LhotseDreems Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 Hey There, Anyone have some good beta on the complete N. Ridge of Stuart? We have the raw info i was just looking for any little key bits you may have learned the hard way. Thanks! Quote
jon Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 I remember reading a pretty good TR on alpinedave.com Quote
Bug Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 I much prefer the approach via Stuart lake. Let nothing prevent you from doing the Gendarme. You will only have to go back the next weekend. Consider descending the N Face. This depends on your overall skills on a huge Mt but I prefer that to the traverse on the S side. Quote
Jason_Martin Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 Alan Kearney's new book has some great beta on the route. I don't understand how one would descend the North Face... The Sherpa Glacier is an option if you need to descend to the same side of the mountain as the climb or if not, the Cascadian Couloir will bring you down the other side. Jason Quote
russ Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 I've got fairly detailed description from a "one day" push round trip from the Teanaway trailhead. Let me if you want it and I'll try to paste it to PM. Although - if I do it again I'd go via Stuart Lk. Quote
dbb Posted June 26, 2002 Posted June 26, 2002 Here's the ridge as of sunday. Looked like a lot of snow on the few pitches below the gendarme. Quote
joekania Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 Haven't done the N Ridge, but did the west this past weekend- route finding was very tricky. Take a good map and a grain of salt with Beckey's favorite words- ledge, gully, traverse, small distance, total trip time _____, grade 3, 4, 5, etc. looks like a burly, aesthetic route, good luck and good climbing! Quote
Off_White Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 1: Despite the Becky topo, there is no 4" crack in the lower portion. Actually, it was more like a 2" layback crack, at least the way we went. 2: First time was in mountain boots in the rain: don't do that. We bailed at the notch after doing the bottom part. Second time was in rock shoes carrying boots in good weather, much better. 3: Its a pretty long day, but should be doable roundtrip from a camp in Mountaineers Creek. We didn't make it down, but it was September which made a shorter day length and the Sherpa was not a friendly descent route at that time. When it became apparent we weren't going to walk down the couloir due to an inch of slub over rock hard snow and a lack of crampons, we set up a bivy at the top of the gully and spent the last hour collecting tiny twigs for a teeny fire at the bleakest hour. Cold night, I think it was 33 in Olympia at sea level, who knows up there. Only time I've woken up from shivering so hard I was bouncing on the ground. We rapped the gully, which sounds kind of silly in light of recent tales of quick walk downs, but it was the right thing to do at the time. There was one set of slings all the way down, each one on a piece of crap natural anchor. The funny thing was a great anchor could be found within 3 feet of each bad one with a little nut tool excavation. If someone has a good tr of a single day roundtrip push from Teanaway, I'd love to read it. You'd have to be in Lambone shape, and that last grind over Longs Pass would be a real soul destroyer. [ 06-26-2002, 10:35 PM: Message edited by: Off White ] Quote
Lambone Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 I don't know about monster shape... I did it of the couch last year, and I am a total wimp...although we did bivi down at the creek. Here is what I remember about the start. We thought it was fairly obvious. Go to the toe of butress and look up. Look for a wide crack that narrows towards the top and leans to the right. Good cracks lead up to it and out of it. The rest is pretty striaghtforward, just stay on the ridge. Good look, if you'd like more details, send me a PM. Have fun! Quote
bobbyperu Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 lohtse, was out there on tuesday, and the way in from mtneer creek is straight forward, at the first switchback to stu lk head thru, cross creek, good size flow, find log. i stayed high through big talus(cairns), wound along till underneath sherpa glacier (water here) followed good snow up to toe of ridge. rock is dry down low. patches (water supply) higher... sherpa glacier in good shape. random question for anyone out there... anyone been on the girth pillar after half of it fell off??? looks kinda rowdy up there, was wondering if the nelson lewis line still exsists?? Quote
Bug Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Jason Martin: Alan Kearney's new book has some great beta on the route. I don't understand how one would descend the North Face... The Sherpa Glacier is an option if you need to descend to the same side of the mountain as the climb or if not, the Cascadian Couloir will bring you down the other side. Jason [ 06-27-2002, 11:03 AM: Message edited by: Bug ] Quote
jhamaker Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 Re: Lower N Ridge of Stuart. About how many pitches to the ledge at (8,200')? Quote
Bug Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 OK I can't edit. I'm too stupid. Anyway, I think the Becky book describes a route up the west ridge proper. Not the west coulior but the ridge that comes down to the pass above lake Stuart. That route has a descent gully about 3/4 up to the notch at the west base of the summit pyramid. It is a series of rapps through some ugly terrain. It starts with a long sideways rapp to the west. I did it several years ago and would do it again if I were approaching from the north. There is a fair amount of loose rock in there so be extra careful. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 What ridge comes down by Stuart Lake Confusing the way you describe it bug. [ 06-27-2002, 11:34 AM: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ] Quote
Off_White Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 Do you mean the NW Face, which more or less comes down at Goat Pass? I've heard of that one being used as a descent, and loose rock was mentioned. It would be nice to avoid the dip down to Ingalls Creek if you're coming and going Teanaway, but if you came in Mtneer Creek, probably better to use Sherpa Glacier for your descent. Quote
Bug Posted June 27, 2002 Posted June 27, 2002 quote: Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman: What ridge comes down by Stuart Lake Confusing the way you describe it bug. There are two little lakes or ponds above Stuart Lake up a trail that is a little rustic. I think that is up by Goat pass. The ridge I am talking about is the one that comes down there. Anyway, if you are standing at Stuart lake looking up at the peak, the ridge I mean is the right skyline. Whatever the case, it is not for the faint of heart. It is a big wall and there are some routefinding difficulties. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted June 28, 2002 Posted June 28, 2002 Ok that is in the Northwest Buttress area. The actual NW face route falls in between Stuart Glacier Couloir and the North Ridge. Quote
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