first ascent [TR] Rostrum Peak, B.C. - Attempted new route East Ridge, 2 first ascents 7/7/2008

[Le Piston]

Trip: Rostrum Peak, B.C. - Attempted new route East Ridge, 2 first ascents

 

Date: 7/7/2008

 

Trip Report:

My original plan was to climb Mt. Sir Donald and Mt. Forbes, but between daily rain and a washed out access road, the plan changed to Rostrum Peak and it's surrounding mountains. Larry Dolecki, a professional guide I had climbed with in Switzerland, wanted to try a new route on Rostrum's east ridge. We did a fun river crossing, bushwack (no trails) and set up camp in the rain. The next day we crossed a moraine and started up an interesting icefall. There were some 70 degree to vertical steps of ice, but mostly crevasse dodging up to the glacier below Rostrum's east ridge. After a steep snow slope/arete we reached a rock band, when the weather turned to a mini blizzard and the rock got very slick and hard to protect. So, we descended and did a first ascent of an unnamed peak adjacent to Rostrum's east ridge. The next day we did a first ascent of Ruby Peak (near Icefall Peak)as a traverse in the rain up the northwest ridge (lower 5th class) and down a steep snow gully down to a nicely unbroken-up glacier and back to the tent. It wasn't the classic Sir Donald and Mt. Forbes, but for a casual weekend old fart climber like me, it was a good adventure.

 

Gear Notes:

Standard glacier gear, small alpine rock rack. Helmet a must with the loose shattered limestone.

 

Approach Notes:

Transcanada Highway 1 east from Rogers Pass to the Bush River road. 4 wheel drive helped over a log and washouts. We parked just below Mt. Aras next to a big washout. A thigh deep river crossing, bushwack through small trees to a canyon, onto the moraine and a nice camp spot on heather benches.

Edited July 23, 2008 by Le Piston

[Le Piston]

I'm not very good at posting trip reports (do they have a "trip reports for idiots"? The first photo is Larry Dolecki leading up the icefall. The second photo is the unnamed (so far) peak near Rostrum. The third photo is me on the east ridge of Rostrum Peak before the weather really got bad.

[marc_leclerc]

Nice! Loks like fun... too bad the weather crapped out on Rostrum....

[AlpineK]

Looks like a cool spot.

 

It took me a couple tries to make it up Sir Donald. A thunderstorm and constant rain killed the first try. I got shut down on Robson 4 times before I got to spend 20 seconds on the summit too.

 

Forbes was always somewhere on my list. Try again.

[Le Piston]

For any that might be interested, these peaks are on Rostrum Peak map 84 N 14. The unnamed peak is 9600 feet and grid reference 886413. Ruby peak is 8900 feet, grid reference 894489. My thanks to Larry Dolecki for the info.