DonnV Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Climb: Mt. Jefferson-JPG Date of Climb: 7/6/2004 Trip Report: On Monday and Tuesday, swaterfall (Seth), vw4ever (Chad) and I had a really enjoyable climb of the Jefferson Park Glacier route on Mt. Jefferson. We left the trailhead about 1:30 PM and had an easy and uneventful hike in to Jefferson Park and up to a bivy site near the top of the moraines. Weather was great and the route looked in good shape. We were sacked out by about 9 PM and up at about 2. We brewed some coffee and tea, took our time packing, and were roped up and moving at about 3:45. Temperature was very mild. Snow wasn't rock hard, but firm enough for good cramponing. We were able to take a very direct line straight up the glacier until we reached the main schrund near the top. Chad checked out the left side and, while it probably would have gone with enough time, and would have gone very quickly with harder snow, the soft conditions made it far preferable to skirt the whole damn thing on the right side, where the schrund didn't quite span to the right wall. We quickly did that, and Chad led up a short stretch of 45-50 degree excellent hard snow that brought us to the col at the head of the glacier. We were about 2 hours to here. We sat for a few minutes at the col for a while to eat and enjoy the last of the sunrise, then Seth took over there and led up the completely bare and dry knife edge ridge, tossing a few slings and nuts along the way as running pro. Once off the top of the KER we encountered relatively poor soft snow conditions that really slowed us down from here to the summit. Seth had some snow give way on him almost right away but fortunately was able to do some weird one-handed arrest to avoid a hard landing (or bounce?) on some rocks just below. Between there and the summit pinnacle he threw in a couple pickets in some steeper parts of the traverse, mostly due to suspect footing rather than slope angle. Along the way we kept looking down the east face at every possible access point, thinking we might spot a mostly snow covered way down for our eventual descent, but everywhere we looked is quite melted out by now and nothing looked at all reasonable. While none of us had ever been up Jefferson, we had to guess the summit pinnacle itself was in relatively poor shape, covered with the same fairly soft snow we'd been on since the top of the KER. Seth more or less waded up an initial steep section, placing one picket where he could. I felt sorry for him at first. Then I remembered that he got to live all winter in Ouray and didn't feel sorry for him any more. A traverse on easier ground, with a couple more pieces of running pro on rock, led to one more move around a steep corner. After some aggressive snow removal operations, Seth quickly moved around the corner and up to the summit ridge where we had only a scramble on dry rock to the top of the north horn. About 5 hours from camp to summit. While the weather had started out very mild early on, it had become fairly cold and windy on the traverse to the summit pinnacle. At the very top, though, it was warm and calm and we relaxed for about a half hour enjoying great views and reading the register. JPG had just been done a day or two before (we had seen tracks most of the way up), and we were the fifth register entry in all for 2004. We knew that Jeff gets climbed far less than most of the other Oregon high summits, but the register was even sparser than expected. We opted for one rap off the summit ridge to avoid some soft downclimbing, then had a fairly easy walk off the pinnacle. We had decided to descend the Russell Glacier, just west of JPG. That worked great once we reached the top of the Russell, but to get there we had to endure a long descent down and across the top of Milk Creek Cirque. Very soft, very hot, very unpleasant. Still probably better than the long traverse across the Whitewater Glacier, which would have been baking in the sun all morning. We ran down good snow on the Russell to where a reasonable traverse on moraine and the rock- and mud-encrusted lower section of the JPG brought us back to our bivy, about 9 1/2 hours after we'd left that morning. The weather was still very pleasant, but the forecast cloudiness had been slowing increasing for several hours. We leisurely packed up, had a fast run down snow to Jefferson Park and, as always, a hike out that seemed much longer than the short hike in. The glacier section of the route is in great shape right now, although the schrund may be harder to pass soon. The snow on the traverse to the summit pinnacle should only get more consolidated as it melts away. Conditions on the pinnacle itself will probably be changing rapidly right now as the remaining soft snow disappears. I know the chossy 4th class is no picnic, but I'd have to think that dry conditions would be a bit better than what we found. And while we could have had better snow conditions up high, we all had a great time on this route. Lots of variety - you're never doing anything long enough to get bored with it. I had been weathered out at high camp on my one previous attempt on Jefferson. It was the first time on the peak for both Seth and Chad. We were all very happy to have tagged this summit. A few pictures here. Many more in the gallery under donnv and swaterfall. Jefferson from the approach trail. JPG from bivy site. The KER and summit from col at top of JPG. Looking back down at JPG from the KER. The traverse to the summit pinnacle, seen from KER. Seth wades up the summit pinnacle. Gear Notes: 1 60m half rope 3 pickets - used a couple 3 screws - not used 2nd tools - not used 5-6 pieces rock pro (stoppers, hexes, tri-cams) - made 3-4 placements 5-6 runners - very helpful, especially doubles We used no gear on JPG itself. The KER in dry conditions is very easy but very exposed. A few double slings around blocks makes good running pro if you want any. My guess is that, in better snow conditions, we would have placed no pickets anywhere, but they were helpful (if a bit hard to place solidly) in the lousy snow we had up higher. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Fun report to read, and nice pictures. thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spacely Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 Nice TR Donnv ! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markseker Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 fine report & photos! what was reason for not tracking back on the JPG route? The knife-edge more dicey in reverse? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swaterfall Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 The slopes at the top of the JPG are pretty steep and you are directly above a large ice-fall. This is why we opted for the Russell galcier for descent. Nice TR Donn. Here's my pics. Chad at the bivy. Donn and Chadd checking out the 'schrund. Our tracks on the JPG. Donn and Chad on the KER. Me and the summit pinnacle Chadd on the descent. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DonnV Posted July 8, 2004 Author Share Posted July 8, 2004 what was reason for not tracking back on the JPG route? The knife-edge more dicey in reverse? I think if your rock skills are good the KER would be a straightforward downclimb. And the top of JPG is a bit steep, but only for a few hundred feet, and then you'd have smooth sailing back to camp. We considered that, but just went for the Russell. You'll know on the way up whether or not backtracking makes sense for your team. You could also diagonal down across toward the Russell as we did, and then regain some elevation and climb back to the col atop JPG, avoiding the KER downclimb completely. Lots of options. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
markseker Posted July 8, 2004 Share Posted July 8, 2004 excellent ideas, thanks donnv. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad_A Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Nice TR, Donn! Glad you two posted the great pics...I have a couple, as well. I'll post them tomorrow a.m. over coffee. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chad_A Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 Ok, here's a few pics; damn, wish I had a digital! Morning sky, looking north, at the saddle: Us, at the bivy, all smiles in the sun: Seth, starting his nice lead of the KER: Finally, a shot from the summit, looking south: Sorry I couldn't contribute more; these guys are much better at taking the photo opps Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
luvshaker Posted July 12, 2004 Share Posted July 12, 2004 I thought people usually traversed the KER on it's south side, it looks like you guys went up and over. If that's the case, how was the rock? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chriznitch Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 hey guys--nice job on JPG. My buddy and I were the 1st summit reg'ers from 2004. We also descended Milk Creek and Russell, although it was apparently in much better shape a few weeks ago. Last year I was almost killed in late July, late in the day on JPG traversing across the dangerous east side under the pinnacles. I prefer to avoid that now... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rbw1966 Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 Is that slothrop wearing the mullet cap? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
swaterfall Posted July 13, 2004 Share Posted July 13, 2004 Nope. And it's not me either. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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