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New Route on Princess Mtn Monarch - Icefield


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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.

 

230885-Princess1.jpg.2aa22e185761ccb20e23cbea1b6f6a36.jpg

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wayne1112 said:

Nice work , guys thumbs_up.gif

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.

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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 thumbs_up.gif.

 

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 grin.gif

 

This photo of Matt's looks real good too.

 

150davld.jpg

231006-Beckey2.jpg.b883161da7c5b787e10ec6eaa6ce7142.jpg

Edited by Cpt.Caveman
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