1 week - must-do?

[genepires]

if you just bivy on bare stone on the talus below dragontail there's no problem - same deal if you're doing stuart

 

I think that there is a problem with this. The rangers allow people to only camp in designated areas which they require a permit. A planned bivy is a camp and you could get in trouble. Now if you were up the route one pitch, you may be able to get away with a "unplanned" bivy.

 

serpentine has no glacier travel required but it does have snow on approach and descent. The snow maybe a managable without crampons. You could get by with one lightweight axe for the two of ya. The approach snow is very short as most of the approach part is on a moraine. The descent snowfield is steeper but has fairly good runout.

 

I have had good luck getting permits midweek. Be there early, waiting for the doors to open. They keep a certain number of permits available for walk ins like yourself. They may not even have issued all the reservable ones which gives you more permits to get.

 

Edited June 7, 2010 by genepires

[aged]

I'm planning a one-week trip to WA for late June and am in need of advice on some good long rock routes to do. Ideally this would be something East or ...

[tsevery]

All great suggestions. Bring lightweight crampons or you are setting yourself up for an injury. They will make your trip far more memorable! well actually a rescue and hospital stay wouldn't be forgotten too soon either

Welcome and enjoy your time here.

 

[ivan]

crampons arent' always needed, especially if you have beta on how to avoid them - for serp arete on dragontail, for example, pick up a rock at the top of the moraine and use it as an axe and to chop steps for the 40 feet of steepish snow to get on rock if you get nervous there - then, if it seems too icy on the decent, take the rap line from the summit that dumps you onto the flats of the glacier

[summitchaserCJB]

I have a little beta on Serpentine. Did it late to mid June last year. Brought crampons and ice ax, only used to ax to chop steps on the approach. By the time we got to the top it was glissade conditions. I'd bring one or the other.

[cwood]

That helps. We'll have to make a call on the crampons in the next week.

 

Actually, the beta I'm most in need of for Serpentine is the descent route. Beckey's guide, while good, is more text than graphical, and I don't have any maps just yet.

 

What is the preferred descent called, and how easy is it to find? I have definitely had at least one near-epic in the past by missing a preferred descent.

[Off_White]

Its a pretty simple descent. Head down the backside. If you need to rappel, you're probably in the wrong spot. Once on the snow, turn left. Once at the pass, turn left again. Seriously, I'm not being snide, I don't think it's any more complicated than that.

 

I'd recommend looking at the Gerber-Sink N Face route, with a possible finish up the upper part of the Hidden Couloir, traversing the ledge below the fin and up. Overall a much more solid outing than Serpentine, though it doesn't have any single pitch that's as sweet as the finger crack on that more popular line.

[Edlinger]

As long as you avoid Infinite Bliss, Condomorphine Addiction, and many of the lower entablature routes at Vantage below and west of the Sunshine Wall, you'll be OK and have a good trip.

[summitchaserCJB]

Edlinger- Are you speaking to over-bolted routes? Personally I find climbing on over-bolted routes is easy and stress-free. Not that I personally advocate over-bolting. All that is to say Condomorphine Addiction is a good solid route.

[Le Piston]

I believe what you are looking for is the East Ridge route (for descent). If memory serves there is a good description with a diagram in the guidebook "Climbing Washington's Mountains". Have a great time!

[Edlinger]

Edlinger- Are you speaking to over-bolted routes? Personally I find climbing on over-bolted routes is easy and stress-free. Not that I personally advocate over-bolting. All that is to say Condomorphine Addiction is a good solid route.

 

n oooobie

[summitchaserCJB]

yep that's me. So I should hate it? Good to know.

[Buckaroo]

There's an easy trick to camping at WA pass, just drive down the East side to the first campground on the left, it's a couple miles from the pass and it's dry enough to where there's no skeeters. Of course you have to fight them on the climbs but at least you can sleep.

 

I have a horror story to tell. When I first climbed Liberty crack we did it in 2 days with fixed ropes. We bivied at the base and my buddy didn't have any netting for his bivy sack. He was afraid to seal it up tight so he just left an opening for his mouth. The mosquitoes bit him on the mouth all night and chased him up the first 3 pitches. He was about to lose it and his lips were swollen big time.

[Buckaroo]

the descent is simple the entire south side is walkable, you can draw it on a map, it's condition dependent though, if it's cold at night and no sunshine it may be icy on the glacier. There is an alternative but it's a little further hike. If you're doing it from the road you're going to be in the dark. This is not really a multi pitch rock route, this is big alpine. It's a few roped pitches and a bunch of exposed scrambling. You have to be fast on simul climbing.