Seeking Stuart Gendarme Beta

[stevenkalinowsk]

Hi All,

I am planning to climb Stuart's North Ridge and I am wondering how to deal with the gendarme pitches. Leading 5.9 with my pack on doesn't appeal to me, nor does carrying a haul line for just 2 pitches. Both pitches sound short. I was wondering if it would be possible to climb the pitch, pull up the slack, untie from my end, throw the loose end of the rope down to the second, and then haul on this line. Or is this inviting disaster (let's assume that there isn't too much wind)? Any other suggestions would be appreciated.

Thank you.

-Steven

[Cpt.Caveman]

You can do it that way. No need to carry a haul line.

[This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 08-15-2001).]

[Dru]

Make the second carry a humongous pack. thats why they are on top rope.

[pope]

Cavey's correct. The belays on top of the two 5.9 pitches are directly above their bottom belays, and it's not too difficult to pull a rope and throw it down, although there's some associated risks. I've done with them with a light pack, and the second pitch seemed more challenging, so that would be the one to haul. I also like Dru's suggestion.

[Cpt.Caveman]

One more thing there is a fixed piece on the OW crux still...

[Matt_Anderson]

I was on Stuart on Saturday and Sunday. It seems to me that you have to traverse to do the hard pitches, so I was suprised to hear that others thought it'd be easy to drop a rope down. I'll take a look in the next couple of days and see if the topo refreshes my memory.

Regarding water, there is snow just above the ledge marked "gigantic bivy" on the topo. It'll be there for a week or two more.

There's running water at the start of the bypass variation. The descent is arduous and dry, save water.

The Gigantic Bivy ledge is definitely the most comfortable on the route and I highly recommend trying to sleep there, if possible.

Also, the pocket glacier is still there and actively calving. After traversing rock above the pocket glacier for a while, we had to do a sprint in front of an upper portion of the glacier, which did not seem possible to traverse above. Thirty minutes up the bypass variation, a VW bus sized block calved and scraped our path. step lightly.

[Cpt.Caveman]

THere is snow to melt just off of the summit. I think I carried about a gallon and a half of water for myself and that was plenty.. About halfway down the descent we also found another spot of running water. Just bundle some rox together and it will pool up.

I bivied after pitch 9 , 2 below the Gendarme on a tiny ledge with nice views of the Girth Pillar. 7' X 4' ledge. I am not a comfort minded person

I dont know what he means by pocket glacier.. We traversed low until the first rockband to avoid the icy stuff. Then scrambeld across the rockband high and that was the easiest glacier I ever crossed. No need for an axe as I used a ski pole and tennies with those supah dupa stubai ultra lights..

[This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 08-15-2001).]

[freak]

Pocket glacier, thats on slesse, anyway did the north ridge of stuart on friday, last week. no water after the glacier, we wernt planning to haul of the gendarme so we dident although we could have on the first pitch, The second pitch is a bitch, we couldent have hauled though cause I went out right after the main difficulties to a nice little nook//ledge and a good belay, there is a fixed and bomber camalot in the second pitch. I think you can go more straight up instead of going right like i did, that would make hauling possible. Have fun and let your partner lead the second pitch the first one is cool.

The pocket glacier on sleesse, I had an axe but no crampons, a third tool type job and some intep crampon would be fastest, that way you dont have to do a dicey slab traverse to get around big seracs and shit, its easy just go fast. eh freak out

[jblakley]

Ray,

Is there any water/snow up higher on the route or did you just tank up down low? Did you bivy up on the ridge (around pitch 8?) and how big is the bivy area?

Thanks

Jim

[Downhill]

I've led both pitches tied in to the middle of a 50M rope, then belayed the 2nd on one half and hauled the pack(s) on the other - cake.

A fixed Camelot - cool...how about a string of retro bolts next to the OW?

[Cpt.Caveman]

Killer Downhill! I dont think the bolts would last though

I think there is enough beta here to climb the gendarme...... Now that I add a pic.

[jblakley]

Nice pic Ray!