[TR] Klawatti, Eldorado, Austera - Solo- Klawatti S. Face, Eldorado slog, Austera E. Ridge 8/16/2004

[GreenT]

Climb: Klawatti, Eldorado, Austera - Solo-Klawatti S. Face, Eldorado slog, Austera E. Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 8/16/2004

 

Trip Report:

On Sunday my buddy and I headed up the climber's path up Eldorado Creek to a camp at ~7400' on the Inspiration Glacier. The next morning I awoke to my partner complaining of knee issues. He wasn't going to make the slog up to Eldorado that day as planned. After further questioning, he wasn't sure he was going to make it to Austera and Klawatti the following day as planned. At this point I decided to go solo.

 

I left camp towards the summit of Eldorado at about 6:30AM. I made quick work of the 1500' to the summit, arriving at the snow arete at about 7:30. The skies were clear, there was no wind, and the temperatures were in the 60s. The views from Eldorado are pretty sweet I must say.

 

After about 15 minutes on the summit I made the slog over to Austera. The glacier is in OK shape ... The cracks were easily bypassed by staying high, hugging Tepeh Towers. Once around Klawatti, there is a notch which you go through to drop down onto the Klawatti Glacier. The moat around this notch was heinous, and it took some work to get through. The Klawatti Glacier was in Excellent shape. It took me a little over 2.5 hours to get to the rock bit of Austera from the summit of Eldorado. Once on the E. Ridge, it's just a scramble over to the summit block where there is one final "problem" - which really isn't problematic after a little probing. The "chockstone problem" is easily bypassed via 4th class rock around the back (North) side of the summit tower. I spent a bit of time on the summit of Austera. The views over to Primus, Dorado Needle, and north to Jack, Southeast to Logan and Buckner .. were all awesome. There is no summit register on Austera at this time (although I've heard that there was one at one time).

 

After about an hour on the summit of Austera, I made my way back through the notch (est. 8030') North of Klawatti Peak, and crossed back over to the McAllister and, soon, the Inspiration Glacier. I traversed around the S. Side of Klawatti, which required a drop of about 100', and then ascended steep (45-50 degree) snow above gaping crevasses to gain the S. Face. The moat here is also quite ugly, and I was forced to drop about 80' to find a place to leave the glacier. I eventually got onto the rock in what I believe was the only place possible without pro and climbed steep 4th class (with some 5th) through a wet gulley before the terrain finally flattened out. From here it was about 250' of 3rd class scrambling to the summit (stay slightly left). Again, the views were stunning. Since it was only 2PM, I decided to hang out a bit on the summit (again, no summit register that I could see). I watched intense thunderstorms gobble Logan and Buckner up, while camp stayed dry as a bone. Loud claps of Thunder could be heard in the distance, and torrential downpours were easily discernable by misty clouds dancing around their summit blocks. I eventually left the solitude of the summit and headed back to camp.

 

I got back to camp about 5:30PM, and enjoyed freeze dried Chili Mac with Beef (thanks Mountain House) and about a gallon of lemon-lime gatorade. Another fine weekend in the North Cascades.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Approach Notes:

The trail up Eldorado Creek is steep .. I affectionaly refer to it now as "Stupid steep". The trail is in fine condition. The river crossing can be located ~100' downstream from the parking lot.

[klenke]

Thanks for the TR. This is exactly what I was hoping to read: that the glacier crossings are okay. I was up on the final ridge to Austera in April but with ski boots on and no pro we didn't want to do the final "problem" to attain the true summit. I've been meaning to go back up there (maybe in one-day from the car) to get Austera once and for all.

 

Can you describe in more detail the ridge crossing from the McAllister to the Klawatti Glacier? You say, "The moat around this notch was heinous, and it took some work to get through." What kind of climbing did you have to do? Would a rope or other gear be necessary (I would probably be solo)?

 

Thanks.

[GreenT]

The crossing from McAllister to Klawatti Glacier (est. 8030') is passable, but the moat is melting out quickly. There was only one feasible spot I saw to cross without a rappel. It is in an unlikely spot, and you may not notice it until you are 50 or so feet below it (I went for the obvious notch and the other side had a 30' drop - class 5.ugly with no rope and a wide moat to boot). I think it'll be passable without rope for another 2 weeks.