[TR] North Ridge, Baker - Hardcore variation of NR 5/18/2010

[OlegV]

Trip: North Ridge, Baker - Hardcore variation of NR

 

Date: 5/18/2010

 

Trip Report:

Strategy:

Fear is as addictive as potato chips. Nastia, the mountain princess, has a new project for us. I resist at first, partially because the weather forecast is lousy and also because dragging my ass up a snowy hill is too much work, but when she shows up at the front door with her weird-looking pack, I reluctantly agree to drive all the way to Canadian border. We plan to conquer a hard-man ice tower route of the North Ridge of Baker, and if the weather permits, go to the summit, which is not a very serious objective for two Russian alpinists equipped with a cutting edge American climbing technology. To minimize a comfort level, we only bring 6 ice screws, 4 screamers and a single can of fuel. The level of confidence is high - we can get off the mountain no matter what, because we are hardcore bailout-masters.

 

Acclimatization:

We find a secluded camping spot at the edge of the crevasse field, pitch Nastia’s superlight tent made of the leftovers of the Russian army parachutes, and go for a casual glacier walk to probe a ground for hidden holes - none were found.

 

We sleep. Alarm goes off at 3:30 and 2 hours later we are standing at the toe of the 45 degree snow ramp that leads to the base of North ridge ice cliffs. We simulclimb– no pro needed. While having a short second breakfast at the edge of the rotten moat, we make a confident decision to climb up to the right and conquer a steep serac. It looks easy.

 

 

The Climb:

As we get closer, ice walls quadruple in height and imaginary rest ledges appear more like overhangs of ice. “She leads, I live” – I thought. I yanked a couple of pickets into the snow, and am ready to belay and photo-shoot. I am trying to figure out how to turn this into aid-climbing. We need bigger packs, many more ice screws, and preferably a long ladder. The ice is brittle, front points don’t stick, exposure is great.

 

There is always another option around a corner. We traverse the endless slope to the left and try one more line – no good! I suggest going around a corner and taking it easy. From this point, it is all about finding a secrete passage that leads to the summit. I start the lead discovering steep unprotectable ice that leaves a hairy feeling in my stomach.

Instinctively, I search for signs of blue ice, and find one – inside of a small vertical mini-crevasse spitting the ridge. Nice. I like hidden crevasses because you can jam your body into it. Nastia follows.

 

Bailout:

At this point, we are shaken, running out of time and debating whether we are off route and it is time to turn on our bailout skills. Easy – we’ll go home and drink electrolytes. It starts snowing. NOAA was right after all. We rap off a cliff leaving a picket for the alpinists of the future, and start a tedious descent off the NR.

Falling on Roosevelt glacier becomes an undesirable possibility and wet snow stuck to the bottom of crampons is a great help here. Nastia is hating this, and I am concerned about downclimbing a steep ramp with wet feet. The weather is seriously unhappy.

We go, hoping there will be no wet slides, and our skills prove it. It is raining on a glacier. The snow is soft, the Roman Nose is loose and has a giant moat – we go across without falling into it. I am all about returning home tonight - we are pretty much out of water and fuel. My partner wants to find a tent and sleep with hand warmers in our socks. That proves to be a safe decision.

 

Aftermath:

When I was growing up I wanted to explore other planets. It never happened - because most of people are not interested in leaving their SUVs or carrying oxygen bottles in their packs. We do! I just realized how happy I am to meet so many potential cosmonauts. We need to bring climbing to the next level. Going light (or not so light), have the best technology in the world and eat a lot of good protein-rich foods is a key. I understand it is all about a hard core spirit, but there is another way too – make climbing adventurous AND safe. You can’t climb better than 5.14 or fall on ice screws… face it.

 

[summitchaserCJB]

A mix between a climbing movie screen play and Candide. Bravo.

[BirdDog]

Hey look at it this way - your last pics is great. Very funny TR, loved it!

[Khartoum Wood]

you write very well and your pictures are great i hope to see more of your trip reports what a wild trip.

[YocumRidge]

Thanks Oleg for the original "varlamovesque" writeup!

 

Why do not you elaborate some on your sparkling desire to get back to the car the same day, things like searching for the tent in the whiteout and seeing red animals living in the snow?

[YocumRidge]

These are two my favorites taken with the Oleg's fancy camera:

 

Good Omen:

 

Patterns:

[goatboy]

Outstanding trip report, comrade!

[t_rutl]

love the n. ridge, jealous of your outing

[YocumRidge]

Troy, or anyone who has been on the NR:

 

Where on earth we were supposed to look for the Secret Passage in respect to this (Roosevelt Glacier at the bottom of the pics)?

 

 

 

Follow the line of seracs on the left (which is currently all ice) or follow the NR itself? Either way it was not obvious to me.

I really would like to come back and get it done.

[Ryan Canfield]

It looks like you camped in our campsite (or at least right next to it) that we used a day earlier. Cool TR

[Dane]

Some fancy boots on that girl Great TR, thanks!

[t_rutl]

Troy, or anyone who has been on the NR:

 

Where on earth we were supposed to look for the Secret Passage in respect to this (Roosevelt Glacier at the bottom of the pics)?

 

after the ice step we stayed on the ridge for a few hundred meters (of walking, not elev) until it backed off to ~35 degrees or less then broke climbers right. there was a small (5-10 meter) step of 50 degree snow that landed us on the plateau.

[t_rutl]

I'll email you a large pic (not sure how to get the x-tra large versions in a post).

[YocumRidge]

after the ice step we stayed on the ridge for a few hundred meters (of walking, not elev) until it backed off to ~35 degrees or less then broke climbers right. there was a small (5-10 meter) step of 50 degree snow that landed us on the plateau.

 

Thanks Troy! Go ahead and e-mail them to me.

We could not find any snow on the ridge, it was all ice and a shitty one at that. Front pointing on the top of the ridge was extremely time consuming and simul-climbing did not go well. It is why I thought we are off route.

 

[YocumRidge]

It looks like you camped in our campsite (or at least right next to it) that we used a day earlier.

 

No, I do not think so. We made our own in the middle of the crevasse field in between the first set of crevasses and seracs down below (where the army of folks were happily practicing to rig hauling systems). Our strategically chosen site was supposed to be a shortcut to the Roman Nose. And it was.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I recall going up the ridge to the ice cap and finding a weakness to the climbers right in a sort of chimney type feature in the ice. From the single pitch of steeper ice it was walking up and then left towards the summit. Of course that was early July and things were pretty soft and wet all around.

[YocumRidge]

I recall going up the ridge to the ice cap and finding a weakness to the climbers right in a sort of chimney type feature in the ice. From the single pitch of steeper ice it was walking up and then left towards the summit. Of course that was early July and things were pretty soft and wet all around.

So, OMB, did you climb up through that ice chimney?

We have seen it too (30 feet, almost vertical) and I was wondering whether this was the exit to the ridge.

[OlympicMtnBoy]

I'm not sure if it was exactly THAT ice chimney since this was a few years ago now and it's probably changed, but it sounds similar. I think I went up near the rock on the ridge in your second picture where the ice cap is a little thinner. There was a steeper move or two under an overhang onto a step and then up a chimney type feature for 30-40 feet, then we were through. I think I only placed like 3 screws. Conditions vary quite a bit between a hot July 4th and a cloudy mid-may. :-) Looks like fun either way though!

[genepires]

4 years ago there were no chimneys to speak of. Glaciers have a way of changing.

 

It seems though that as you travel to the climbers left, the height and steepness of the wall decreases. At the point on the true ridge is the most mellow place, as you would expect for a glacier serac band. Judging by the photo and memory, I think that part is not too far to the left off the photo. Did you go over there and what did it look like?

 

Or is the true north ridge on the right side of the photo? (the photo with the chimneys)

 

Edit: I looked at the photos again. Your second photo on original post shows you going right to the normal spot. Where the cliff peters out on the left. Your 3rd photo looks right on route but it could be anywhere.

Edited May 19, 2010 by genepires

[johnson]

Esugi wrote up a nice trip report from a couple summers ago. One of his pics shows the secret passage. Maybe that'll help for next time.

 

 

[YocumRidge]

4 years ago there were no chimneys to speak of. Glaciers have a way of changing.

 

It seems though that as you travel to the climbers left, the height and steepness of the wall decreases. At the point on the true ridge is the most mellow place, as you would expect for a glacier serac band. Judging by the photo and memory, I think that part is not too far to the left off the photo. Did you go over there and what did it look like?

 

Or is the true north ridge on the right side of the photo? (the photo with the chimneys)

 

Edit: I looked at the photos again. Your second photo on original post shows you going right to the normal spot. Where the cliff peters out on the left. Your 3rd photo looks right on route but it could be anywhere.

 

Thanks for the input Gene. Yes, the steepness and height of the ridge do decrease if you go left after reaching the top of the snow ramp.

We however first went to the right off the rock band - what a tactic error! I tried to lead two lines there (first - 30 ft to the left off the chimney and then the chimney itself):

and found dinner plating brittle ice on both.

Besides, I suck at climbing overhangs and after both my crampons and one tool popped out and I almost fell , I downclimbed and we retreated to the left side of the ridge.

On the climbers left (still west side of the NR) ice was better and somehow climbable (see 3d pic in the TR) but I was wasted both mentally and physically at that point and Oleg did not feel like releading it either so we went around the toe of the ridge to the east side of the ridge (Roosevelt glacier down below).

That was a different story - one full pitch of 60 deg of unprotectable ice/snice melting in the sun. If you run it out and get to the vertical ice crevasse dividing east and west slopes of the ridge, you are golden, - and some solid and screw-protectable ice can be found in there.

The spine of the ridge was all weird ice and occasionally took screws but I would not simul-climb it in the conditions as of the last week.

 

[Bigtree]

Here's the linky Johnson referenced...http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/892138/TR_North_Cascades_North_Ridge_#Post892138

 

Looks like the boys went up the climbers left...

 

 

 

 

[YocumRidge]

Thanks. I might consider the option later in the season.

[Josh Lewis]

I thought about the North Ridge, but then someone I went on a trip with told me that I should build up some ice climbing experience first, said it was his first ice climb, but said it was scary.

 

Nice trip report!

[summitchaserCJB]

Ya. Maybe start with single pitch, move to the north face of chair, then Maybe to Baker after some intermediate climbs. Baby steps, Josh, baby steps. That is what climbing is allll about brother.