[TR] Sherpa Peak - North Ridge 7/15/2007

[Z-Man]

Trip: Sherpa Peak - North Ridge

 

Date: 7/15/2007

 

Trip Report:

In the words of Jim Nelson, "good but not great."

 

 

 

 

 

 

[JasonG]

Did you climb the complete ridge? I've wondered if it would be better to intersect the ridge 2/3 of the way up at the major notch before the last steep bit to the summit. Early season, it looks like snow all the way up to that notch....

 

 

[Z-Man]

Started at the last trees on the ridge, maybe 7000', and seemed to be the obvious place to begin climbing. The steepest pitches were after the notch, but I thought the most fun stuff was simuling clean cracks down lower. You could also easily climb on 4th and low-fifth class ledges on the East side of the ridge almost the whole way to the notch if you really wanted to bypass the lower stuff, but I don't think I would want to do that.

 

Forgot to mention: descending to Sherpa Pass via the South slopes is long and painful, but I don't know of a better alternative.

[telemarker]

Forgot to mention: descending to Sherpa Pass via the South slopes is long and painful, but I don't know of a better alternative.

 

Maybe a dumb question, but...Did you descend west to Sherpa Col, or east to Sherpa/Argonaut Col?

[rob]

If it's early season, you can descend the couloir just climbers left of the summit. It's a long downclimb, but faster.

[Z-Man]

I believe the most oft-done descent is to the East to the gap between Sherpa and Argonaut, which Beckey calls Sherpa Pass. It isn't fun. On a positive note you don't need crampons, boots, or ice axe if you head that way late season.