TR: New Morning Peak

[plexus]

Just got back and that drive back jut lulls you into a stupor. Anyways on to the improtant stuff.

 

New Morning Peak is the eastern most peak on Ragged Ridge. At a modest altitude of 7,230 feet, I thought it would be the perfect little thimble to take my friend up for his first mountain. After all in the Green Beckey Bible, it reads that the peak is "a hike from the west side".

 

Unfortunately getting to the west side isn't a hike, or more pointedly, it is hike with a bushwack.

 

Anyways went up to Easy Pass (nice snow, could use crampons early in day to save your calves), the peak is to the north of the pass. Go upslope on alternating snow, scree and heather, 600 feet to the ridge crest (which I limped up because I forot to put moleskin on, friggin blister).

 

The first part of the traverse to the peak is "merely a hike" until a small col in the ridge (BTW, my friend is at the starting point at this point, too tired to continue on). Drop down to the col and cross steep snow and scramble back up to the ridge crest. Stay just below and to the east of the ridge for your best travel. After the col, the terrain takes on a Class 4 character. While the exposure is not bad, the rock quality is. Fortunately there is solid rock where you would want it most. Keep going along the crest until it meets up with a redish, scree bowl. Get back on the ridge proper to the final shoulder below the west face.

 

That is where I turned around as the winds picked up and I was getting pelted with snow and sleet. The face looks to be Class 4 to low 5th.

 

Fun little traverse but I would have felt a little better with a rope and some slings to toss around some of the ridge spires on the traverse after the col. The northwest and north sides looked like Class 3-4.

 

On the way back was greeted by a couple of marmots. Nice to see those big little buggers again, a true sign of summer.

 

Hope everybody else had a good holiday.

Cheers