Mt. Jefferson, OR

[Country_Jake]

I'v climbed 3figer jack, mt. Whashington, Dimond, and others in the south, but don't have any glacer experience,

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

If a couple of guys wanted to take MT. Jefferson without glacer and snow which rout and what time of year would be suitable?

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Mi is nas cearta an damhan-allaidh air am balla

[imorris]

quote:

---

Originally posted by ruddersbox:

August, North Milk Creek Gully...

---

While I have not climbed that route in August, and I know others who successfully have, that sounds dangerous to me. There was a serious accident there last year from rockfall. One climber lost his sight after getting pegged in the head on his helmet brim and was evac'd by chopper. Fortunately(?) there was a Mazama party in the gully too and one of them had some advanced first aid training.

I would stick to one of the ridges that late, if you absolutely don't want to get on a glacier. The south ridge (a slog until Red Saddle) comes to mind (but you'll be on steeper snow for a traverse at the top). Jefferson is not as much fun off the snow, late in the year in my opinion, but is nevertheless popular. If you do gain some basic glacier skills by then, the Russell Glacier is a nice tame climb and most crevasse hazard should be obvious that late (though considering the snowfall right now, maybe this stuff won't melt out!)

[Country_Jake]

I liked the looks of milk creek area but we were planing to camp at russel lake on the north side... how ins the ridge the run between jefferson park and whitewater glaciers?

[haireball]

I've climbed on the cleaver south of Jeff Park Glacier - the rock is abysmal--genuine "dogturdite". The South Ridge is the preferable route. If you're competent on mid-5th-class rock, you can climb the west face of the summit pinnacle directly from the Red Saddle, avoiding the traverse across the top of the Milk Creek couloir. Otherwise, it's a couple of pitches traversing steep snow (or possibly ice), to reach the scramble route on the north ridge of the summit pinnacle. I've found the South Ridge more enjoyable earlier in the summer, when the scree is still under snow...

[ 03-20-2002: Message edited by: haireball ]

[Country_Jake]

I'm an exellent map reader and have a great topo map program for my comp. but I would just like to have views of a few ridges... such as the ridge that runs along north fork of milk creek ending at the top of Jefferson park GL.; The ridge runing from actual jeferson park up between whitewater and Jefferson park GL.; Or the pass between Russel and Jefferson park GL.,

I wouldn't mind taking one of the southern ridges but I kinda would like to Base Camp at Jefferson park, and go up from there.

[Alasdair]

keep in mind that the travese from red sadle can be farily steep and very exposed to rock fall from above if you choose to climb to the summit after doing one of the south side routes. Here is a link to some pictures of the whitewater gacier route which also ends up at red saddle. There are several pictures of the snow slope and the traverse.

http://www.nwclimber.com/climbing/trips/jefferson1998/jefferson1998.htm

[ruddersbox]

August, North Milk Creek Gully via the summit pinnacle... Bring a helmet for rockfall protection and something with which to ascend steep and deep scree. It is more fun when you ski it down and back, very fun...