Lambone Posted July 29, 2001 Posted July 29, 2001 This is how I felt after hour 22 when we finally made it down the Cascade Couloir. But I have to say that the Upper North Ridge on Stuart is one of the coolest climbs I've ever done! Such great climbing with such awsome exposure is hard to find. I gots to give thanks to my partner Tim the hardman from Iowa, and to all the folks who I nagged for beta. Thanks Yall! So for all those who haven't been up it, ya got to get on the thing... So for discussions sake, who can think of a long alpine climb in the Cascades that can top the North Ridge of Stuart? I feel like I might as well just quit climbing now, cause it can't get any better than that! I need a new objective, who can help me out? Lambone [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-29-2001).] Quote
mikeadam Posted July 29, 2001 Posted July 29, 2001 Torment/Forbidden traverse Slesse Did you see Danimal and Caveman up there? Anyway check your messages poser. Mike Quote
AlpineK Posted July 29, 2001 Posted July 29, 2001 East buttress on South Early winter spire is a good one; Slesse is too. I haven't been to the North buttress on Bear, but I bet it's good. [This message has been edited by AlpineK (edited 07-29-2001).] Quote
adr_901 Posted July 29, 2001 Posted July 29, 2001 Friday we were bivied just at the base of the West Ridge and planned to summitt Sat am. We ended up aborting the climb because it appeared a front was comming in and it was not clearing by late morning. Did things clear up later that day or did you end up climbing through the weather anyway. Maybee we were too hasty in leaving Quote
EV Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 IAMBONE: When did you start and when did you finish, car-to-car? Also, did you do the entire north ridge, or did you skip the lower pitches? Finally, how many "pitches" were there, and how much would you say was done as running belays? TIA Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 Cool, thanks for the suggests fellas! The crux is choosing from all the wonderfull peaks up here. I have always though the Cascades couldn't hold a stick to the Sierra's... then I got on Stuart-WOW! Now I realize how much I can learn from these peaks. Mike, There was a party of two guys behind us. I'm not sure if it was Cavey, but judging how slow they were moving I asume it was!!!!! Just kidding, I'd be nicer but they wouldn't wave back to us. Just trying to be freindly guys...we topped out at 6:30 and they party was still three pitches below the Gendarm. I assume they were forced to bivi, and I really hope they made it off safely. The weather blew in right after we summited, and I was feeling for those two poor bastards. Once again, I hope it wasn't too harsh up there for ya... Chugach, Be glad you bailed, Saturday morning was shit! Couldn't even see Stuart from Ingalls Lake... You made a good decision! We got lost in the bottom of the Colouir on our descent (SUCK!!!). Cliffs, darkness, loose rock, bushwacking, the works. Some how we stagared down. P.S. Cashing bivi gear at Ingalls Lake is only a good idea if you are sure you can make it back up there (SUCK!!) Needles to say I got to test how warm my pack is. I forgot to give thanks to the rain gods for letting us get down before pissing on our heads. Thanks. Anyway, I'll shut my trap now! [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-29-2001).] Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 quote: Originally posted by EV: IAMBONE: When did you start and when did you finish, car-to-car? Also, did you do the entire north ridge, or did you skip the lower pitches? Finally, how many "pitches" were there, and how much would you say was done as running belays? TIA EV, Sounds like you want some specific beta. I wasn't going to spray about this unless someone asked. So, here goes... We did the upper ridge. We left the car at 2:30 am. Friday Hit Goat Pass at 7:30 am. The notch at 9:30 am. Gendarm at 3:30 pm. Summit at 6:30 pm. 16 hours car to summit Ingalls Creek trail at 11:30 pm. Ingalls Lake-don't ask... Car-9:30 am.Saturday 16 hours summit to car Total-32hours Total sleep time 2-4 wet shivering hours! I did't count how many pitches we did, I would guess about 10 (8 were REALLY cool!). And we simo-climed on about half of them. Rope drag was a big problem, I would suggest tying in short with only 30m between each climber. Bring doubles on pro and lots of big slings if you want to simo alot of it. There are lots of good belay ledges that are hard to pass up! I think this is a very do-able pace. We were really tired from only two hours of sleep Thursday night so we were taking it super slow and carefull. Saftey, not speed record was our primary goal. Our only concern was reachin' the summit before rain, and Coluoir before dark. DO NOT underestimate the decsent (we did), if you don't know the right way (we didn't) it can really suck, and be very dangerous. I was very glad to have crampons on Stuart Glaicer at 8:00 am Fri. And was very sad that my warm sleeping bag was at Ingalls Lake at 2:00 am Sat. I'd cary it over next time or leave it where Longs Pass trail meets Ingalls Creek trail. We skipped the Gendarm because we were beat, but at least I have a reason to go back and do it again! Hope this helps, get on it! It's as good as they say it is! One more thing... it's Lambone!! [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-29-2001).] Quote
EV Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Lambone: Sorry for the error. My eyesight isn't what it used to be. They say that's the second thing to go and they're right. One more question: Did you use rock shoes or regular boots? Thanks. Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 Ev, Light hikers on the approach, rock shoes on the climb. I remember doing alot of smearing on slabs and such. You could do it in boots, but it wouldn't be as fun! Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Alas the rock was slimy on the lower N ridge so we opted for round 2 Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 Huh? Whatcha mean? You talkin about beers again! If so I'm glad that wasn't you behind us. Those boys must have been hurtin'!! [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Umm the rock was wet poser . We walked into the base of the N Ridge Proper and the rain was slimin down the rock... [This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 What can I say, Dwayners rubbing off on me! Sorry it didn't work out bro, at least it ain't goin nowhere! [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 I can say this there is no snow to reach the base of the North Ridge. Also I have never approached there and getting views of Sherpa, and Ice Cliff glaciers was interesting. Quote
highclimb Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Lambone, so did you ever run into Office space? or did the dude not show for fear you might through rocks on his head good job on the climb! the climbing semms to be a sickfest! i need to get up there this summer! Aidan Quote
Guest Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Aidan, I was there and met the infamous Caveman enroute to the mountain. We followed them to the base of the ridge all of us knowing that we would not be able to climb but to make a good assesment of things for the next time we can go. An interesting team those two made. Where were you? At home watching sitcoms? Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 Aidan, There was a couple a head of us, and the guy was a total prick... so yeah it was probably him. They held us up a bit, but we got the last laugh as they decided to bivi half way down the descent. We wanted to combine our efforts to find the right way down that thing in the dark, four headlamps better than two and all... But they wouldn't have it, I guess they were to cool for us. Mountain renegades I tell ya. You should totaly do the route. But keep in mind that a fall would be pretty serious up there. The climbing isn't hard, but there is alot of loose rock. Question every hand and foot hold. Test everything! You don't want a lawsuit on your hands! Thats the main reason I posted this trip report, not to spray about my climb, but to inspire aspiring alpinists like myself. Get after it dude! You the man... [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
EV Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Lambone: Thanks for the great beta. Bagging the north ridge is quite an accomplishment. One of the 50 Classic Climbs of NA. Congratulations. Quote
Lambone Posted July 30, 2001 Author Posted July 30, 2001 Thanks Ev, sounds like its your turn. Good Luck! Still its all relative, it ain't like we bagged the Chek Direct in 56 hours or anything. But I did kind of feel like a Twight prodige sucking down GU at hour 23! [This message has been edited by lambone (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
fredrogers Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Lambone- Try the Serpentine Arete or the Backbone with Fin Direct on Dragontail. Both long alpine climbs of moderate grade... meant to do the Arete thhis weekend but bailed due to the weather. Quote
highclimb Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Office space, in fact i was home watching sitcom...oh umm no wait that was last weekend...no i was out craggin in icicle. i am sorry i couldnt get a partner and get up in the mountains and be the man like you are. but i did take my first leader fall. pretty exciting! lucky i place bomber pro. and whats up with dissing 14 year old "boys" huh? pick on someone your one size...maybe aim for 6 or 7 year olds..yeah i think will suit you better and you might not get beat up on. Lambone, thanks for the tip about loose shit. i read a story on rock and ice about a guy climbing the north ridge and a block cut loose while he was on it and it cut his rope and he fell all the way down to the stuart glaicer and into the bergshrund and died pretty sad. also i second fredroggers suggestion about serpentine ridge(easier than backbone) or backbone ridge(if you want a more sustained difficult route than serpentine). i did serpentine ridge in late june. it was FANTASTIC!!! the lower pitches are incredible and once you are on the ridge proper you get a feeling of total Alpine big wall Ambience looking down on the climbers on the colchuck glaicer. and the easy pitches above give you some releaf . we did it car to car in 1 day. no need to camp unless you want to. and carried all our gear up and over. also be very VERY careful about loose rock on the upper third on the route. because you could knock something down on a praty below you. but if officespace is behind you it might not be such a bad idea ... please dont sue me. e-mail me if you want a ful trip report id be happy to write one up for you. Aidan Quote
Guest Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Highclimb, Nobody was picking on you. You were the one that was giving me a hard time to begin with... I don't really care if you are 14 and there was never talk about manhood. Good job for you taking a fall. But it aint like your Reinhold Messner and shit Quit talking smack and get out there to climb instead! If I was 14 on summer vacation I would be scaling all the mountains in sight instead of acting like some mountain expert on these web pages [This message has been edited by OfficeSpace (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
Dru Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 OrificeSpice - remember Aidan is only 14 and can't drive yet ha ha. So much for getting anywhere on summer vacation. Been there myself only i was 26 with no drivers license, no partner, hitching to Squamish to solo Banana peel and fighting off the man hungry girls of the Squamish highway that picked me up.... Quote
Guest Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 Too bad for him. Maybe he should get more creative to get out into the mountains under extended periods of time... Not my problem. [This message has been edited by OfficeSpace (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
highclimb Posted July 30, 2001 Posted July 30, 2001 listen to dru man. tell me how i can get to the mountains when all my partners are either away on trips or at work. i would be glad to hear it. and i wasnt trying to be a mountain expert i was trying to help out lambone if he ever wanted beta for the route. the thread is about what routes he could do in the future that are long hard alpine routes so i gave him a suggestion. Lambone, another one i recommend is the south face of Prusik Peak. 6 pitches of absolute Awsome granite. Aidan Aidan [This message has been edited by highclimb (edited 07-30-2001).] Quote
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