[TR] McMillan Spire- West Ridge 7/2/2006

[roboboy]

Climb: McMillan Spire-West Ridge

 

Date of Climb: 7/2/2006

 

Trip Report:

Yesterday I climbed this with relentless alpine peak bagger Rod Xuereb.

There's plenty of beta on this area and the climb itself is straightforward so this is mostly just photo coverage. The conditions are near perfect right now with consolidated snow above 5000 ft making for easier travel. The approach to Terror basin took us a hard 8 1/2 hours but another party did it in 7.

 

Terror basin camp:

 

 

Approaching McMillan Spire:

 

 

Usual shots of climbers approaching Inspiration Peak via Terror glacier:

 

 

 

Summit views:

Inspiration Peak:

 

 

Southern Pickets:

 

 

 

Northern Pickets:

 

 

Redoubt/Bear/Luna:

 

 

View south:

 

 

Mt Triumph:

 

 

McMillan descent:

 

 

We were back in camp about 11 am and decided to leave our idyllic, scenic campsite to hike out and get it over with (being the jaded alpine peak baggers that we are). The hike out then took 6 hours. This is the easiest Pickets approach but still difficult. I last climbed this peak in 1986 and am amazed that I ever made it back, but probably for the last time. I think I would at least go for a different peak in the Pickets if I'm going to hike that far.

 

Gear Notes:

ice axe, crampons, took 30m rope-didn't use it

[goatboy]

Great photos!

 

That's a lovely campsite, isn't it?

 

Such great weather, the views must have been wonderful.

[roboboy]

It was also fun seeing a familiar face at the Marblemount RS, Gary Yngve. I offered to sell him mosquito repellent but received only an evil stare. Hope your climb went well, Gary.

[nurserock]

We were up there 6/20 -24, summiting on W McMillan on the 22nd. That campsite was a little less green but still an idyllic spot. Our summit day included several hours of lounging around on rocks at the base of Terror Glacier waiting for the white-out to lift. For pics of the weather that day try picasaweb.google.com/john.wahlund.

 

We were carrying gear for a week so it took us all of a day to get to the 'heather bench' camp. We tried without success to find an acceptable way across the barrier on 6/23 and bailed on the 24th, choosing to spend the last day of our trip doing some easy rockclimbing at sunny Washington Pass.