[TR] Mt Shasta- Sargents ridge 2/10/2006

[ATCR1]

Climb: Mt Shasta-Sargents ridge

 

Date of Climb: 2/10/2006

 

Trip Report:

Arrived Friday afternoon, and climbed to 9100ft in the old ski bowl on the most prominant rib leading up to Sargents ridge. Started climbing around 2:30am under an almost full moon. Conditions leading up to about Shastarama point were really good. Snow was corniced on the eastern side of the ridge, stick to the left side. Above Shastarama point Rhime ice and Sastrugi were incredibly large and sweeping on the wind-ward side of the ridge. This slows down upwards progress considerably. I bailed to the eastern side and wound up right above the mud and konwakiton glaciers. This includes some steep 80 degree slopes. Be carefull not to stray to far down, glacier is littered with sevral crevasses and a giant 90 degree snow cover Bergshrund. Topped out near the red banks, avoid passing the Thumb on the eastern side as well, another huge Bergshrund. Misery hill still sucks, just a hump up an ice slope. Summit plateau, was a mix of mostly corn snow and sun cups. Overall a great ridge climb, suggest decent by way of green butte or avalanche gulch early, due to prevailing rockfall on Sargents in the afternoon. Weather was suberb, as was the almost moon. Sastrugi and ice formations definatley were the biggest problems. Don't underestimate time required. I almost didn't make my summit turn around time. Climbing ascent time totaled about 8 hrs. Descent back down avalanche gulch cutting east over Green butte ridge back into the ski bowl around 3-4 hrs. Overall mileage including hike in and out approx 15-20 miles.

 

Gear Notes:

used several ice/snow tent stakes to hold tent down, @ snow anchors, crampons, mountain axe. Mostly typical gear. Would have been nice to have a secong ice tool/ace for short steeper climbs up eastern snow chutes.

 

Approach Notes:

snow shoes/skis required to advance up from bunny flat into the ski bowl

[letsroll]

Ncie trip. Looks like a sweet weekend.

[n42zender]

i saw mount shasta when i was like twelve and i have wanted to be to the top of that thing since then...still havent...ill return someday