glacier Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Heading up to do N. Ridge this weekend - We are planning on doing the south approach (Longs Pass trail to Ingalls Lake, etc.) Any beta on that approach - e.g. best places to cross the ridge/pocket glacier, etc.? How's the 4th class up to the base of the route? Also, how clear is the decent back to the south site - Cascadian Couloir ('obvious decent gully...") Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 The guidebooks treat this route extremely well, and pretty much the entire approach and route is above treeline, so you shouldn't need a whole lot more. I would recommend you don't approach Ingalls Lake over Long's Pass, though. Keep going over Ingalls Pass to Ingalls Lake, its much easier. Coming back, you'll go from Cascadian Couloir over Longs Pass. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Alex is pretty right on there, go to the lake on the way in because it is more direct to Goat pass, then on the way out go straight over Longs Pass. I have done this 4 times and a differnet way each time. The first time we stashed bivi gear at Ingalls Lake. Bad idea, it is a very long way from the summit back to Ingalls Lake and it turned into a mini epic. Second time we approached via Longs pass and set a camp in in the valley next to the river, basically at the base of the descent gully. The next morning we awoke early and did the whole ridge and were in the tent by 11pm. The two other times since then I carried over and bivied, on Goat pass and on the Summit. This is a good way if you can pack light and can climb 5.8 with a 25-30lb pack. You need to haul the packs on the Gendarm, which is not too bad. Getting on the route is pretty straightforward, crest Goat Pass, drop down a short bit and head acroos the Glacier. The Approach gully sucks, just be carefull with the loose rocks. The descent isn't so bad. Don't go straight down, that is Ulrichs. Head east to the East (false) summit of the peak and go over it. You drop down a steep snowfilled gully facing south east. Down a ways you need to trend right over a shoulder to get into the Cascadian Colouir Proper. It looks good to keep going straight down the big obvious gully, but it cliffs out and puts you way east of longs pass, don't miss the Cascadian (source of my first mini epic on Stuart). Lost more good info on this site, run a couple of searches, have fun! Matt Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted July 7, 2004 Share Posted July 7, 2004 Car to car is the only way to go! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 I suppose, if you enjoy punishment...personaly I like to stop and spend the flowers when i'm in the mountains, never in much of a rush to get back to civilzation... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 spend the flowers nice euphemism. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skyclimb Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 Pic in the gallery of the gully to gain the ridge. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 I know of three parties heading there this weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Squid Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 Yeah.. I know a couple of groups, ...but I'm the only muthafuken PARTAY!!! Aaahm RICK JAMES!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Farrgo Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 I think that car-to-car on this route is very doable. assuming that you have an idea of where your going and can simul-climb basically all of the pitches other than the great gendarme. just leave really early and hit the glacier at first light. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted July 10, 2004 Share Posted July 10, 2004 (edited) Car to car is the only way to go! No, actually it's not. I think that camping at the head of Mountaineer's creek is pretty sweet and I don't have anything to prove. Edited July 10, 2004 by Alpinfox Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt Posted July 11, 2004 Share Posted July 11, 2004 When I climbed the N Ridge Dr Jay and I slept on the ledge at the top of pitch 9, great place to sleep. Alpine bivies that are comfy really make the trip special! We had fairly small packs, though we did include sleeping bags. Well worth it. Do the gendarme or you'll want to go back and do it again. I'll take solid 5.9 over sketchy 5.7 anyday! Probably my favorite climb in the cascades. I'd be up for doing it again. If anyone's interested please shoot me a PM. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvs Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 We hiked in to a camp at Ingall's Lake Tuesday night, then got up early Wednesday and gained the North Ridge around 8 am. What a great climb, I love the hand traversing flakes business, and the Gendarme was exposed and spectacular! We were on the summit at 3 pm, which we thought was great until dealing with the really tedious Cascadian Couloir, and the "bad news" trip up to Ingall's Lake for our bivy gear! All that put us at the car at midnight. Has anyone had luck with descending the NW buttress, as described by Kearney? We almost went that way, I wish we had, because it is so direct for an Ingall's Lake camp. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jarred_Jackman Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Think about doing the complete N Ridge, it's really rewarding, you get a bivy on the ridge, and then you don't have to head back in a bunch of times to finish a route you only did part of the first time. It's really worth the extra effort to do the whole thing. You get a lot more worthwhile climbing. Great alpine experience! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbb Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 Hope y'all like smoke inhalation! Great route though, and I second doing the gendarme... we ran out of time, so now I have to go back and do it again. (oh the horror!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mvs Posted July 16, 2004 Share Posted July 16, 2004 yes, the full ridge is a must do. I actually want reasons to go back to that climb again, that is a good one! I've done the Mountaineer's Creek approach twice now for routes on the north side, it is a great way to go. Definitely that way for the full ridge. Does anyone know why Kearney recommends hiking to Stuart Lake instead of the usual way? From the ridge it looked like some pretty bad brush awaited you between the lake and the glacier. Puzzling. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCash Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 yes, the full ridge is a must do. I actually want reasons to go back to that climb again, that is a good one! I've done the Mountaineer's Creek approach twice now for routes on the north side, it is a great way to go. Definitely that way for the full ridge. Does anyone know why Kearney recommends hiking to Stuart Lake instead of the usual way? From the ridge it looked like some pretty bad brush awaited you between the lake and the glacier. Puzzling. Not sure. It seams much easier to take the west fork of Mountaineer Creek up. Where is a good spot to bivi for the lower north ridge if approaching from the north? Are there good spots near the toe of the ridge or along Mountaineer Creek? Has anyone seen the condition of the Sherpa Glacier for downclimbing recently? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 one way i imagine would be quite cool would involve doing the hike in mountie creek in the afternoon. there's a fine bivy site at the toe of the n ridge, about 20 yards away from where the climbing begins - from there an early start and a strong party could climb the full ridge in a day - downclimbing the sherpa in the dusk might be less than fun, and certainly hiking back up 500 feet or so of the moraine to the bivy would suck. you can bivy further down in the creek, which'll be buggy but has plenty of water. there are also spots halfway up the moraine (only a few minutes of regaining elevation at the end of the climb) and at the top, but no running water. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 Sherpa is still in as of yesterday. Make it a point to scope the descent before you actually do it but in a nutshell after the shrund crossing go skiers left until able to skirt underneath some dry glacier aiming for some scree. On the other side of the scree head straight down a snow couloir... snow almost all the way and you avoid a rap. N ridge info: lots of snow still on upper ridge; the slab with crack pitch still had snow on it as well as the gendarme. I might be able to post some pics later today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spicoli11 Posted June 22, 2005 Share Posted June 22, 2005 oh....you asked for it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatswaller Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Approach the N. Ridge by Stuart lake and Mountaineer Creek. Leave your packs just below the Stuart Glacier.Descend to the lower ridge and do the complete ridge packless.Descend and rappel the upper west ridge to notch.Go up and around Long John Tower to the north side of tower and descend the NW Buttress back to the Stuart Glacier.Walk by packs and head home.Piece of cake. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MCash Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 So how hard is the NW Buttress to downclimb? Raps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fatswaller Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Its easy walking down the NW Buttress.Once on the north side of Long John Tower,find slings for a short rap.Then walk down easy slopes.Eventually ends at cliffs,go right towards north ridge.Then a two raps off fixed slings will lead to spur that separates Stuart Glacier from snow fields connecting goat pass.Walk down short,easy glacier section to packs at a camp spot below glacier.Ice axes are not required.Although the NW Buttress does not look like an appealing down climb,it really works out well.Recommended. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Kyle_Flick Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 The Stuart Lake approach is the shortest and easiest as it is mostly trail past Stuart Lake, short section following creek through brush, then up the gully to the toe of Stuart Glacier. Puts one nicely in position for the north ridge, Stuart Glacier Coulior or NW Buttress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ryland_moore Posted June 24, 2005 Share Posted June 24, 2005 Don't forget that Erik (previous mod here) and his partner did the complete N. Ridge car to car in a day (a Loooong day!), so the complete N. Ridge is doable in two days for sure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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