Triumph NE Ridge

[Tod]

For those of you that have done NE Ridge of Triumph in 2 days (or have friends that have), where did you make your camps?

 

Did you bivy at the notch or has anybody bivied on the ridge. Is there a bivy spot at the base of the ridge (or even at the summit for some stupid reason we decide to do that).

 

Also, what's the consensus on the best descent route? It seems like everybody heads back down the NE ridge.

 

Tod

[chucK]

Camped at the notch S of the glacier (GREAT campsite). Had a brutal second day (long). I think other people do it faster than we did.

 

We descended the route.

[Gary_Yngve]

quote:

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Originally posted by Tod:

For those of you that have done NE Ridge of Triumph in 2 days (or have friends that have), where did you make your camps?

 

Did you bivy at the notch or has anybody bivied on the ridge. Is there a bivy spot at the base of the ridge (or even at the summit for some stupid reason we decide to do that).

 

Also, what's the consensus on the best descent route? It seems like everybody heads back down the NE ridge.

 

Tod

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You can also descend by the SE Shoulder. There was a thread about this a few weeks ago.

 

A friend of mine bivied at the notch two nights and came out early the next morning.

 

We were going to bivy at the notch but got stuck in a traffic jam near Everett, bungled the approach in the dark, and got lost. We explored partway up the ridge the second day (getting lost combined with sleeping through our alarms cost us about six hours). Coming back down, we ran into a group (CC folks) who were planning on bivying on the ridge.

 

Looks like a really cool climb, and I'll have to go back, now that I know the approach.

[ScottP]

Bivied at the notch (killer view from the notch ), but there are some nice ledges on the N side of the little notch at the base of the ridge.

Dawn start, at the car before dark.

 

Descended the route w/ mixed rap and downclimbing.

 

[ 09-19-2002, 06:42 PM: Message edited by: ScottP ]

[Tod]

Thanks for the beta...

 

At this point my buddy and I are thinking of getting an early start on Saturday, bivying at the base of the ridge and on Sunday summiting and descend and get out at a reasonable hour. From the sounds of it, if we simulclimb fairly quickly we'll have plenty of time to get up and down and out without having to deal with dark.

 

The whole climb from car to car doesn't seem like it's that long so I've been surprised that it's considered 3 days. From the sounds of it, the descent is what takes so long and creates the long day, either that or people take awhile belaying their way up.

 

Any thoughts or better ideas?

[Tod]

Excellent info! We'll probably do just that, bivy on the ridge about two pitches up the ridge.

[j_b]

bivying on the route could be fun; however if your concern is to shave time on the 2nd day I am not sure that having to lug overnight packs back to the first notch is really a time saving tactic (I don't expect you to go for a light bivy at this time of the year). Moreover the enjoyment factor is much greater when one travels light. I'd camp at the notch before the pocket glacier and be ready for a long day. The trail from Thornton Lake down to the traihead is really easy (much of it on a former road). Anyhow, something to consider.

[DonnV]

Another vote for the roomy and scenic ledges 1 or 2 pitches up the route. Really nice place to spend the night. I think the reason this climb often ends up being 3 days is that the low technical grade attracts lots of climbers who just aren't accustomed to climbing quickly. The climbing is easy, but you're far enough from the car that you can't afford too leisurely a pace on the route. We got going early in the morning, kept moving, and had no problem at all getting all the way out on day 2.

[gravitywurks]

Best bivi sites for a two day trip are about two pitches up the NE Ridge. You can make it in 6-9 hours depending on how fast and light you go. The rock up to these sites is totally scrambleable (actually the first 2/3 of the entire ridge are, even for me). About 1 hour further up is another great location.

 

Get water at the slabs as you cross the glacier because the route is obviously dry. Oh yeah, bring crampons because there is one steep section of hard snow with bad runout.

 

B.T.W. don't follow the snow finger up to the left at the base of the route. Go past that and cross over the red rocks, then turn left to follow the gully up. You'll know when you are on route because gully is well traveled.

[Tod]

I'm not too worried about the weight. The packs are not not your usual overnight pack. Our usual overnight bivy pack is the size and weight of a heavy daypack (Lowe Alpine Contour Mtn 40). With a light rack the weight will be very little. The heaviest items will be the water we'll carry onto the ridge.

 

Thanks for the recomendations on the bivy site 1-2 pitches up. Sounds like the best way to make it a 2 day trip without making day 2 a long day.

 

Thanks

 

Tod