Mt Stuart North Ridge beta

[gyro]

Hope this is in the right place. North Cascades says everything north of Stevens Pass, and south cascades says everything south of Rainier, but Stuart is in between, so hopefully their isn't a mid cascades section I missed.

 

Me and a partner are looking to do the North Ridge route this spring/summer. Neither of us have been in that area much so figured I'd ply the wisdom of the masses. We were thinking of approaching from the south, and setting camp around Ingalls lake/creek, and then doing a full day up and back to sleep at camp again.

 

Any recommended gear, camp sites, warnings, special descent routes, or time of year recommendations would be appreciated. I found a West ridge TR on this site, and read the North Ridge description over on SP, but was wondering if there is anything else useful to know about Stuart.

[pdk]

There are MANY TRs for the North Ridge on this site. Judicious use of the search tool should produce what you are looking for without re-hashing the same old stuff over again.

[matt_warfield]

pdk is right- lots of info on this site or check a guidebook. Keep in mind that early season is going to involve snow and ice on the ridge.

[ivan]

i'd recommend do a car shuttle and approach via mountaineers creek, climb the lower n ridge and bivy at the notch, then finish and descend the s side and go up n' over longs (?) pass the next day

 

don't take too much shit - it's an alpine climb - have a single cam to 3.5 inches will make the gendarme happy, happy for you.

[Pete_H]

If you do it early season enough I like the Sherpa Glace descent and out Mtnr's Creek.

[dennyt]

The Alpine Lakes forum is what you're looking for, between North and South cascades.

[mountainmatt]

It also really depends of you are trying to do the full north ridge or just the upper half:

 

If doing the full north, I would highly recommend taking Pete_H's advice, however it technically requires a permit to camp up there during the "enchantments season". Unless you really want to bivy mid-climb (heavier packs), I would suggest doing the route in a day (fast and light).

 

If only doing the upper half, coming from Ingalls makes more sense and descend via the Cascadian.

 

 

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[Dane]

I've done the full N ridge from both sides and frankly prefer coming in from Ingalls. Walk seems easier and love the decent on snow to the start of the ridge. Nice break after all the up hill. But I would never think of camping at Ingalls. Too close to the car and not close enough to the climb.

 

Great approach (Ingalls) if you are doing a C2C shot (either version CNR or short NR version) or going to bivy at the notch on a CNR for a low key trip.

 

Cascadian (long sob) and West ridge are both good decents. West Ridge makes a slower decent but easy and the obvious route as you don't drop off the mtn so far and have to regain the elevation if you cam in from the south.

 

Like everyone has said...go light. It is a long walk no matter how you do it.

[gyro]

Thanks for all the replies. I did try a search and waded through the first 600 results of "mt stuart" but didn't find a whole lot relevant. And thanks for pointing me to alpine lakes, I feel silly for missing that description.

 

We are thinking of doing the CNR, but are not trying to do a car to car. We are thinking of driving over, hiking in and camping, getting an alpine start the next morning, climb/descend all day, and camp a second night, then hike out on the third day. Do you think a hike in, start, and bivy 2 day trip would work better than the three day with one full day for climbing? Will definitely be going as light as possible, and thanks for all of the advice.

 

As for Sherpa Glacier, how early is early season for Stuart? What is the last month you would choose it to descend?

[matt_warfield]

I'm with Dane on this one. One car, same TH start and finish. Go as far as you can on the approach day past Ingalls Lake and if you are fast you should be able to climb and descend the next day. For a leisurely trip and great views, bivy on the summit. The descent down Cascadian sucks but goes quickly and the exit via Longs Pass will test your legs a bit but goes quickly as well.

 

If it is your first time on the ridge and you take the Gendarme exit (as you should), expect a little routefinding above. Megaclassic climb- have fun.

[Pete_H]

For the full NR you can camp near the moraine on the north side. Awesome view of the ice cliff and good water source. Too late in the season for the Sherpa really depends on the year, but I've heard of people descending it pretty late with a rap to get in and crampons and an axe, of course. I've done it around 4th of July on an average year and it was fat.

[ivan]

For the full NR you can camp near the moraine on the north side. Awesome view of the ice cliff and good water source. Too late in the season for the Sherpa really depends on the year, but I've heard of people descending it pretty late with a rap to get in and crampons and an axe, of course. I've done it around 4th of July on an average year and it was fat.

love doing it that way - the rock cave at the base of the n ridge is a fucking wild place to party and the sherpa is a breeze to get back down when the conditions are good - the hellish nightmare of walking out mountaineer creek in the dark plagued by 3 trillion mosquitoes per square inch however...

[Pete_H]

I'm soooo over the forced march out Mtnr's Crk but it's still better than descending the scree nightmare of Cascadian and hiking BACK up to Long's Pass.

[Dane]

With an early start in mid August it is an "easy" walk in and climb the bottom of the CNR to the notch on the 1st day. With pleanty of daylight to spare/eat/get comforatble for the bivy. Took us 8 hrs total car to NR notch (climbing in boots and no hurry) with 5hrs (in running shoes to the base of the west ridge) of those getting to the base of the ridge. In the grand scheme of things on this trip the climbing is pretty short time wise.

 

Climbing in rock shoes and walking in light approach shoes would speed up the approach, climbing and decent a good bit I suspect.

 

One of my old journal entries does mention a "horrible" decent to Ingalls creek and I noted the time from Longs pass to the parking lot. 1.5 hrs. Seemed like 6 at the time. Which is why I mention the West Ridge decent as an alternative . Thanks for the reminder of those vulture size meskeetos! Biggest reason by far to come in on the south side for me.

 

Base, notch or summit bivy, all are pretty cool. Have fun!

[ivan]

I'm soooo over the forced march out Mtnr's Crk but it's still better than descending the scree nightmare of Cascadian and hiking BACK up to Long's Pass.

the One True Performance Enhancing Drug totally slays this dragon

[benmurphy]

I'm soooo over the forced march out Mtnr's Crk but it's still better than descending the scree nightmare of Cascadian and hiking BACK up to Long's Pass.

the One True Performance Enhancing Drug totally slays this dragon

 

so don't pack light on these essentials...

[wdietsch]

If you do it early season enough I like the Sherpa Glace descent and out Mtnr's Creek.

 

ditto ... early May to Mid-June has always worked for me. Bivy in the moraine near the Sherpa - Ice Cliff confluence .. outstanding views in good weather .. one of the best in the Stuart range

[johnson]

we had a nice time on the CNR in September. We did what Dane mentions. Went in through Ingalls and bivied at the notch. It made for two medium sized days. Great fun! www.noah-townsend.blogspot.com

 

 

[gyro]

Thanks a ton for all the advice, I'm looking forward to getting over to the west side of Washington, and this should be a good route to welcome us this spring/summer. I'm starting to think that a bivy on the summit is sounding like a fun way to go, so thanks again on all the advice.

[pms]

a bivy near the base is good because there is water. water could be an issue for some spots on the mtn.

[Pete_H]

I think its funner to not carry bivy gear when you don't have to, but to each their own.

[Dane]

Depends on what you carry for bivy gear....

 

In August we did the CNR as a training climb for another project. Climbed in mtn boots intentionally and took only small day packs with water, some food and a goretex bivy bag for each of us.

 

Weather was good and we had a warm night, fairly comfortable in comparison to some climbs and it made getting up real early and finshing the climb "easy"

[goatboy]

Thanks a ton for all the advice, I'm looking forward to getting over to the west side of Washington...

 

Stuart is not generally considered to be on the West Side, even if you're coming from the Palouse! It's definitely an East Side climb, with corresponding weather differences on the (usually) dry east side.

[Pete_H]

Depends on what you carry for bivy gear....

 

In August we did the CNR as a training climb for another project. Climbed in mtn boots intentionally and took only small day packs with water, some food and a goretex bivy bag for each of us.

 

Weather was good and we had a warm night, fairly comfortable in comparison to some climbs and it made getting up real early and finshing the climb "easy"

 

What? No Wal-Mart puptent?

[stevetimetravlr]

 

If doing the standard north ridge ascent, the trickiest part of the climb is the descent. So when deciding which couloir, choose wisely. Stuart and its north ridge is one of the most classic of mountains, enjoy!