Black Mt.

[leejams]

Heading up to do a 1 day climb up Black Mt, Saturday. Anybody interested? Have the south route in mind. However, the NE ridge with someone with a 30 M rope and leader abilities with a small rack would be great as well. cheers lee

 

[ 10-11-2002, 09:45 AM: Message edited by: leejams ]

[COL._Von_Spanker]

What does Black MT go at? I've looked at doing that in the past, but can't remember the details?

[leejams]

8,970 Foot summit, South ridge class 4 scramble, NE ridge low 5th class. Start early and go light and fast.

[COL._Von_Spanker]

I may be down, how long do you think it will take car2car up the NE Ridge? The snow conditions may turn it into a mixed climb which would be fun.

 

This is sorta helpful TR (for possible snow conditions)

[leejams]

It would be a long day and I would guess they are correct in there times. But hell, to get across the road you have to step off the curb. Cheers lee

[goatboy]

Thanks for the TR, it's always good to hear route reports and conditions.

 

One question:

 

Freeman writes,

 

"Nice exposed climbing, fair to great rock, class 3 to 5 easy (call it all class 4)"

 

Hmm, having been on that peak, and been very underwhelmed by the rock quality (though impressed by the quantity), I must ask, fair to great rock compared to WHAT?

 

Steve

[Freeman]

most climbs in the Cascades <g>

 

A TR I read here some time ago said something like "unpleasantly loose class three but rock improves as you get higher" - I would agree with that. Similar to say, SE Buttress of Cutthroat or what I remember of the West Ridge of Stuart (no flames, it was a long time ago) or some of the lower parts of Burgandy Spire or Fernow or the lower parts of Dragontail, well you get the picture. Altho we carried a small alpine rack the best pro was long runners around horns. We actually put our lampoons on for the snowed over class 3 traverse to the notch below the summit (didn't need them on the lower snowfield last week because of new snow but this time of the year they would normally be necessary)

 

Kyle and I agreed that we would consider repeating that route and there are many I would not. He has done the N Face of Black and said he would never do that again - we both felt this was much more pleasant than the SE "walk up" (which I do every year for the view).

[Paul_K]

quote:

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We actually put our lampoons on for the snowed over class 3 traverse to the notch

---

Wouldn't a spoof work better in this situation?

[Freeman]

we figured it was mixed climbing at M 0.3

[COL._Von_Spanker]

M0.3? Good, That means I can step it up a couple notches.

 

M 0.1= If you can see snow somewhere on the MT while yer climbin' but you never actually touch snow.

[Freeman]

yea, but at M 0.1 you still need your lampoons on; we don't break out the spoofs until M 0.7

[Freeman]

Did the NE Ridge of Black Pk last weekend - left Wenatchee at 5:00, the car at 7:45, on the route a little before noon, passed a party of 3 (who were still on the route at 5 when we were down at the lake, parking lot at 7:00 and home before 10.

 

Used a 60 foot rope and simul climbed with running belays - some snow on upper ledges. Approach shoes for the whole climb. Nice exposed climbing, fair to great rock, class 3 to 5 easy (call it all class 4)