[TR] North Sister - SE Ridge 9/10/2011

[Water]

Trip: North Sister - SE Ridge

 

Date: 9/10/2011

 

Trip Report:

Why I keep coming back to this damn pile, I don't know. But I do. Well, I do know, its ragged decrepit rock has a beauty to it. I'm convinced this mountain could be dropped by 2k ft if someone detonated just a bit of explosives midway up the east or west face.. maybe the plug would remain as a spire.

 

 

Anyways, L & K have been on a volcano stomping binge whilst nursing an injury keeping them from rock climbing. knocking off the oregon ones they've never visited, they happily enlisted my company as I'd been up a few times before.

 

headed down on a friday, crashed at TH and got going around 3am or so?, I think.

 

 

 

 

 

Not much new to report, heavy snow year as ya'll know and there will be banks of it from 6k up that will make it into 2012. Found things to be melted very well up high on the west side, of course way more than in July when I was last there. Met a guy just before the junction with the south ridge. He was going solo on his 3rd attempt after being skunked before. He had come directly up one of the dikes on the south face, which he said he would not recommend at all... He stuck with us since I knew the route and that had been an issue previously for him.

 

 

 

traverse just around the corner..

 

 

 

Still snow at the traverse, which gets steeper and steeper as it melts, but praise jebus the top had a beautiful moat along the summit block rock that made for speedy protected passage.

 

 

moat:

 

bowling alley:

 

After that was all pretty easy.

 

 

 

 

K & L's expectations for horrible rock were surpassed. As we hiked out they asked if I'd come back and climb it again. I groaned, hesitating and said "well...probably yes, I'll be back". I asked if they would, and they both said "no".

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

brought the kitchen sink to cover the bases

(crampons, ax, rope, pickets, few pieces of rock pro)

 

trail runners and camelbak would have done the job

 

Approach Notes:

climbers trail from just before soap creek, cut S/SE sooner than later, or you give yourself a bit of extra work crossing a small ridge just north of where SE ridge of north begins.

 

exited via S ridge and hayden glacier moraines and back the middle sister climbers trail to soap ck.

[wimsey]

Very nice pictures.

 

... I groaned, hesitating and said "well...probably yes, I'll be back". I asked if they would, and they both said "no".

 

 

I've said "no" probably a dozen times but keep forgetting. Its one of those strange love hate things.

[YocumRidge]

Not sure why but I love the pile too...It is less ugly in winter/early spring though, with rime covering up the chossfest - a truly metamorphosed peak.

You should try the rimey North for a change when you get bored of choss.

Awesome pics, Matt!

 

[Water]

thanks for the compliments on pics from both of ya'll.

Wimsey maybe I'll run across you out there sometime. You gave some poignant and valued advice the first time I was heading there in 09 and asking you for beta:

 

"Yes we roped up, but I could see some folks doing it unroped. It's easy, but you would die if you fell. My friend did it with boots, kicking steps and I did it with tennies and strap on crampons.".

 

That, along with the numerous incidents on that west side, has stuck with me when I'm heading there.

 

Natasia, I think I'm too much of an incrementally conservative climber baa to go after North in its full rime robe! ::

Not sure how to use the word Koyaanisqatsi in a sentence, but its a good word to slap on the ratio of gym time to need to get back into a good groove with that.

[LonelySummit]

Man; was my TP still there on the TT? That was an epic poo. What's new water? Hike up to Irock saddle this weekend?

[Water]

yes your TP was there, definitely knew who was responsible. hope i do not see it next time. no sign of poo though, ravens or prior climber must have utilized it.

 

if it was decent weather, i'd take my pops up there yea (hes in town this weekend), but, im not a big fan of rain slog. we should get together, been meaning to call ya.

 

Whats your take on North? love that rock?

[ivan]

great illustration of terminal and lateral moraines!

[JRay]

It sure is, Ivan! Check this out...