Goat Pass

[RichDraves]

Has anyone been to Goat Pass recently? Planning to climb CNR on Stuart and wondering if crampons/axe are advisable (per the August 1 TR). Thanks!

[telemarker]

I was there this past Sunday and found a surprising amount of snow still below goat pass. A slip in the early morning would send you for a ride. I'd take axe/pons for peace of mind if for nothing else. But maybe I'm a wuss.

[selkirk]

2 patchs below Goat Pass, and the descent from Goat pass to the Toe is mostly snow. You could link the boulder patches but the snow was easier traveling. Probably depends mostly on what time of day you'd be hitting it. We used Ice axes but no crampons and were ok but not ideal. If your crossing in the afternoon should be no problem though.

Good luck!

[kevbone]

Has anyone been to Goat Pass recently? Planning to climb CNR on Stuart and wondering if crampons/axe are advisable (per the August 1 TR). Thanks!

 

Dont you need the crampons for the descent?

[counterfeitfake]

Echoing what others said, if you do it in the afternoon you can probably get away without crampons (and an axe if you're daring) but in the morning I wouldn't even think about it.

 

Dont you need the crampons for the descent?

 

Down the Cascadian? No.

[kevbone]

Echoing what others said, if you do it in the afternoon you can probably get away without crampons (and an axe if you're daring) but in the morning I wouldn't even think about it.

 

Dont you need the crampons for the descent?

 

Down the Cascadian? No.

 

Is the glacier gone on that side?

[kurthicks]

yeah, thousands of years ago.

[Sol]

lack of crampons saw me and a partner belaying 15-20 degree bulletproof morning snow between stuart and goat passes recently. in the end, the time spent dealing with our "too light" approach cost us our objective.

[kevbone]

yeah, thousands of years ago.

 

I have climbed Stuart three times and always wanted crampons once you descend over the east summit. There is a glacier there. A small one. Is is gone?

[counterfeitfake]

I have climbed Stuart three times and always wanted crampons once you descend over the east summit. There is a glacier there. A small one. Is is gone?

 

Jesus kevbone.

 

There's a "permanent snowfield" there and no, it's not GONE, but in the warm August afternoon it's soft and you can walk down it, or you can downclimb choss on skier's right side.

[kevbone]

I down climbed the choss one year. Scary as hell.

[RichDraves]

Thanks for all the replies, very helpful! I was assuming that any snow in the Cascadian would be soft & easy plunge-stepping by the time we get there.

 

Putting aside the weight issue of crampons & axe and hassle of a car shuttle, how much faster would it be to approach via Mountaineer Creek instead of Ingalls Pass / Stuart Pass / Goat Pass?

[Kyle_Flick]

Not much faster, but more direct (via Lake Stuart). If you don't have a second car at the Teanaway, you'll traverse over/around Sherpa Peak and come down the Argonaut-Sherpa Col to Mountaineers Creek. More interesting, but time consumming.

[telemarker]

Mtnrs. creek approach was 1 1/2 hours longer for me than the Teanaway/Ingalls approach. From Teanaway last Sunday, I made the notch in 3 hrs, 45 minutes. From Stuart Lake trail two years ago, I made the notch in 5 hours. Teanaway is quicker, but crossing the two passes to get to the north side is more of a pain.

 

Kyle's right about the deproach over to Sherpa/Argonaut col. A long haul after a long climb, but well worth it!