Rockfall on NE face of Stuart?

[Colin]

Below Mount Stuart's Ice Cliff Glacier is a small snowfield that sits in the V-shaped moraine. When on that snowfield about a month ago, I noticed a large pile of rock debris down the middle of it.

While on the North Buttress of Colchuck Peak last weekend, I caught another glimpse of the same snowfield. It appeared as though a massive quantity of rock had fallen somewhere off the NE face, for the snowfield was now covered in debris. It was quite evident that the snow hadn't melted away exposing rock, but rather that rock had covered the snow. I have heard rumors that a portion of the Girth Pillar had fallen off this spring, but not verified them. Have any of you been up to the North side of Stuart recently? What part of the NE face might have fallen off (although I suppose it could also have been from the Ice Cliff Spur)?

[Kyle_Flick]

We were on the north ridge of Stuart doing the Gendarme this weekend and noticed that the Girth Pillar route was intact, although the bivy site platform described was not visible and there appeared to be debris around the base area.

[robertm]

Two friends of mine did the pillar last year and said that the route is not as described in Select Vol. I due to a large rockfall. Talking with Jim Nelson at PMS he also said that he had heard from other climbers that there appeared to be some significant rockfall on the route.