[TR] Mount Jefferson- Jefferson Park Glacier 7/9/2006

[chalkstone]

Climb: Mount Jefferson-Jefferson Park Glacier

 

Date of Climb: 7/9/2006

 

Trip Report:

it was pretty warm on the mountain even at night on Saturday. This left the snow pretty soft for sunday even at 3:30 am when we started from about the 6800 ft level. The sun hits the glacier just after sunrise (we weren't anticipating that...we thought the north ridge would shadow it a bit longer). By the time we got up to the upper berchrund it was about as soft as you could get without blowing out the steps you were kicking. There were only a couple of areas where there was hard ice to cross. Other than that, you could kick steps and post hole all the way up. The upper berchrund was able to be surmounted from the extreme right although it looked very hairy with traversing above berchrund on 50+ degree slopes. We decided to rock climb on the left side to gain the berchrund. It was easy climbing on 5.4 rock for about 20 feet up. Then there was a 'desperate' traverse/pendulum across a blank face with no hand holds to get to the upper glacier. To grab the glacier you had to hang out as far as possible to get your axes into the snow then commit to it and drag your dangling legs onto the glacier. Like I said...desperate move. Looking back the right side looks more dificult but if you have 4+ pickets (we had 2) or so you would have an easier time gaining the upper glacier albiet more exposed and a bit steeper. Either way look at an intense hour of climbing. The knife edge ridge was very dry and no snow and had a couple moves to 5.4. Most of the anoyance was route finding along the ridge. But we chose wisely by choosing to cimb up and then right whenever in doubt. We never got lower on the ridge while traversing. We were anticipating it being a bit shorter. Seems like we were on it for quite awhile. Accept for the first bit, you climb just below the ridge (right side) and traverse the cliff all the way to the north ridge. From the north ridge we crossed the two humps along the way to the summit pinacle on the right side. The fourth class to the summit still has a bit of snow on the lower section although it was melting fast when we were up there. We traversed right on a dry sandy platform at about the midway point and then climbed some dry 4th class benches and blocks to the summit. Due to severely steep cornices on the east face routes we were forced to descend via red saddle and lower angle shoulders on the south/southeast flank. Along the south side descent, at a point where we were low enough to traverse the rock band back over to the whitewater glacier, I left my black diamond shrike axe. If you are kind enough to tote it out, I could pay you with a case of your choicest beer. If you find the axe let me know (joseph_oreste@hotmail.com). We then traversed the entire whitewater glacier back to camp. 17.5 hours from tent to tent. A very long day indeed.

 

There are several sections where you have to take your crampons off/on and rope off/on... to make transitions from snow to rock and back to snow. So that takes a bit of time. Oh, when trying to skirt the ridge from the whitewater glacier over to the jefferson park, you will need to climb a hill to your left just before you get to the morain rocks at the bottom of the lower part of the whitewater. If you go down to the bottom as we did and traverse left to the ridge you will have gone a bit too far down and will have to scramble some crappy 3rd class junk to get back to the snow slit. All in all it was a good time and fairly good conditions.

 

Gear Notes:

2 pickets, half set chalks, set of lower tricams to about 1.5 inches (Shoulda had two more pickets...Then we would have done the right side) No need for screws

 

Approach Notes:

whitewater...

Edited July 12, 2006 by chalkstone

[cpclimber]

Nice work man. A fine day in mountains it was.

[sweatinoutliquor]

Good work!

[mtnmedic]

Great job bra, cant wait to get up there myself.