icefield. The Northeast Buttress show in attached photo. We managed to also climb a 9100ft peak (possible first ascent no difficulties) we named the Turtlehead while scouting from Monarch West across the Bodra - Dudra Pass finding passage again west nearly directly towards Princess Mtn. The route is about a thousand feet long or so of rock, snow, ice, mixed terrain. We felt it was worth mentioning for others to climb if interested. We believe we made the first traverse east to west of the summit ridge and that this may be the only second route on the mountain at this time. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 24, 2003 Author Posted August 24, 2003 David Parker looking north towards Cerberus and Basin Peak. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 24, 2003 Author Posted August 24, 2003 Mt Resplendance hiding behind clouds- Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 24, 2003 Author Posted August 24, 2003 Unnamed - we called it Flat Top Mountain - Probably unclimbed. Quote
jordop Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 Photos are disgusting Ray Rock looks kinda trashy? Quote
wayne Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 Nice work , guys Tell of the features of the climb. Quote
Fence_Sitter Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 damn nice pics hommes! i'm jealous as fuck!!! sweet trip guys! Quote
layton Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 I'd be worried that Beckey was dead if I saw him sleeping next to me like that. Nice work boyz! Quote
klenke Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 Nice, guys. Tell me, where in B.C. is Princess Mountain and the Monarch Icefield? For mid-August, there sure is a lot of snow still about, which makes me think it's way north. Quote
mattp Posted August 24, 2003 Posted August 24, 2003 The Monarch Icefield is about 200 miles NW of Vancouver. The peaks there are not made of the good granite found in the Waddington area, but it is remote and very scenic. It doesn't see much traffic up there; there is no guidebook. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 24, 2003 Author Posted August 24, 2003 wayne1112 said: Nice work , guys Tell of the features of the climb. I dont understand what you are asking exactly but I'll try. There was a nerve racking schrund crossing on rotten snow and ice bs then lots of steep snow to rocks. Skirted up and left to a good ledge via a gulley. Then up and right to ridge crest passing ice and steep snow. The snow on the east side was a lot more shitty than on the north side of the buttress crest.. A short arete leads up to a rock belay stance on snow. Traversing left one pitch and a belay was set on a good rock ledge. Matt found a clever way by 5th class climbing between the wet overhanging rock to another rock belay. Bill ventured back onto the ridge crest via some mixed climbing snow and some rock to another ledge. David and I climbed with a running belay at the end to make pitches longer on rotten snow and some loose rocks. Another easy pitch lead to the summit ridge. Our descent took longer than expected down the Dudra route. I believe more snow would make the descent twice as fast. Most of the climbing lies on the east side of the buttress crest. By the way - the photo I called Resplendence is actually Mt Stupendous - Beckey says it has shitty rock. We spotted 3 grizzly bears and bald eagles. I will post some photos of the rock walls of Bella Coola as well some time during the week. Quote
salbrecher Posted August 25, 2003 Posted August 25, 2003 As we skiied by Princess last year I made some comment along the lines that it would sound kinda lame to say "man, we did some sick new route on "Princess" Mt" as opposed to "man, we did some sick route on...(insert scary peak name)" Nice pics and congrats on the route . Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted August 25, 2003 Author Posted August 25, 2003 (edited) salbrecher said: As we skiied by Princess last year I made some comment along the lines that it would sound kinda lame to say "man, we did some sick new route on "Princess" Mt" as opposed to "man, we did some sick route on...(insert scary peak name)" Nice pics and congrats on the route . Danke- It's not a sick new route for sure. I am not that good of a climber but it will provide challenging climbing for most moderate climbers like myself. It was all Perkins' idea anyway.. Attached is a photo of Beckey contemplating weather on Monarch Mountain This photo of Matt's looks real good too. Edited August 25, 2003 by Cpt.Caveman Quote
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