Mt Baring: North Face trip report

[mneagle]

After 3 years of staring at the pictures in Becky, my fiancee and I finally climbed the North Face of Mt. Baring. Anyone who is into adventure climbing read on, weak hearted stop now. The approach to the gully has no trail. If you find yourself on a wet, dangerous slab, the correct gully is above you: go left, up and then back right. The brushy ridge has no trail and involves several hundred feet of major bushwhacking. From the top of Rockfall Point, the rest of the route is straight forward and Becky's descriptions were right on. We made it to Dolomite Camp at the top of the first step about 11 hours after leaving Seattle. The pitches up the 1st step were enjoyable 5.6. The traverse is exposed, but protects well. At Dolomite Camp the museum of Golden Era artifacts begins. There were some old mason jars, an old pot and the remains of a wooden frame backpack. The bivy spots there were good and a large snow patch is still there which has running water coming off of it. It's big enough that it should last through Sept, lightening your water carrying need considerably. The climbing from there was great and again Becky's descriptions were perfect with the exception of overestimating the length of the 4th class pitches. Using the photo in Becky taken from Dolomite Camp, it's easy to scope out the second day's climbing. There are a lot of old pitons all the way up to help keep you on route. The climbing was solid and a bit runout, although the cruxes protected well. The piton traverse is about 10a and takes good gear in addition to the rusty pitons. The bolt belay is backed up by a new 1/2 inch bolt. The 2nd 5.10 pitch is about 10c and climbs past 2 pitons in the crux. We hauled packs on the 2nd pitch. Hauling packs on the traverse looks like it would be difficult. There is another snow patch with a running stream on the decent. Overall it's a satisfying climb with a distinctly remote feeling. The bottom section is mostly an endurance test while the upper pitches are enjoyable, tough rock climbing, but don't expect it to be like climbing Davis-Holland.

[mneagle]

One other thing, there are fixed lines all the way down Dolomite Tower. Anybody know what's going on up there?

[Lambone]

Its a free climbing project, I wont mention any names for respect of his privacy. But I am sure you can guess who it is.

[Dru]

What, like his initials are BB?

[Mr._Blister]

Given that the project was mentioned in one or more major climbing magazines, I'm not sure why we need a veil of secrecy.

Just a thought.

[Chepe]

Lambone the guy that previously mentioned on antoher thread that there was to be no unknown crags or routes out there.

[Dru]

Oh yeah - before we get side tracked by the BB route topic - mneagle good TR man.

Chepe=Caveman?

[Peter_Puget]

Dru you beat me to it! I signed off thinking: "great report why didn't I post something saying that." When I got back on I saw your message.

[Lambone]

OK, so everybody knows who it is... that's great. I just know that some people prefer not to have their names posted on this board.

Congrats, on a great climb mneagle! Thanks for the cool report.

[DRep]

I'm gonna give this a little bump.

 

Probably a long shot being that this TR is 10 years old.

mneagle, what was the rock quality on the upper pitches?

Has anyone else on here climbed this route or the Doorish routes on the face?

 

 

[DRep]

Bump last post.

[rat]

rock quality on the regular north face route was very good as i recall (climbed it early-mid '90's)--- "rhino-rock". haven't climbed the doorish routes to the right.