cfire Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 Left car at noon Wed and got to east ridge of Eldorado by 5PM. Got one of the primo bivi's on the lower ridge. Left camp 5AM Thurs and traversed the Inspiration glacier to the McAlister/Inspiration col. Dropped down by Dorado needle, through the col, and down the 1500' or however much it was...too depressing to think about loosing all of that elevation. Traversed around the bottom and then picked the wrong gulley to ascend to the climb...we broke uphill too early. We ascended a loose, scary death gulley to the ridge and then dropped down to the correct gulley/cirque. Probably lost at least an hour due screwing the pooch on this part. The climbing was excellent alpine rock. Mellow moves, but good exposure in places, especially the pitch to gain the ridge. The ridge was classic ridge climbing at mid 5th. Hit the summit at 3PM. Downclimbed to the col, then ascended the rubble pile next door and down 60+ degree snow on the backside for 200'. More downclimbing plus a rap over the moat down to glacier. We went down the glacier for a bit, then had to regain rock and downclimb due to schrund. Another rap got us down to main body of McAlister glacier. More ups to the col and back across the Inspiration to camp by 6:30. Left camp at 7:15 and bombed down to the car as I had to work Friday. Got to car by 10PM. What a long freaking day! That peak is buried back there. If you do it,have fun and eat your wheaties.... Quote
Alpinfox Posted August 30, 2003 Posted August 30, 2003 Hi cfire, Ken4ord (another guy on this site) and I were the two guys you met on your approach while we were on our way out. Glad to hear you got the prize. I guess the visibility improved after we left? Congrats and welcome to cc.com. Quote
CM3 Posted September 2, 2003 Posted September 2, 2003 How were the mice? I hear they are really bad on Baker..... Quote
Alpinfox Posted September 2, 2003 Posted September 2, 2003 We had lots of critters scurrying around us during our bivy at the base of the East Ridge. We were sleeping in bivy sacks in a small depression ringed with rocks and my partner woke up at one point and looked up to see a pika starring at him from the rock about a foot above his head. They didn't chew on/into anything though. Well-behaved Quote
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