dmuja Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 Jus wunderin if the "vertical" ice step is still there - anyone been up lately? 2 Tools required? Recent pics look like the rock on the sides is coming out early this year no? recent beta appreciated.. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinomyte Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 dmuja: I can't confirm for certain, but we were up there Saturday and it looked like there was indeed still a step. We didn't actually get right under it to look. From what I've heard, most folks were going old chute so far. Check the photo in my TR of South side - the narrowest part of the gap on the right looked to be where the ice is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmuja Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Thnx Dino, my bro and I thought it might be fun to try the step if its still there next week and if theres not to much crap coming down it as we're going up, we may go left also. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClimbingPanther Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 When I was there in December, someone did it with an axe and a tool. I would recommend this because carrying an extra tool for 10 feet sucks when you won't "need" it in the true sense of the word. Unnecessary weight = Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmuja Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 Yup, I jus told my bro the same thing, so I get to try one of his tools now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 be comfortable w/ the 1 axe/tool method if you're not protecting the climb at the step - the consequences of falling there are not necessarily lethal but likely incredibly painful - while soloing it myself i was momentarily very pissed at my dull-ass axe Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmuja Posted February 13, 2007 Author Share Posted February 13, 2007 note to self - "file pick sharp". Thnx Ivan! I also told him that if is was actually "technical" ice, I would lead with both tools then he could jug or Id belay (Pull) him over it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dinomyte Posted February 13, 2007 Share Posted February 13, 2007 If the snow stays as unconsolidated as it was Saturday, and you fall, just spread your legs and you'll come to a nice stop within about 5 feet! Unless you fall headfirst! (This reminds me of a little joke we came up with while climbing on Saturday, which refers to a CC troll - "Can I glissade with my crampons on?" The answer - "Sure, just go headfirst!") Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ClimbingPanther Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 that was an awfully inventive answer, wasn't it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billbob Posted February 14, 2007 Share Posted February 14, 2007 I thought it a rather humorous reply at the time, but maybe that was due to the incipient white-out, freezing fog, 50+mph winds, and a serious beer jones. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmuja Posted February 18, 2007 Author Share Posted February 18, 2007 Update TR: Saturday Feb 17th Was up there yesterday (Saturday) morning and about to try a solo of the ice step when it released a 3-4 minute long shower of ice (some the size of a foot ball or larger). It was a beautiful sunny (windy) morning but I was alone (no one else yet on the upper mountain!) and thought it would be bad to get nailed so I backed off. Some amount of avy hazard was present rounding Crater Rock so I sought out the flattest route to gain the Hogs Bk. This slowed me enough to let the sun become a real factor once it hit the Pearly Gates - like turning on the "release ice now" switch. Suggestion: If youre gonna do the PG ice step (its still there) I suggest an early start so that the sun is just rising as you are on the Hogs Back and about to enter the chute. Any later than this and you may get nailed from ice fall in the chute imho (not fun) due to the sun. Fun day none the less.. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nigeljmcclung Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 Can anybody give me a rough comparison between the Old Chute variation and the Pearly Gates in terms of added distance, technical difficulty, exposure and so on? Any help would be greatly appreciated. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
iain Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 The old chute is a walk, but gets a little steeper near the top. Don't be surprised by how steep it drops off on the north side. Then it is a walk on a sharp ridge (with a sizeable amount of exposure) to the summit. One of the real dangers I have seen is people traversing too slowly under the rime cliffs over to the old chute. Stuff is calving off those cliffs all the time. The regular chute has a bit of a step to it, but it is probably getting buried right now. Then again, it might have firmed up so much, snow will just sluff off the thing for the rest of the year. Who knows. The regular route was mega-fun a few months ago, but certainly a big step up from what the typical south side climber would expect. Whatever you do, please do not get into trouble up there right now, unless you want to see a true media feeding frenzy. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted February 28, 2007 Share Posted February 28, 2007 alert level tauntaun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dmuja Posted February 28, 2007 Author Share Posted February 28, 2007 A week + ago I was still below and left of it so I cant say for sure the height of the manky looking shit pile in the chute but the "vertical" part looked taller than 10 feet but not nearly like 50 feet. maybe 15+ aprox? Personally Im not quite sure what people mean by "old chute" vs "old crater route" anyway..What I can say is this.. The main issue with the chute(s) where the Pearly gates are found right now is not with its steepness, but rather all the crap (ice and rocks) coming down it. The upper mountain seems to have a bad case of the shits this year and the pearly gates are its toilet. The "shit fall" is happening to either side of the "Y" (left or right) once you start to enter the lower part and before you make your choice of left chute or right. Maybe the left would be better though imo if you managed to get up that far without getting nailed. You might have a half decent chance of getting up that route if you got there well before the sun hits it and on a cold windless morning. I wouldn't want to be in there when the sun starts beating all that stuff loose - specially without a tough and well shielded belayer. Most climbers are seemingly going wide left and up what Smoot calls the "Old Crater Variation" past the farthest "gargoyle" rock out cropping after you leave the Hogs Back. This means a leftward traverse across the crater wall and if solo you aught to have favorable avy conditions before you do that (else wear a beacon and have several friends ready to dig you out). Also see Iains beta and recomdendations above about moving fast to avoid getting hit there. Have fun and check it out and don't push it into a rescue PLEASE. Maybe update the beta when you get back too. D Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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