Slesse

[Cpt.Caveman]

Name it "jungle warfare"

[Cpt.Caveman]

Test-

[Highlander]

I was thinking of naming it "Bamboozled", because we got screwed due to clouds and poor visability. Guess I have to go back and climb the "Big Bitch" next year.

[Dru]

That face is the Crossover-Slesse Ridge. A winter route named Arctic Wing was climbed somewhere to the left of yours.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Yeah but you did a new route what fun.

 

The "Big Bitch" aint going anywhere last I heard. You'll send it and now you got a ood idea what it's like in there.

 

I think you should walk up to the propellar cairn and then across the ER Notch next time so you dont get "holy lostness batman!"

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

Yeah but you did a new route what fun.

 

The "Big Bitch" aint going anywhere last I heard.

You'll send it and now you got a ood idea what it's like in there.

 

I think you should walk up to the propellar cairn and then across the ER Notch next time so you dont get "holy lostness batman!"

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Also that way there is less ice to fall on you.

 

You guys see the big chunk of landing gear in the lower bowl?

[Highlander]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Dru:

quote:

---

Originally posted by Cpt.Caveman:

Yeah but you did a new route what fun.

 

The "Big Bitch" aint going anywhere last I heard.

You'll send it and now you got a ood idea what it's like in there.

 

I think you should walk up to the propellar cairn and then across the ER Notch next time so you dont get "holy lostness batman!"

---

Also that way there is less ice to fall on you.

 

You guys see the big chunk of landing gear in the lower bowl?

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We saw the landing gear and plane parts everywhere. There was ice coming down to right of us as we ascended a steep polished slab (5.7) to gain the glacier. Pretty Intense

[Cpt.Caveman]

Call it Snafflehound direct

[jordop]

.

Edited June 15, 2021 by jordop

[Highlander]

Here is another long boring gapeward TR

Texplorer and I planned to climb the NE Buttress of Slesse on 8/30/02 in a one day push, instead we climbed a new route. We started hiking by 3:45 A.M. and quickly reached the memorial plaque. Neither of us had been in the area before, and the cloud layer left us with very poor visability. We followed Beckey's advice and dropped down into the basin below (mistake #1). We should have followed the ridge up to the propellar cairn. We continued up the moraine and scambled up to a snow field to the left and below a glacier. We assumed this was the notorius pocket glacier we needed to cross to get to the bypass variation (mistake #2). Little did we know toe of the NE Buttress was just to our left. We climbed a steep wet slab 5.7 to gain the glacier. We crossed the glacier midway making a rightward traverse. Huge seracs and the heavily broken glacier made for some challeging climbing with my alluminum crampons and running shoes. Large blocks were breaking off below us, reafirming that this was a volatile place to be. We made it safely accross and decided we were not going back accross the pocket of death glacier no matter what. We spotted a buttess with a large shelf below it and assumed it was the start of the NE Buttress (mistake #3). The clouds began to lift and we got a view of the true route across from us. We decided to continue on. We bagan on the right side of the buttress, after some scrambing the climbing turned into 5.8 tree climbing for a couple of pitches. We made a left ward traverse to escape the steepening ridge (and vegitaion) out onto the face. Most of the climbing for the next 1000ft was 4th class to mid fifth class with the occasional 5.8 step. The rock was clean, solid granite and quite enjoyable. Not a lot protection options as there were few cracks. The climbing consisted of a mix of nice holds to friction climbing. We simul climbed til we came to a steep headwall. We chose to start up the wall to our left. The climbing became steeper and a little dirty and vegitated. After 1 or 2 pitches we came to the crux. A steep wall containing a bulge with vegitated cracks for pro. Karsten led this pitch in fine form. I would rate it 5.10+ and very strenous, sustained and runout. If cleaned it would protect. A couple more scary pitches with climbing up to 5.8 led us to cross over ridge. The descened down to the New Slesse Creek trail, where we discovered our bike was stolen(it was now 9:00 PM). Luckily I caught a ride back to the truck with some drunken teenagers. Thought I might be killed by the way this guy drove. We bivied at the parking area eating the last of our horsecock, and were harrased by snafflehounds in the night. The route starts up the Prominent Buttress north of the Fraser Ribber and out onto the face, 2000ft of rock climbing (Grade IV 5.10). I would not reccomend the route, although it does contain some fun climbing. Bring pitons or enjoy the runouts as we did. Reccomend the crossover decent, wish we had used it.

[Dru]

 

has to be pretty cloudy to miss that thing!