Vesper peak conditions

[kevbone]

Is there still snow anywhere on the hike in?

 

Anyone been up there yet?

 

 

[Drederek]

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/807303#Post807303

[W]

Was up there today. From the basin atop the switchbacks, under Sperry's east face, it is all snow from there. I would recommend crampons for Headlee Pass. Lake is still frozen over and it's snow from there to the top of Vesper. North Face appeared largely dry but there were still some big detaching pieces of snow slab near the top of the right side of the face. It was hard to evaluate from where we were but it might be worth waiting awhile longer just to be sure.

 

We climbed NE ridge of Sperry and descended the normal way. If anyone's interested, this route is a strong contender for the worst route I have done in the Cascades. Apart from a stimulating and exposed knife edge at 2/3 height, it is otherwise thousands of feet of vertical bushwhacking, pine needle-coated vertical dirt, and tree climbing- think Mt. Index, but on steroids. Ugh!

[Alpinsanity]

"The route is enjoyable, and generally sound." Beckey quote.

Was it really that bad?

I recently posted, asking for beta on the NE ridge.

Didn't get much of a response.

Now I see why.

I do have a strange passion for veggie climbing,

but the pine needly dirt sounds ghastly.

I am having second thoughts, although I did somehow enjoy the

standard route on the Main Peak of Garfield.

 

What kind of pro would you recommend?

Edited July 15, 2008 by Alpinsanity

[W]

Indeed, that Beckey quote is what enticed us to go have a look.

 

We simuled the entire route with a set of cams to 2", set of stoppers, and lots of long slings. There were many sections of the route that did not require a rope but the exposure alternated frequently enough that we just left the rope on the whole time.

 

Was it really that bad? Depends, I suppose...by comparison, I thought the Index Traverse was "enjoyable"; this climb was one that by 1/3 of the way up, we were just wishing it was over. To be fair, the rock itself is actually quite solid throughout the climb (better than Mt. Index rock), with good angular holds and very few loose sections. The knife edge section gains the route a couple of points back but not nearly enough to steer the climb into the "recommended" category. The ridge is actually quite long, and it also starts to feel rather committing up high. All in all, a very blue collar experience!

[Alpinsanity]

Thanks for the info.

How long were you on the ridge itself?

What do you feel it went at?

It's such a short approach, and such a long line,

that I might have to check it out for myself.

 

Oh yeah....I am blue collar.

 

 

 

Edited July 15, 2008 by Alpinsanity

[W]

The ridge itself took about 5 1/2 hours, overall we were 9 1/2 hrs car to car. We never stopped anywhere for very long, it was continuous.

 

The hardest climbing was a short steep step just before the dramatic knife edge ridge; at the step, climb up and off to the right, passing an ancient fixed friend. It felt like maybe 5.7; solid rock and good gear. Most of the route is 3rd and 4th class, but there's lots of low 5th class moves and steps throughout.

 

Enjoy!

[Alpinsanity]

I'll make the best of it.

Thanks again for the beta.