[TR] Mt. Jefferson - Jeff Park Glacier 7/21/2012

[steveheikkila]

Trip: Mt. Jefferson - Jeff Park Glacier

 

Date: 7/21/2012

 

Trip Report:

We headed out of camp at 6700 feet at 1:00am and were able to cross the lower bergschrund, still in the dark, a bit left of the Mohler Tooth (lots of rockfall evidence in the area, but because it was still dark and cold there wasn't any rock falling).

 

The upper begschrund is close to being beat. We got beta from a party who climbed the route the previous weekend and they managed to stand on a fairly level snow bridge around mid-glacier, and climb a 30 foot moderate snow all. When we got there this bridge was looking pretty 'delicate'. My buddy Derek managed to find a path right up against the Mohler Rock that was still in tact. I don't know how much longer it'll last. It appears that there is still a snow bridge right up against Smith Rock as well.

 

 

 

There's no snow or ice on the knife edge ridge, so that part was pretty straight forward.

 

 

 

There is still enough snow on the north ridge to allow a traverse around (rather than over) the first big bergschrund, protecting with pickets, but not a lot of snow on the summit block, so climbing the summit block is easy.

 

 

It was a superfun, long day. We descended off of the East Face right at the higher gendarme, doing multiple raps down to the Whitewater. I don't recommend this, not only because it's a chossy, rockfall nightmare, but it's pretty slow going. It would have been faster to walk down to Red Saddle and around to the Whitewater, despite all the extra distance.

 

Gear Notes:

4 pickets. Small rack (2 camalot .75s, 2 .5s, and a set of nuts). Half ropes. Second tool. Two ice screws (which we actually used).

[KarlHelser]

Nice job Steve!

[steveheikkila]

Thanks Karl! It's a super fun route.

[justcallmegary]

Yeah Steve.. I talked to Andrew and heard it was quite an epic adventure.

[cookiejar]

Fantastic! I climbed this route in 2009 and it's still one of my favorite climbs.