skykilo Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 Climb: Inspiration Peak-South Face Date of Climb: 8/14/2004 Trip Report: Justin, Ross, and I climbed Inspiration Peak by the S Face Saturday. We left Seattle too late and were stuck in torpid traffic until Marysville. Justin stopped there and some lady in a truck was nice enough to back into the front of his car while we were getting gas. Beware Friday the 13th in Marysville. All the traffic delayed our arrival at the Goodell Creek TH until 7 pm or so. We had almost enough light to hike to the nice camp sites at the end of the trail without head torches. We started the trail up the ridge just before first light, around 5 am. The climber's path is good, but the distance is longer than the Terror Creek approach. Justin and I had stupidly forgotten crampons, but we managed our way up Terror Glacier somehow. It's a bit broken, and a more impressive glacier than I thought it would be, but very easy with crampons for sure. We got on the face at the lowest point where it meets the glacier. We scrambled a couple hundred feet of 4th class with a couple sections of easy 5th. From a ledge where the highest moat meets the south face, Ross lead a slightly awkward chimney pitch to the major ramp that leads up the south face. We simul-climbed a couple hundred feet of 4th class with Justin and I both leading a rope and Ross trailing. Then I lead up another couple hundred feet of 4th and easy 5th until I made a belay a very short pitch below the beginning of the great gash. Ross lead to a good belay at the beginning of the gash. I lead the first pitch, which featured spectacular face moves and stemming on a very exposed ledge below the overhanging bulge of the gash. There was a perfect belay with enough room for all three of us just before reaching the end of 30m of rope. Justin lead the next pitch, which featured more face moves with the pro a little scarce in a spot or two. Once again there was a perfect belay around 100 ft. This left Ross with the pretty chimney pitch that exits to the West Ridge. I got some cool pictures of him leading up the chimney with the overhanging summit block in view. The chimney pitch was exceptionally fun for all of us with sleeping pads on our backs. It was nice how the climb allowed each of us to lead one of the really interesting pitches of the gash. From where the chimney pitch meets the West Ridge it was one easy move and some 4th class to the summit. It was 6 pm. The views were hella cool. We were uneasy about the apparent rain down McMillan Creek, as we had been uneasy about thunder and rain to our south while on the face. We made four rappels down the West Ridge, then a bit of downclimbing to a sketchy rappel down the South Face. Five more rappels, including one in which shenanigans ensued after someone forgot to untie the end of the rope before pulling on it, and it was dark; we were a couple hundred feet above the glacier. Ross and I agreed that the glacier was no place to go in the dark, despite the fact that we were all out of water. We settled for the night. I made proud use of my Jagermeister and Rasta bivy kit. There was a shower or two, but we were grateful for the generally dry night without wind. Sunday morning we rappelled twice more. Justin and I had mad fun working our way down an icy, crevassed section through a couple bridges without 'poons. Ross talked a lot less shit than I would have, had the situation been reversed. Oh well, his bad. And now for a quote from Yvon Chouinard's Climbing Ice: "There are many situations when you could be caught, whether by method or madness, without crampons when they could be useful." Here's to madness... The hike to the car was long and my feet hurt like hell. Now I remember why I never wear those boots. Quote
Ducknut Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 Here is a picture of you guys from above as you threaded your way through the Terror. I was wondering if you guys survived since we watched you about half way through the glacier and then turned around a couple of minutes later and there was no sign of you. Good job. Where did yu bivy the first night on the Goodell Creek approach? Quote
skykilo Posted August 16, 2004 Author Posted August 16, 2004 We camped at the end of the old logging road, right next to where the climber's trail heads up toward the ridge. How was the West Ridge of West McMillan? (That's what you climbed, right?) I got some sweet photos, I'll try to scan some tonight and post them tomorrow. Quote
ashw_justin Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 Oh yeah there we are. I had to check the hi-res version in the gallery... That must have been right at the end of the sketchy broken section of the glacier. We were able to cruise on easy snow from there up to the base of the route. We had bivied at the first camp spot at the bottom of the steep trail, about 3 or 4 miles from the car. That made for a very long summit day and led to us bivying on the S Face. We saw you on your way up to Mac Spires on our way around that small lake, we (mistakenly?) did a high traverse above it on the way in. How was your climb? Were you all (7?) in the same group? Quote
mvs Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 Skykilo, you went in on Saturday right? Coming out on Friday night, Aidan, Theron and I met some strange folks near the Goodell Creek Campground. One being was on a raised dias near the river, surrounded by prayer flags and lying on red cushions. He/she didn't acknowledge me as I passed. Very strange after seeing no other human for many days. Quote
Ducknut Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 They were vision questing. We ran into their ?leader? when we started out. She asked that we not speak to anyone we saw or make eye contact with them. WTF? We had a good time and it was a fun trip. Feet are sore now and the quads are burning from the descent. We camped at about 5400 feet and was wondering where you guys came from cause when we first saw you it appeared that you came up Terror Creek. How did you like the climbers trail going up to the ledges? Where did you find water? We did lots of 4th class scrambling and rock trundling. Tried not to kill each other but it was close a few times. Made the tasty mighty fine. Quote
AllYouCanEat Posted August 16, 2004 Posted August 16, 2004 Nice work sky. I was wondering what you were doing. Nice climb and entertaining TR as usual. Quote
mvs Posted August 17, 2004 Posted August 17, 2004 They should go in a little deeper to vision quest. The Southern Pickets are damn popular these days! Quote
JoshK Posted August 17, 2004 Posted August 17, 2004 They should go in a little deeper to vision quest. The Southern Pickets are damn popular these days! Real men climb in the northern pickets. Quote
skykilo Posted August 17, 2004 Author Posted August 17, 2004 Here are some pictures. The Southern Pickets, L->R is the Chopping Block, Degenhardt, the Pyramid, Inspiration, and McMillan Spires. Ross climbing off the glacier before we get the ropes Ross leading a pitch to get to the huge ramp Ross following the first pitch of the gash Quote
skykilo Posted August 17, 2004 Author Posted August 17, 2004 Ross getting psyched for the chimney Ross in the chimney Justin and Ross on the summit, with Despair, Degenhardt, the Pyramid, and Shuksan in the background Quote
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