Gib Ledges

[sketchfest]

After four years of unsuccesfull attempts, (turned by weather every time) My climing partner and I finally made the summit on a nearly perfect weekend. We started out at 3:00 am saturday in what I would call balmy conditions. The ledges were in excellent shape, plenty of snow on the legdes themselves and the rock sections nicely frozen. As we climbed out onto the chute, the wind began to pound us with fridgid temps and ice and spindrift. Passing camp comfort, the wind subsided just enough to allow us to continue. Made the summit at about 9:30, called it good and got out before things got to warm. Coming back through the ledges was exciting, loose unconsolidated slush and every frozen pebble was now loose and ready to fly. Back at camp by 12:00, nothing else to do but sit back and enjoy the hordes that came to see the big mountain.(counted 75 at one point). All in all good route, good weather, sweet trip. Hope everybody else had as great a weekend.

[svilar]

Nice work sketch. We did the same route Sunday, but got an earlier start and made it back through the ledges by 8am (had to get back to town for Mother's Day). Everything was still perfectly frozen - didn't even see a pebble fall off Gib rock. ~D