Challenger conditions update 8-1-11

[Rad]

I plan to write a TR, but life may delay its completion and posting. Here are a few comments about conditions that might be helpful to those considering heading to Challenger soon.

 

Bottom line: There is still tons of snow up high. The Challenger Glacier was not challenging. Easy Ridge was not that easy. Consider traversing Whatcomb instead. We took three days to get to Perfect Pass via Easy Ridge. One day to summit Challenger. Two days to return via Whatcomb Pass and Bush Creek.

 

Photos:

One creek crossing close to the Hannagan trailhead was sketchy. It had several thinning ice bridges over a chasm. We elected to take the high route, which involved a controlled fall across hard mud to a small perch on a sloping wet ledge. Miss that and you go over the waterfall shown. This will change fast but may still provide some excitement.

 

 

Despite snowmelt and rain in the hours before our crossing, the Chiliwack was no problem. The climber's trail to Easy Ridge is pretty easy to find and bushwhacking is pretty minimal. The trail, however, is annoying as it gains so little elevation per switchback.

 

There was one steep snow slope on Easy Ridge that was 45-50 degrees with an unknown runout in the mist below us. This felt sketchy with heavy packs but we didn't rope up as we didn't have a picket to protect it.

 

The top of it is a large cornice like the one near Easy Peak in the photo below. Shots from Bush Creek a few days later confirmed the overhanging nature of the cornices all along Easy ridge. Don't go near the edge!

 

The long steep traverse is followed by a short steep section next to rotten rock:

 

Thankfully this is short and ends at flats that run to Easy Peak and beyond.

 

It might be possible to avoid the hazards mentioned above by crossing the first steep snow section low and taversing around the the right, but we don't know as it was socked in when we were there.

Perfect Pass also has a ton of snow and a large cornice (not shown).

 

The Challenger glacier is in great shape. The bergshrund is easily avoided by running around the right end of it.

 

 

 

Either stay on the final snow arete or jump on the rock at a nice flat ledge down and left of it as we did.

 

The summit block section has pins. If you want to augment them bring a few pieces in the 0.5 to 2" range. There is really only one 5.7ish move in a 30ft pitch.

 

We elected to return by traversing below Whatcomb peak, across the Whatcomb glacier, and down Bush Creek. This was quite straightforward due to high snow conditions.

 

Whatcomb peak is in the upper left in this shot taken from Challenger Arm. Traverse across the snow to the lower right edge of the photo below. We did not rope up on the Whatcomb glacier, and I'm a pretty conservative climber, but conditions may change there.

 

The hike down Bush Creek was gorgeous and made for a nice loop.

 

[Whatcomboy]

Nice job. There is no b in Whatcom.

[JasonG]

Nice work Rad! Yeah, that way always seemed to be a long way in and out. A few years back we went in via Little Beaver, climbed over Whatcom, and tagged Challenger, Fury, and Luna, before an exit out access creek and the Big Beaver. Using the boat shuttle to complete the loop, I think it took us 7 days- and none were killers. Something to consider if you plan to go back in after the approach memories fade.....