[TR] Cascades - Sherpa West Ridge 10/2/2010

[dugdaled]

Trip: Cascades - Sherpa West Ridge

 

Date: 10/2/2010

 

Trip Report:

We approached over Beverly Creek trail. It is longer than Long’s Pass, and less elevation gain, so not as steep. At the Ingalls Creek crossing, we lost the trail, and bushwhacked up to the main Ingalls Trail (the correct trail continuation takes a fairly sharp left after crossing the creek). We followed other cc.com posts to start ascending the hillside. This led us to the edge of the Cascadian Couloir which had some steep dirty climbing, but was mostly good. In retrospect, it would have been easier to follow the Ingalls Creek trail to about 200 feet east of the avalanche path, and then go straight up (this is how we descended and it was very pleasant).

We dropped into the couloir coming down from Sherpa around 5800 feet, and it was straightforward. We then ascended talus fields, running out of daylight around 6800 feet, where we found a small bivy site for 2 and a seep with enough water. A beautiful site! The next day, we passed a large bivy site on a flat rock about 400 feet above—this is the standard site, but it may have been dry this late in the season.

There were a few sprinkles over night, but in the morning, we started up by headlamp, arriving at the saddle below the route shortly after daybreak. We scrambled the 1st pitch—mostly class 4 with a few low 5th moves. The 2nd pitch was a full 60 meters to a starting at a belay with rappel slings, again mostly 4th with more low 5th. We passed multiple rappel points doing this. The 3rd pitch was traversing 3rd and 4th class, leading to a rappel anchor below the crux pitch. It was just as advertised—low 5th into a cave, then get high and a big step right to a slab (5.5 friction), followed by more low 5th to the start of the last pitch. The final pitch was again mostly 4th with brief 5th to the summit. There is a summit register, and we were the 6th party to sign it this year. The record goes back to 1985.

We wasted no time descending because of threatening clouds that fortunately never opened up on us. We downclimbed the top pitch roped; rappelled the crux pitch; and did the traverse pitch unroped. We then did 2 more rappels to the start of the route. After that, a long slog out the way we came in except we dropped down the slope above the Ingalls Creek trail directly rather than entering Cascadian Couloir—that is easier. Then--more slogging to get to the car just before dark on Sunday. Thanks for a great trip Phil!

 

 

Gear Notes:

60 meter rope; small alpine rack and runners. No ice ax needed now

 

Approach Notes:

Over Beverly Creek trail