Spider Mountain N. Face Routes

[Juan Sharp]

I'm trying to think of something to do the weekend of July 8-10 and wonder about the N. Face routes on Spider (1972 Kloke/Tindall route, for example). Does anyone have beta on (i) whether Cache Col is heavily corniced now, (ii) how best to get off of Spider to return to Cache Col/Cascade Pass, and (iii) whether the routes are worth the effort? I recall Matt P. and Big Jim Nelson reporting years ago that in September the climbing was cool on the Kloke/Tindall route but the descent was not fun. But that was a different time of year. I also know these routes have been skied in the winter/spring. Anyone know anything that might apply to this time of year with so much snow still on the ground?

 

Thanks!

 

John Sharp

[Lowell_Skoog]

The route to Cache Col is skiable at present:

 

http://skisickness.com/post/viewtopic.php?f=3&t=251&p=1356#p1356

 

Best to descend one of the south side gullies on Spider and return via the Ptarmigan Traverse route. There is a major rock rib on the SW face of Spider. You want the gully on the looker's right of the rib, not the one on the looker's left. They both go, but the one on the left is a lot crappier.

 

The 1972 route is enjoyable. I climbed it in June 1979 and we had to do a little rock climbing (on the right) to pass the bergshrund at the bottom of the gully. Don't know what it's like now. In dry summers the north side routes on Spider are melting out pretty badly these days.

[Le Piston]

I climbed Spider 3 years ago the first week of July. I found the gullies on the south side pretty wet and slippery, so opted to descend one of the steep snow slopes and contoured back to the Spider-Formidable col and returned via the Middle Cascade Glacier/Red Ledges to our camp at Kool Aid Lake. There's bound to be a lot more snow than we encountered, but I haven't been up there yet this year. Spider isn't the prettiest mountain on the Ptarmigan, but great views from the summit!

[Juan Sharp]

Lowell and Le Piston: Thank you both for your replies -- it is most helpful. Lowell, when you say "looker's right," do you mean the gully to the right of the rib as seen from the top and looking down? If so, "looker's left" would be the 1938 route, right? Le Piston, if we are fortunate enough to be standing on top, we will take into account your descent advice. Now we just need some high pressure!

 

John

[Lowell_Skoog]

Lowell and Le Piston: Thank you both for your replies -- it is most helpful. Lowell, when you say "looker's right," do you mean the gully to the right of the rib as seen from the top and looking down? If so, "looker's left" would be the 1938 route, right? Le Piston, if we are fortunate enough to be standing on top, we will take into account your descent advice. Now we just need some high pressure!

 

John

 

Sorry, I meant "when looking at the mountain from a distance" (opposite of skier's right). So I guess that would be the 1938 route.

[Buckaroo]

I climbed it years ago while doing the Ptarmigan Traverse. The rock is total choss. Good mental exercise, we did a very long traverse to get to the true summit which is probably achieved directly by one of the snow gullies.

[Juan Sharp]

Thanks Lowell and Buckaroo! Maybe the answer is to climb up and then down climb the 1972 north face route. Perhaps there is enough snow so that the schrund is covered or otherwise easily passable. Wishful thinking perhaps. With luck, we shall see.

 

John

[Le Piston]

Choss is right! I think we did the same traverse to the summit.

[Lowell_Skoog]

Thanks Lowell and Buckaroo! Maybe the answer is to climb up and then down climb the 1972 north face route. Perhaps there is enough snow so that the schrund is covered or otherwise easily passable. Wishful thinking perhaps. With luck, we shall see.

 

John

 

With reasonable snow cover (likely this year) the 1938 south route is quite reasonable. It's mostly a snow gully.