zoroastr Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 (edited) Trip: Dorado Needle - Day Climb Date: 9/10/2008 Trip Report: With apologies to users of 1200-baud modems, I thought it might be fun to post a few large snaps from our group's climb of the Dorado Needle last Sunday. After getting weathered off the same route by horizontally-blowing snow the previous weekend, EJohnson, TommyU and I came back for some revenge during a spate of perfect late-season weather. It was REALLY great to get back on rock with EJohnson after a season of weird weather, conflicting work schedules and a broken clavicle. Tommy Unger, with whom we hadn't climbed before, turned out to be a glacier-probing, rock-hopping monster--nice job T.U.! This is a tremendous route, offering a thigh-burnning, boulder-strewn approach, miles of scenic glacier travel, and a short but exhilirating low-fifth-class route on solid rock. If you go for the single-day push as we did, you'll want to start quite early, as the boulder fields in the lower valley can be a bit tricky in the dark. V-e-r-y scenic approach! I had to suppress a powerful urge to yodel... The Triad... On the Inspiration Glacier, TommyU turned around to grab a shot of EJohnson, JohnC (relegated to the role of 'human ballast' for the duration of the glacier crossing) and Forbidden Peak in the distance... Nice big crack on the Inspiration Gl... From the passage col, we first glimpsed the peak (highest point, left). It was here that I began to entertain doubts about the likelihood of topping out. The shot is a bit deceptive; you have to lose a few hundred feet of vert before heading up the next glacier. Just before reaching the col, we found some very well-defined bear tracks and a huge scatpile--never saw the bear, but we were clearly not alone. Nearing the base of the route... Ejohnson, getting a feel for the place... Eventually, we opted not to try for the normal moat entry to the ridge--this looked really melted out and sketchy. Instead, we headed up the right-hand side via an exposed but easy set of ledges and a short chimney to rejoin the main ridge at a point well before the start of the intersting climbing. You might consider this option if the usual route is out of shape. As it turned out, the 'normal' route up the moat wasn't really that bad, and we rapped through it on the way down. EJohnson, starting up the ledges... Taken just after clearing the ledges and joinging the main ridge... EJohnson making good time toward the summit... TommyU committing to the first of a couple of exposed but short and solid hand traverses. After pausing briefly on top, we started a series of quick, fun raps down the ridge and into the moat... Back at the col. The alpenglow was nice, and we were able to get completely off the snow before turning on the lamps. The boulder fields were actually not that bad, but we were probably lucky to get down as quiickly as we did. Gear Notes: Glacier stuff, aluminum 'pons over running shoes, snax, water...blah..blah...blah... Approach Notes: Melted out below the glaciers...beware the boulders if coming out after dark! Edited September 11, 2008 by zoroastr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pms Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 beautiful pictures Z. Looks like another nice weekend coming our way Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
nkane Posted September 10, 2008 Share Posted September 10, 2008 Geology question - In this picture, you can see a band of lighter rock on the peaks in the background, just above the glacier. Can any knowledgeable people tell if that's a sign of the recession of the glacier? Is that lighter rock newly exposed to the air and hasn't grown lichen yet? Or is it simply the "high-water mark" of a normal year's snow? Thanks, and great TR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Le Piston Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Beautiful pictures. What kind of camera do you use? I was going to do this route earlier this summer after climbing Eldorado and Klawatti, but getting off Klawatti took longer than planned and the snow was posthole city. You have inspired me for a rematch. Very nice TR...Thanks! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
zoroastr Posted September 11, 2008 Author Share Posted September 11, 2008 (edited) LP: I'm sure you'll love the route. It'll prolly be in shape for a while yet. I'm thinking of heading back into the area this weekend to snag one or two others. --good luck! My camera is (or, rather, *was*) a Canon A510 compact point-n-click, 3.2 MP. Unfortunately, it fell off my pack during the second hand traverse on Dorado. Luckily, since I followed it visually as it bounced down a hundred feet of ledges, I was able to retrieve it. The little camera, which I bought at Fry's for 140 bucks, and which served me well for three years, didn't survived the fall--the impact seperated the two halves of the body, and although I was able to compress them back tgether and get the LCD working, the shutter is toast. This weekend, I'm replacing it with another little Canon. I love these cameras--perfect for non-photogs like me. BTW: a couple of these snaps were taken by Tommy, who also carries a Canon, but he's got one of those 10-pound DSLR things. He took the dusk shot and the one of me rappelling. --cheers Edited September 11, 2008 by zoroastr Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lisa_D Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 looks fabulous. This climb is on my list! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Clarence Posted September 11, 2008 Share Posted September 11, 2008 Awesome! We climbed Eldorado today. I'm surprised we didn't see you guys last night on your way out. I had hoped to do Dorado Needle in addition to Eldorado, but work schedules cut the trip short, it looks very cool and your trip report only makes it more enticing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ScottPick Posted September 13, 2008 Share Posted September 13, 2008 WOW pics. No helmets? Looks dicey to me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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