[TR] another West McMillan Spire- West Ridge TR!!

[ashw_justin]

Climb: another West McMillan Spire-West Ridge TR!!

 

Date of Climb: 8/10/2005

 

Trip Report:

Despite the obvious traffic that West Mac is getting lately, there is still way too much loose shit up there. So everybody, go climb it and try to knock off some of the loose rock on your way, unless -gasp- there is someone else out there, in which case try not to kill them. OK here are photos showing what the weather was like yesterday. Oh yeah and we did it in a day, with a time of forever, car to car.

 

 

 

 

 

 

and some more photos here.

 

http://students.washington.edu/ashwortj/NWMountains/WestMac.html

 

Gear Notes:

didn't bring crampons, the snow was soft at 2pm. Ice axe was sorta handy for self-belay in steeper snow.

 

Approach Notes:

Don't carry lots of water up the steep woods, as there is guaranteed fresh tasty water right after you drop over the pass. The crux of the climb was at the bottom in the melted out choss gullies. Maybe there was a better way.

[Norman_Clyde]

Cool

You and who else?

[ashw_justin]

Actually I recently joined a lab that is known for going on ridiculous hikes, so I decided to test their mettle. Only the PI made it up West Mac... nevertheless I was a little surprised to be standing on the summit with someone other than just myself or the usual suspects.

[Squid]

[Billygoat]

Great pics

[chucK]

We were up climbing Inspiration Peak that day. You probably came across our bivy gear.

 

You must be the guys who tied a plastic bag with a trail-mix box in the tree hanging over the trail. It didn't really look too heavy. What was the story with that?

[pbelitz]

Whoa, you got into the mountains.

 

What was this about 'no time - can't go to Baker'?

[ashw_justin]

thanks. Gotta say the best part of it all is just cruising around on those endless slabs. If my knees would just tolerate the de-proach better, it would be my favorite hike.

[ashw_justin]

Whoa, you got into the mountains.

 

What was this about 'no time - can't go to Baker'?

 

Well this counts as work because my boss was there.

[ashw_justin]

We were up climbing Inspiration Peak that day. You probably came across our bivy gear.

 

You must be the guys who tied a plastic bag with a trail-mix box in the tree hanging over the trail. It didn't really look too heavy. What was the story with that?

 

Yeah we saw that too. I don't know who put it there, but if there was trail mix in it, then it could have been someone from the other part of our group trying to leave us a snack (they only went to the pass, and then drove out early). Being that it was around 11 pm at that point, we just walked right by it. I guess we should have taken it down though. I certainly would have if I hadn't been so spaced out.

 

edit: or maybe it was someone's trash-cairn? I don't know. Anyway, I apologize for not grabbing it and thank you if you did.

 

What route on Inspiration did you climb? I bet getting accross the glacier was fun. We did it last year about this time, retardedly without crampons. But it looks worse this year.

Edited August 12, 2005 by ashw_justin

[zoroastr]

My hat is lifted, gentlemen. Now that you're warmed up, I've been lately considering a one-day outing to Dome Peak....takers?

[ashw_justin]

maybe once my knee starts working again.

 

The funniest thing about this trip was that it took longer from summit to car than car to summit. I never lost the trail on the way down, but my companion was intent on descending very very slowly, and I wasn't about to start talking smack to my boss.

[kurthicks]

what's up with all the car-to-car action on this route recently? The Terror Basin camp is one of the best bivy sites around...

 

nice work

[ashw_justin]

Well we only had a day to work with. But even with a light day pack, my knees are still tortured. I guess in nice weather you could bivy on just a few more pounds though.

 

How much does paragliding gear weigh?