[TR] Mount Harvey - North Face Ramp 12/12/2011

[JasonG]

Trip: Mount Harvey - North Face Ramp

 

Date: 12/12/2011

 

Trip Report:

After DCC's excellent heads up, I don't need to tell people that this is in quite good shape right now. I had last been on it 5 years ago in much snowier conditions, and there wasn't much climbing involved (though still fun). What a difference lean conditions make- certainly some climbing involved now, and it is quite fun. One that deserves a repeat every year, if only for the views. Take a look:

 

The ramp is obvious:

 

Trent:

 

Howe Sound:

 

Dramatic scenery en route:

 

Fun, rambly ice:

 

Harvey's Pup!

 

The scenic summit ridge:

 

The Lions and lowlands from the summit:

 

Howe Sound wide view:

 

Descending the SW ridge:

 

Trent and Sepultura are that Extreme!

 

Gear Notes:

stubby screws, couple of pickets, nuts, second tool.

 

Approach Notes:

McLane's guide has an excellent description to the base. Follow the hiker path down the SW ridge.

[DCC]

Nice work, I've only done the route once but it seems like the route is the most "fun" in the early season for sure.

[deanp]

Was this from the base of the climb/gully?

 

 

[DCC]

Yes, that is essentially where the route starts.

[therunningdog]

Nice work guys! Sorry I missed out on that adventure! Did you drink any Brawndo to prepare for the climb?

[Tom_Sjolseth]

That looks sweet! Nice work.

[JasonG]

Brawndo....It's got what climber's crave!! I had two liters along with me on the climb.

 

Funny you should mention it, Scott was telling us he thought Brawndo would be in good shape right now.

 

 

[sepultura]

Thanks for the photos Jason!

Too bad you were not with us Running Dog- I hope you are still drinking the Brawndo down in San Fran.

[Don_Serl]

Nice work, I've only done the route once but it seems like the route is the most "fun" in the early season for sure.

 

yah, what an excellent climb - close to town, "in" when most other winter alpine stuff is snowed up, serious enough to be serious (especially if soloed) but easy enough to be sorta 'calming' rather than stressful. but based on several ascents, I'd say 'conditions' are far more important than the calendar. it's just as good, and can be as icy, later in the winter, after a high thaw and then a cold snap - plus it seems more like 'winter' in those conditions - and it's usually fzzcking cold, cuz there's often a strong outflow. good times...

 

anyway, I'm glad to see there's still a few people out there getting on stuff like this. now, what about the Sumallo cirque?

 

(p.s. while I've mostly climbed the route unroped (whether with partners or on my own), I'd suggest always taking a rope for protection crossing the little basin above the ramp - that's out onto the lee side, and you'd be in BIG trouble if it slid... if you're on your own, well, that's just a chance you're gonn have to take...)

[Don_Serl]

Harvey's Pup!

 

 

nice work, guys!

 

now, when is someone gonna get onto the Pup's Buttress in winter? Kevin McLane and John Wittmayer tried a long time ago - it'll be ridiculously hard and cold, of course... aid and bivvies... are there any hard winter climbers left around here anymore?

[JasonG]

Certainly not me! I have a lot of respect for the local hard lines that got climbed awhile back during the winter. Nelson and Lewis's Slesse NE buttress climb stands out especially. Compared to that, maybe the pup wouldn't be bad for some hardperson?

[G-spotter]

now, when is someone gonna get onto the Pup's Buttress in winter?

 

Marc and Matt tried it last winter actually, bailed from the midheight slabs, Marc can tell you the full story.

[Don_Serl]

now, when is someone gonna get onto the Pup's Buttress in winter?

 

Marc can tell you the full story.

 

very nice! I'll dig that out of him next time we cross paths...

 

with so much vertical and/or wide-crack climbing, it always seemed to me to be especially desperate as a winter project. at least on Slesse the climbing is not overly steep. the problem we faced on any of my attempts on Slesse (only one of which made significant progress, but which never got above half height - about at the number '86' symbol on the photo on pg 265 of Alpine Select) was the compact nature of parts of the buttress. at the high point, I climbed a snowed-up groove an entire ropelength, digging for gear at any likely spots, and found not a single placement of any kind, so reversed the pitch and we bailed. a few bolts would have been a smart inclusion (and Nelson and Lewis were wise enough to take them).

 

it's a very hard game, winter climbing 'round here, once you get off the snow and ice lines! and even they are more-than-minor outings... great stuff...