[TR] Mill Creek, Hamilton, Montana - No Sweat Arete 7/31/2008

[pu]

Trip: Mill Creek, Hamilton, Montana - No Sweat Arete

 

Date: 7/31/2008

 

Trip Report:

Having never been up Mill Creek before and having a strong desire to succeed on something easy, Bigbro and I chose No Sweat Arete in Mill Creek outside Hamilton. FWIW, if you have the Rock Climbing Montana Falcon Guide the photo in the book sucks and is hard to interpret. The Approach description is spot on. As far as descent descriptions go, just use the Dihedrals East descent. For some reason that was too hard to put in the book.

 

Finding the route....When you end up in the amphitheatre below the huge walls wondering where to go, choose the easiest looking low angle arete just climbers right of the large obvious gulley.

 

Go up the arete. It looks loose, but it is actually quite solid and puts you in some spectacular positions. Awesome. About 4 30m pitches.

 

Don't dick around with any of the 2d,2e,2f variations that go to the top of the formation. They are loose and suck.

 

To descend follow the big 4th class ledge to the gully. Go up and over the gully. Descend to the east. CARRY OVER. THE DESCENT WILL PUT YOU WELL AWAY, APPROX 1 HR, FROM THE BASE OF THE ROUTE.

 

This would be an excellent first alpine climb. Routefinding, approaching, and descending problems abound. Nothing too hard though.

 

Have fun.

[Bug]

Sweet memories........

One of my first leads.