Stuart North Ridge Beta anyone?

[Hangtime]

I've been searching around for some beta on Stuart N. Ridge. I'm sure someone has already written up detailed beta, but I can't seem to find it, can someone provide a pointer?

 

My main questions are:

- what size rack do I really need to haul in current conditions (late June 05)?

- what are the descent options?

 

Thanks

[crazy_t]

Passed some climbers tues coming down from looking at N ridge, they had bailed because of snow on the early part of the route. I didn't look at it myself though. In good conditions an alpine rack and simulclimbing are sufficient, 1 big cam (3.5 camalot? purple one I think- can't remember but it's been referred to in TRs here) for the 2cnd pitch of great gendarme if you do it. Not a great route to bail on, better up and over, great bivies around summit and get down quickly via Cascadian. We were on W ridge T-W, would imagine snow and ice to be an issue (or a bonus, depending on what you were looking for) on N ridge currently. I would wait for a spell of warm weather before heading up.

[ivan]

there are dickloads of historical trip reports (few containing much imaginative profanity regretably) on stuart available if you go to the "trip report index" at the top of the screen and then get an army of chimpanzees to work the many search options.

 

my advice - do the complete n ridge, in from mountie creek, down the sherpa glacier -plan to bivy either at the toe ridge and fire it all in one day (start real early) or do the approach and climb to the notch in a day, then up and out the next. bring an axe and crampons for sure.

[Toast]

Looks like there's a fair amount of snow right now. This pic was taken two weekends ago and it's snowed since.

 

 

Edited June 19, 2005 by Toast

[Szyjakowski]

the rack of course,is dependent on whether or not you want to climb the notsogreat gendarmne. sunny up there today.

the image toast tried to post:

 

[Buckaroo]

- what size rack do I really need to haul in current conditions (late June 05)?

 

Depends on climbing skill, it's been free soloed. For the average climber a small to medium rack to 3.5. and one 60M.

 

I did the full ridge and approach/descent in guide 10's. No axe or crampons but that was with less snow.

 

 

- what are the descent options?

 

cascadian or west ridge, or sherpa glacier if you approach from the N.