[TR] Mt. Maude- N. Face 6/26/2005

[Juan]

Climb: Mt. Maude-N. Face

 

Date of Climb: 6/26/2005

 

Trip Report:

Kurt Hicks (Wazzumountaineer) and I climbed the N. Face of Mt. Maude yesterday after camping Sat. night in Leroy Basin. Jens K. and partner did it on Sat. in a day, and Sergio V. and partner did it recently too, as a day climb. Undoubtedly others have done it in the last few weeks. Needless to say, there are tracks to follow.

 

The snow conditions are getting firmer, making it slightly less of a slog. As Kurt noted, the route is almost steep enough to be interesting. In a month it should be firm enough for crampons, maybe sooner. Right now it's helpful to have a second tool for double plunging, and rope and crampons may or may not stay in the pack depending on one's comfort level on moderately steep snow. There is more snow on the face (and traverse to the face) than when my wife, Erik Snyder and I did it in a day in early July 2001.

 

Leroy Basin is snow free and flowers are blooming. We poked around for the summit register in the snow, but it is either buried or missing.

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe and second tool;

Short rope, pickets, and crampons currently optional.

 

Approach Notes:

Don't miss the uphill turn after the big river crossing (Leroy Creek?)!

Edited June 27, 2005 by Juan

[kurthicks]

Full size pics

 

Sunset on Maude

 

Juan on 7FJ-Maude Col traverse

 

Maude North Face

 

Juan chilling with the Death Cornice

 

Fat marmot posing in Leroy Creek Basin

 

This was a pretty fun trip. Thanks Juan for the burger and Jens for the steps. Time to go back and do the N. Ice Couloir...

Edited June 27, 2005 by wazzumountaineer

[Alex]

sweet!

[Jens]

It looked like some 4th of July fireworks from the Muckleshoots would blast that house sized cornice. Or as the guy who was with me, chriss said, patrollers in Colorado carry dry ice piss bottles to blow em' up with. Anybody make one of them?

[Gary_Yngve]

Nice! I've been wanting to head out there for a while!

[Juan]

A couple more thoughts: The cornice is much smaller than it was two Thursdays ago when I went up 7FJ. Sergio and partner watched a piece come off the right side the following weekend, I think. We were on Jens' tracks at the very bottom, then saw no tracks in the middle of the face until the very top where two sets merge. I mention this only because we went up the debris channel directly below the remaining big chunk as the snow was much firmer. It seemed cold enough that the big guy would stay put, which it did. But it is possible that stuff is still coming down and erased the majority of Jens' steps. Jens could speak to this maybe. Anyway, be careful and enjoy! It's a fun route.

 

John

[sverdina]

Cornice (June 19):

 

 

[philfort]

Sergio, you didn't bring your snowboard?

[sverdina]

ahhhh...I know, I know. Andy B. and I were thinking the same thing as we climbed the face. The snow was actually soft and forgiving enough for a relatively worry free knuckle-dragger descent...providing the cornice stays put.

[blue_morph]

There is more snow on the face (and traverse to the face) than when my wife, Erik Snyder and I did it in a day in early July 2001.

 

 

Your wife's name is Erik?

[Juan]

Hah hah, hah, hah. Hah.

 

No, her name is Kirsten, you buttmunch. The comma is there for a reason. Had I written "my wife Erik Snyder, and I, did it in 1999," or "my wife (Erik Snyder) and I did it in 1999," or even "my wife Erik Snyder and I did it in 1999," you'd have a point. As written, it's a series, like "red, white, and blue," or "red, white and blue."

 

We like Erik an awful lot, but not that much. Nice try though.

 

John

[pbelitz]

Looks like a fun route, nice job all.

 

How much snow was there on the south side?

[pbelitz]

We skied the route on 7/4/05, after approaching from the South Route. While perhaps not steep enough to be an interesting climb, it is certainly steep enough to be an interesting ski descent, particularly for mediocre skiers such as myself.

 

Roughly half an hour or 45 minutes after the descent, we watched the Death Cornice self-destruct and sweep the face with debris (we were traversing to the col at the moment). It should no longer be a hazard to climbers.

 

The South Route is nearly devoid of snow, and the descent from Jack-Maude col has only a few patches left. The Face proper has plenty of coverage, and the approach traverse is easily negotiable.

 

-Paul

 

[goatboy]

I have heard this route described as being 45-50 degrees steep; is that the case?

[skykilo]

I'd guess 50 degrees at the top, and mostly 40-45 below the top 100 feet or so. Those are just my estimates though.

 

Forget all this nonsense about whether it's an interesting climb or not. It's gorgeous back there, and I'd go climb it if I wasn't into skiing stuff of that nature.

[Juan]

I completely agree on all points, Sky. And I'll bet it's much more interesting of a climb when it's actually icy. Either way, though, it's a nice place to be.

 

Way to go on the ski, Paul. Were you with Sam A.?

 

John

[pbelitz]

Party of six, me, the Hummel brothers, Sky, Sam, and Bill.

 

Good times.

[savaiusini]

Video from our ski descent can be found: Here

 

Enjoy!

[Cobra_Commander]

3 trip reports, a TAY report, and a feature-length video? I think your ski trip has now been documented.

[pbelitz]

3 trip reports, a TAY report, and a feature-length video? I think your ski trip has now been documented.

I disagree. A fourth should be added sometime soon.

[catbirdseat]

3 trip reports, a TAY report, and a feature-length video? I think your ski trip has now been documented.

I disagree. A fourth should be added sometime soon.

Yes, we'll be going this weekend. Do you think aluminum crampons would be fine for this route? We want to go light and do it in a day.