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Full Pickets Traverse Attempt


JensHolsten

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Hey everyone, just wanted to post a link to my blog in which I am detailing the most recent trip at the moment. Sol Wertkin, Dan Hilden, and I made an attempt on the full summit ridge traverse of both the Southern and Northern Pickets. We fell short of the goal, but still have some great stories to tell.

 

Check it out at: http://jensholsten.blogspot.com

 

Hope you enjoy it!

 

 

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Didn't see a rope on inspiration, but I think there are a few different ways down.

 

Fun trip indeed. So much climbing. Props to all the people who have done big things in the Pickets; it's such a crazy place. Whenever you thing something is gonna be quick and easy there is always another cliff/tower/creek/basin in your way. Big country. A few notes:

 

Our packs were too heavy. A huge cache would go a long way. Wayne, Colin and Mark killed it and hauled ass on the Southern Traverse in 2003. Pretty hard to keep up with their itinerary without knowing a lot about the route and having a cache.

 

A rest day at Picket Pass is recommended for people trying the full ridge traverse.

 

There was a lot of moderately loose rock before Terror, but it got a lot better after the first pitch of the Rake. Pyramid, The Rake, and the first Twin Needle were really good. The class 3 route on Ottohorn seems to have fallen down.

 

September is obviously not the time to be doing this: shorter days, moats, and no snow covering the dirt and choss in the cols.

 

Bring more adzes than hammers. We only used one pin (as a rap anchor) but had to chop and dig a lot at bivys.

 

I got cell service below the Chopping Block the week before, but never up on the ridge, which was a bummer. A sat phone would be nice for a weather forecast before committing to the northern ridge and for other obvious reasons.

 

If you want to try just the southern traverse or the full ridge, ask one of us for beta. There are a few spots where you just really want to go the right way. We talked to Wayne on the phone just before heading up and without his beta things might not have gone so smoothly. Thanks again Wayne! By the way, having spent most of a week staring at Mongo Ridge, I'll say that him soloing that is one of the boldest things I've ever heard of.

 

More photos here: http://www.danhilden.com/Adventure/The-Picket-Range/19038718_DcMrBq#1484363495_d3dgjB2

 

 

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