mount stuart north ridge information

[eldiente]

I'm thinking of doing mount stuart via the north ridge this weekend and was looking for a bit of info. As I'm short on time I'd like to go car to car in one long day. I'd like to to travel light and am wondering if it is possible to cross the glacier without an ax this time of year. Any thoughts?

[Squid]

Go look in the 'Alpine Lakes' section for NR Stuart trip reports. Lots of information if you read the TR's.

[specialed]

If you can dump a car off at Ingall's Lake TH you should go in from the north side (Mtneers Creek TH)then you wouldn't have to cross any glaciers.

[colt45]

From the trip reports I have seen, crossing the glacier without an axe & crampons might be super sketchy. You can avoid the glacier by doing the complete ridge but then the climb is twice as long. Personally, for a 1-day ascent I would approach from Ingalls, bring an axe+aluminum crampons, and just do the upper ridge. For the full ridge you don't need axe/pons regardless of which approach is used.

 

If you have time to set up a car shuttle and then go back after the climb to pick up the other car, you might as well just use the time to hike in the day before and bivy at goat pass.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

I would not have been caught dead on the glacier 1.5 weeks ago without an axe and crampons. I suppose you could make do with instep crampons, but I would want some 10 points. Read the recent TRs for more.

[sobo]

I'd have to agree with Trogdor on this. I've crossed this glacier many times at this time of year in the past, attempting the lower eastside variation of the NR (the entire ridge). One time, our fearless leader insisted that we leave axes and crampons in the car and go in tennis shoes for the approach, saying, "It's August, no problem!" I countered, "But it's the north side, ya doofus!"

 

Long story short, I cow-towed to his belligerence, then watched as he slipped on the glacier traverse and rocketed towards the cliff below the "cheater's north ridge start", unable to stop himself. He managed to steer himself towards one of the rock outcroppings, and crash-landed into one, injuring his hands/arms in the process.

 

My advice: take at least one thing with pointy bits on it. An axe or crampons. Personally, I'd take crampons, cuz they'd be easier to stow once you're on the ridge.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

If you go one or the other, I'd agree with Sobo that crampons are the better option. However you better be damn comfortable on steepish semi-exposed glacial ice if you make that choice. Maybe it would have been better with boots, but in sneakers I felt axe and crampons were absolutely necessary to maintain any degree of comfort. I would have probably turned around if I saved weight leaving either in the car as we had discussed the previous night.

[specialed]

Light weight 'poons and axe don't weight too much these days. Go talk to Jim at Pro Mountain Sports, Eldiente, he'll hook you up.

[eldiente]

Thanks for the good info. I was really wanting to do the full ridge and minimize the amount of time on the ice. I'm not opposed to brining some crampons, but I hate to lug around the hardware for what otherwise should be a dry climb.

[specialed]

Unfortunately, that's often the way it is in the Cascades. You need crampons and poons for about five minutes to get on the route, then have to lug them up the route and down. But if you didn't bring them it would be impossible or real dangerous to get on the route without them.

 

However, now that I think about it, we were up on the north face of Stuart mid August and I do believe one could have circumvented the Stuart Glacier completely then by going to the skier's left (west) and around to the moraine where the lower north starts. To do just the upper, you'd want crampons, of course.

[StickBoy]

I was up there the same weekend as the Burninator and I would have to agree with having both ice axe and crampons. My partner and I brought up one pair of aluminum and one pair of instep crampons and each of us wore one of each type for the crossing. We wish we would have brought two pairs of alum. It would have make the crossing less sketch. It does get a bit steep just before getting into the gully to get to the notch and the axe would definitely help unless you have balance like a cat. Have fun and be safe.