[TR] Johannesburg - NE Rib 1957 8/12/2012

[mattschweiker]

Trip: Johannesburg - NE Rib 1957

 

Date: 8/12/2012

 

Trip Report:

I've often heard the saying "It doesn't have to be fun to be fun" used in reference to alpine climbing. I can't think of another climb I've done that epitomizes this phrase as well as J-burg. Vern and I arrived at Cascade Pass TH and were off by 10am on Saturday. After crossing the base under the CJ Couloir, we had to decide on our start. Steph Abegg's trip report, which is pretty much the gold standard for information on this route, shows a slab pitch further up the gully. We chose to ascend lower somewhat near the short snow finger in the picture below. We were able to scramble up a moderate gully and traverse back and up onto what we believed followed the 1957 variation closely. Our varaiton saved time by not requiring us to "pitch-out" the start.

 

We followed the rib up through vertical brush and heather until we reached a section of very loose and exposed 4th class rock which led to a ridge and the snow arete. We found a decent spot to bivy and brewed and settled in for the night. It had taken us 8 hours from the car (3'500) to the bivy (7'100)

 

The next day we continued up the snow arete to the headwall. which takes you to the summit.

 

We were happy to be on the summit but knew not to let our guard down because the descent of the east ridge to the CJ Col could to be equally as tedious as the ascent. By staying 75-100 feet below the ridge to the climbers right, we picked our way down 3rd/4th class loose exposed rock to the Col. As mentioned in Steph's TR, it is tempting to want to descend the CJ Couloir, but we had heard ice and rock thunder down the colouir several times during our trip which made our descision to stick with "Doug's Direct" very easy

 

Doug's Direct was prety staight-forward and we were back at the car's around 4pm, 9 hours after leaving our bivy.

 

Edited August 14, 2012 by mattschweiker