North Ridge Stuart questions

[skibum1087]

We are planning on heading up there this week to do the upper north ridge, and I have a few questions. I checked other trip reports but could not quite find the specific answers I was looking for. We are going in via the north. For the descent down the cascadian this is what I gathered from the map, take it all the way down to Ingalls lake trail, and then back up to stuart pass? From stuart pass do you descend and then go back up and over goat pass? Goat pass is not on the map, well at least the green trails enchantments one, so mabey a new map is in order. If this is the case, what is the terrain like between the two, and does this make it feesible to get back to a bivi site down low where the approach hits the lower north ridge/ ice cliff glacier? I know that the answer to this is lurking somewhere, but everyone seems to talk about how miserble the walk back around the mountain is, not actually how to do it. Secondly, what sizes protect the lieback pitch on the genderarme, I am just trying to make sure I have adequete gear for the two 5.9 pitches, it sounds like a 3 and a 4 will easily well protect the second offwidth pitch, even if it is a lot to carry. And lastly, from other trip reports I did gather that nobody actually ropes up or brings glacier gear for the approach up the stuart glacier, I am just checking people do not just always neglect to mention this and crevasse hazard on that part of the glacier is actually minimal. Thanks a lot for any input.

Spencer

[mattp]

If you are approaching from the north, I'd descend the Sherpa Glacier.

[John Frieh]

For the descent down the cascadian this is what I gathered from the map, take it all the way down to Ingalls lake trail, and then back up to stuart pass?

 

Yes. You will find a hikers trail near the bottom of the cascadian (don't freak if you don't... you will eventually hit the creek) that will connect you with the ingalls creek trail. When you hit the creek go skiers right and follow this until you hit either Ingalls lake and/or a hikers trail and head to stuart pass.

 

From stuart pass do you descend and then go back up and over goat pass?

 

Yes. Goes real quick in between the two.

 

what is the terrain like between the two

 

wee bit of snow mostly scree/boulder field.

 

does this make it feesible to get back to a bivi site down low where the approach hits the lower north ridge/ ice cliff glacier?

 

Yes. From goat pass head more or less down and skiers right taking path of least resistance aiming towards toe of north ridge. If you hit the glacial ice/crevasses section in the center of the stuart glacier you are to high and need to drop lower.

 

Secondly, what sizes protect the lieback pitch on the genderarme, I am just trying to make sure I have adequete gear for the two 5.9 pitches, it sounds like a 3 and a 4 will easily well protect the second offwidth pitch, even if it is a lot to carry.

 

Yes if you want to carry it. You could get by with just a #2 and a #4 c4 camalot.

 

And lastly, from other trip reports I did gather that nobody actually ropes up or brings glacier gear for the approach up the stuart glacier, I am just checking people do not just always neglect to mention this and crevasse hazard on that part of the glacier is actually minimal

 

Yes... most people don't. No major lurking crevasses exist but yes some are there some open ones so do what you feel comfortable with.

[skibum1087]

Wow thanks a lot for the responses John and Matt, I appreciate it. Everything sounds about like I expected it, my last question I forgot is would I be able to expect running water at the notch, or no water until after the summit?

Thanks again

Spencer

[goatboy]

For the LIEBACK PITCH (p1) on gendarme, some smaller cams would be useful, as I recall...there may be some fixed gear on that pitch too...

 

 

[Rad]

"Secondly, what sizes protect the lieback pitch on the genderarme"

 

3/4, 1, 2 camalots will be fine. Nothing you won't already be carrying. You actually don't need more than about four pieces to that pitch because it's short and there are good rests between stances.

[John Frieh]

would I be able to expect running water at the notch, or no water until after the summit?

 

As of last Friday no. You will find some drips right before the summit and/or on the descent.

 

If you are coming in from the north and doing only the upper ridge then you will likely need crampons/ice axe to get to the access couloir or plan on taking a very round about approach to the upper ridge access couloir.

 

If you do take pons/ice axe the sherpa is a much quicker descent as Matt suggested.

[gary_hehn]

Has anyone here tried descending the West Ridge and Northwest Buttress as Kearney suggests in "Classic Climbs of the Northwest"? I tried a recon of it once, planned to ascend and descend the route to access its feasibility, but we got rained and I mean RAINED out. Fortunately, we aborted at Goat Pass just as the rain moved in.