[TR] Mt. Stuart- West Ridge 7/10/2005

[cook]

Climb: Mt. Stuart-West Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 7/10/2005

 

Trip Report:

On sunday Craig (Gyselinck), Liz (Lyger), Kat (Longpause), and I climbed the west ridge of Mt. Stuart. We left Ellensburg on saturday night and camped near the trail down from longs pass, just across from the creek near where the cascadian would spit us out the next day. After a dinner of cheese, wine, and canned chili, we caught a few hours of sleep before waking up at 4am.

 

We left camp at 4:30 and were approaching the entrance gully when it started getting light. The weather was cool with some high clouds and even some blue sky to the west.

 

The gully climbing was fun and straightforward and not too exposed. We saw many one man bivy sites and a few rap slings on the way up.

 

Eventually we came to the top of the gully at a notch and got a look down another possibly entry onto the route, which looked like slush covered rock and loose crap.

 

From here we traversed over a rib and below Long John Tower where an easy but exposed class 5 section led us around the tower.

 

From behind Long John Tower we began traversing west below the ridge crest for several hours while the weather slowly began to suck. The traverse to the summit notch was less interesting and more complicated. We followed a series of discontinuous climber/ goat paths over several "minor ribs" to the summit notch. During this time, Gyselinck continually whined that he was looking for more burly adventure. This was obviously a cover for his overwhelming fear. I guess he's just not as tough as most people.

 

At the notch, we intended to scramble as much as possible, but a slick ice ledge prompted us to pull out the rope. The final few pitches were thankfully not "lot's of fourth class terrain covered by a shitload of unconsolidated slop" as JayB reported in June, conditions here were much improved. Gyselinck led the way as we simul climbed and belayed the odd pitch to the summit.

 

The final pitch was a left facing corner that Gyselinck recalled being "really scary in crampons and in a whiteout" that ended up being thirty feet of awkward 5.8. Since Gyselinck is like 30 feet tall, the rest of us had trouble following the opening move so Longpause stood on my shoulders to reach a key hold. This was probably my favorite move I've done in the mountains.

 

We didn't stay long on the summit because it was raining/snowing and we couldn't see far so I tossed a piece of cheese down south from the summit and headed east.

 

Guided by carins and craig's magic box (GPS) we later found the piece of cheese and immediatly Craig shoved it in his mouth, snarling at anyone who made a move to take it from him. Eventually we made our way to the cascadian in low visibility and after a knee aching descent we arrived back at our camp where we packed our bivy gear and headed back to the car.

 

Good route except for the crap weather and the soggy descent.

 

There is an exposed snow section just below the summit and snow at the top of the cascadian. Ice axe was very useful.

 

Thanks for a good trip guys and thumbs down to Lyger and Longpause for spooning in the tent while Gyselinck and I were spoonless in the dirt.

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe

Gear for two rope teams of two

 

Could have used more than 1 liter of water (had to bum off of others)

 

Edited to add that photos should be up this afternoon

Edited July 14, 2005 by cook

[sweatinoutliquor]

Hey Guys! Sounds like you had a good time up there! Thanks for the TR. How about a photo or two? I would love to see what the region looks like and right now, seeing how it's a bit of a drive from Corlyvallis.

[layton]

while the girls spooned, did you guys fork? i bet you did.

[cook]

No forking on this trip Layton, someone tried to slip some pills in my drink, but I was having none of it.

[Szyjakowski]

did you smack her then?

[kenp]

this trip sounds better than the last one, eh? cept for the weather. did you guys see any goats along the way? I was surprized not to have seen any that last weekend of June....

[cook]

We didn't see any goats, but saw lots of droppings.

[kenp]

oh I hear that! lots of tracks, hair and milk duds every where. maybe they were in the sunny places???

[cook]

Here are some photos finally.

 

 

Scrambling up the entrance gully

 

 

Longpause Nearing the top of the gully

 

Longpause At the notch on top of the gully

 

More scrambling

 

Longpause kickin it, with Ingalls lake in the background

 

Traversing some goat/ human paths

 

The lyger rests. Here she made a deal with gyselinck where he would carry a rock if she gave him a sandwich

 

Gyselinck hanging out on the rad ice/loose rock ledge. Here we roped up for the last few pitches to the top

 

Gyselinck leading the cruxish pitch just below the summit

 

 

Lyger and Longpause descending in excellent weather

 

Gyselinck taking advantage of a break in the fog to find the way down. Note the magic box around his neck

 

Longpause and the Lyger soggy on the descent. Note the one mitten technique.

Edited July 15, 2005 by cook

[cook]

If anyone can resize these images or tell me how, please do

[cook]

I figured it out

[Alpinfox]

Cute girls climbing in the mountains? OMG!

 

[Lyger]

Fantastic trip, though one element was casually left out, there was an odd odor that seemed to follow our group. Excuses were given, dirty looks were cast, and excuses made, yet the stench prevailed. Several times on the trip the conclusion was made that someone had taken a dump on the trail, and indeed the foul aroma brought to mind steaming piles of dung. However, meek confessions from those of our set as to the cause of this smelly funk made me decide that NEVER AGAIN should anyone have the last lingering effects of giardia, followed by a large block of cheese, and preceded by a robust meal of rice and beans the day before a climb.

[Cobra_Commander]

wow that's disgusting

[cook]

Alpinfox, those cute girls only climb because there are flowers there.

 

Lyger, I agree. A twenty five hour car trip with a dog would smell better than that trip, for example.

[slaphappy]

Bah, those ladies hike way to damn fast to be noticin any flowers... now drunk fat old farts like me, well...

 

 

[L0ngpause]

Slaphappy,

Speaking of giardia, how is that nada lake water treating you?

[slaphappy]

It was a bit "chewey" but other than that no probs. I have been drinking out of lakes, streams, and sess pools in that area for 12+ yrs, never have caught anything.

 

* found out about that plane wreck if you're curious.

 

[KarmaRidge]

Thanks for the good TR. Recently moved to Seattle from Alaska and am planning on doing this route this weekend.

Seems like every guidebook and TR has a different take on the last couple of pitches. Everybody seems to agree that Becky's "5.4" is a bit of a sandbag!

The Cascades are awesome!

[chucK]

West Ridge of Stuart is a really fun long ramble/climb.

 

I think good advice for the WR Stuart would be, that if you are concerned about differences between 5.4 and 5.6, then you should plan two days for this climb.

 

That is, pitching out all the stuff resembling 5.4 on the West Ridge would make for a VERY long day (and has led to many bivys).

[cook]

Karma, I agree that the cascades are awesome and I thought this was a very fun climb. I am fairly positive that our 5.8ish pitch (which is probably actually easier becuase we were in wet hiking boots) is not the 5.4 that Beckey describes. When Gyselinck led up that pitch he said that this was not Becky's 5.4, but that he was going to go with what he knew would work, having climbed the pitch this winter.

[KarmaRidge]

Cook, what was your round trip time? We're planning on bivying up around 8,000 and break the climb into two days, since half of the TR's include bivying either by design or by default anyway.

[cook]

We spent maybe 12-14 hours from camp to camp including some good rest breaks and a slow descent. Also, we were a group of four which in my experience tends to be slower than two. Bivying on route would be fun with good weather. There are many great bivy sites excavated on the route. Often there were two or three one man bivys in the same area.

[gyselinck]

KarmaRidge, don't use our time as a guide for your trip. I don't know you, but chances are you will do it much faster, we were being pretty chill about it. Lots of cheese breaks, etc. Pack light, travel fast and you will have no problems. I think maybe 9 hours camp - camp would be a normal time, faster if you push it??, not sure though.

 

 

Edit:

Over the week it took us 15 hours (with three people, getting lost numerous times in the Mountie Creek, and being "off route" the entire lower section) to do the complete N. Ridge w/ Gendarme car - summit. We were never really pushing it eaither. I honestly doubt that it will take you anywhere near 12 - 14 hours on the W. ridge. But, dont worry about time, just have fun. No point in busting your ass, just take your time and enjoy being out there.

Edited July 22, 2005 by gyselinck

[Lyger]

Longpause, I have to admit. You were right about the indian paintbrush. Damn that smarts and I was so positive I was right!