Kraken Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 (edited) Trip: First Ascent of Mt. Mausolus - "The Mausoleum" - West Face Direct Date: 3/16/2011 Trip Report: After years of obsessing, I was finally able to make the first ascent of 9,170' Mt. Mausolus in the southwestern Alaska range with Scotty Vincik. Conditions on the mountain were ideal in mid-March. We were extremely lucky! The route contained the finest alpine climbing I have ever done, with pitch after pitch after pitch of perfect ice. Enjoy. -Clint Helander [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_2jAtcezr53I/RaxmiR4DYuI/AAAAAAAAEX0/f353r_re0Yo/s512/85-Mt%20McKinley%20%28L%29%20beyond%20Mt%20Mausolus%20%28R%29.JPG[/img] An aerial photo of the west face of Mt. Mausolus. Photo by Cliff Cochran. Our route takes the obvious direct line leading up to the summit from the major snow cone. [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF3QuY27-I/AAAAAAAADYc/6cGZNf3yBtE/s512/IMG_1601.JPG[/img] The 4,500' west face of Mt. Mausolus [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF3hoPns8I/AAAAAAAADYs/ovSFMwFF-3Q/s912/IMG_1610.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFxjQFq35I/AAAAAAAADUg/O70fzNstC2I/s640/IMG_1395.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFyAynQs-I/AAAAAAAADU0/mscTZ7MYKQo/s912/IMG_1408.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFx2mojFuI/AAAAAAAADUo/XPpCVPTMwTk/s640/IMG_1404%20-%20Copy.JPG[/img] The upper 2,500' were continuous perfect, steep, unadulterated water ice. [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFyKwV4q-I/AAAAAAAADU4/LXL0exFdLms/s512/IMG_1420.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFy_-8YTaI/AAAAAAAADVU/x2ZldNlKt1E/s512/IMG_1436.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFznEgxDyI/AAAAAAAADVo/PP14SoQty3E/s512/IMG_1445.JPG[/img] We started getting some good rockfall here so we searched for a bivy. There wasn't much. We found one shitty snow mushroom and a small rock to sit on. The ropes and sleeping pads made for quasi-hammocks and a moderately reasonable bivy. [video:vimeo]21629404 [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFziJ7I4NI/AAAAAAAADaY/nP9XTV1HFJY/s640/IMG_1459.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFzzEu0LkI/AAAAAAAADV0/yg1bobW5o9M/s640/IMG_1463.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZFzZCbIZRI/AAAAAAAADVg/gpEWYmR5Tug/s640/IMG_1441.JPG[/img] Looking up at the crux pitches above [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF0GScP3rI/AAAAAAAADWA/D6JEH4bdcLI/s512/IMG_1469.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF0TNa915I/AAAAAAAADWQ/lGyN0Uy2DTo/s512/IMG_1477.JPG[/img] I like this image a lot. If you look at Scotty's frontpoints you can see that they are barely in. This is a good indicator of just how dense and hard the ice was. [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF0aNhodfI/AAAAAAAADWU/vWHmi-By0ZY/s512/IMG_1478.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF02NV5jpI/AAAAAAAADWk/tnC60_RviGY/s512/IMG_1485.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF1O42M_CI/AAAAAAAADW8/KNwaS40-3os/s512/IMG_1497.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF1byEPDrI/AAAAAAAADXA/CkkPPcdLcxk/s640/IMG_1499.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF10qS1WOI/AAAAAAAADXU/7BTCorfjQ10/s640/IMG_1506.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF2Fd13FGI/AAAAAAAADXk/YaA_f_BV-1U/s640/IMG_1510.JPG[/img] We topped out at dusk to a beautiful view. After a quick brew up just below the summit, we rappelled for almost nine hours before diving into a cave to sleep for the day. [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF38VjISII/AAAAAAAADa4/WnTtkryQVi0/s640/IMG_1636.JPG[/img] Over the next two days we skied 35 miles out to a remote lodge where we were picked up by our pilot. Gear Notes: Double rack of cams, nuts, pins, eight screws. Should have brought more screws, less rock rack. Approach Notes: A very expensive flight. Skied out to a lodge. Edited April 1, 2011 by Kraken Quote
wfinley Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 Congratulations Clint -- a beautiful fine route. Quote
jordansahls Posted April 1, 2011 Posted April 1, 2011 [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/_-ROEgASjzLM/TZF0GScP3rI/AAAAAAAADWA/D6JEH4bdcLI/s512/IMG_1469.JPG[/img] Wow, this picture trips me out, its like looking at an ice roof. What a freekin gem of a climb, congrats! Quote
Water Posted April 2, 2011 Posted April 2, 2011 really beautiful-thanks for sharing. also, no better humor than borat to assuage the impending 'no-fun' of the shittake bivy. Quote
Wallstein Posted April 2, 2011 Posted April 2, 2011 Hell ya! That thing looks kick ass! Way to get after it Clint and Scotty V Quote
Maine-iac Posted April 3, 2011 Posted April 3, 2011 AWESOME!!!!! Who did you guys fly in with? Did you ski out to Stony River Lodge? I was there over this summer and the potential in that area is off the charts! Way to get after it!! Quote
grinter Posted April 4, 2011 Posted April 4, 2011 mad props, as baller as this climb looks, the best pic has to be the final deproach ski photo. The look on your face is total enjoyment. Quote
sobo Posted April 9, 2011 Posted April 9, 2011 grinter said: mad props, as baller as this climb looks, the best pic has to be the final deproach ski photo. The look on your face is total enjoyment. I personally enjoyed the fun-meter shot. Although from the tone of the TR, the meter may have been reading a bit low. Stupendous work, gentlemen, on what by all rights appears to be a great new route. Congratulations! Quote
DPS Posted April 9, 2011 Posted April 9, 2011 FYI: Clint Helander has a nice piece in the current issue of Alpinist on page 30. Quote
Gaucho Argentino Posted April 25, 2011 Posted April 25, 2011 It's just me or most of the pics can not be seen (I see only 2 and then small squares)? Even seeing two pics only, it looks awesome! Quote
medicsandy Posted April 27, 2011 Posted April 27, 2011 Awesome!! Your pictures are amazing! Looks like a great time. Gaucho....it's just you!! Quote
Kraken Posted November 20, 2011 Author Posted November 20, 2011 (edited) Allow me to further toot my own horn... Here is the digital edition of this story, which was featured in the October 2011 issue of Climbing Magazine. Winning and Losing in the Revelations by Clint Helander Thanks. Clint Edited November 20, 2011 by Kraken Quote
billcoe Posted November 20, 2011 Posted November 20, 2011 Toot away! Great stuff all the way around, thanks for sharing it. Wowzer! Quote
wetslide Posted November 20, 2011 Posted November 20, 2011 Cool guys. Really enjoyed the photos. Keep stoke alive. Quote
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