Tom_Sjolseth Posted May 21, 2013 Posted May 21, 2013 Trip: Mount Stuart - Ice Cliff Glacier w/ Sherpa Glacier ski descent Date: 5/20/2013 Trip Report: Aaron S and I linked up for a great trip up Mt. Stuart today. We left the parking lot at a touch before 4AM and made decent time on dry trail up to the first switchback heading up to Stuart Lake. From there, we dropped to the creek and crossed and then followed the cairned boulderfield trail up into the basin below the N Face of Stuart. Climbing conditions on the Ice Cliff were just about perfect. Firm snow on the ascent, and only a slight groan from the Ice Cliff the entire time. We topped out in the sun then proceeded to lounge around on the false summit for a good while before making our way up the final 800' or so to the true summit. The ski down the Sherpa Glacier was on good corn. We botched the deproach a bit and wound up following the creek for a little ways. It would have been better to find our up route, but we didn't lose that much time. Back to the parking lot at 6:15. An excellent day out! Quote
KaskadskyjKozak Posted May 21, 2013 Posted May 21, 2013 Nice one!! Where did you cross the 'schrund? From the photo below it looks like it goes "ear to ear" so to speak: Quote
keenwesh Posted May 21, 2013 Posted May 21, 2013 wait, it took you 2 hours car to car to climb and ski stuart? if so we're not worthy, if it was 6.15 PM then it's just me who isn't worthy. Nice one guys! Quote
Tom_Sjolseth Posted May 22, 2013 Author Posted May 22, 2013 Sorry no this was yesterday and we returned at 6:15PM. 2:15 RT would be some feat! KK.. we crossed on the left side of the 'schrund. The main problem on this route was getting past the schrund. There was a rock section that I started up but backed off because my skis kept on hitting the rock above me. Without skis, that would have been the logical way to go but instead I excavated with an ice axe for 25 minutes. Quote
TwoFortyJeff Posted May 22, 2013 Posted May 22, 2013 It's seems like it's always best to hit that route as soon as the road opens. Thanks for sharing your report. Quote
kevino Posted May 22, 2013 Posted May 22, 2013 Awesome trip! I know its probably hard to say, but think sherpa will be in good shape to climb and ski in a couple weeks? Quote
telemarker Posted May 22, 2013 Posted May 22, 2013 Nice report. The ICG certainly does not look skiable. Isn't it normally a lot fatter this time of year?? Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted May 22, 2013 Posted May 22, 2013 Nice job Tom, looks like fun! I need to ski off Stuart one of these days! The last time I was up there from that side (not counting skiing on a good snow pack last Feb), I found it was much easier/faster to pick up the trail on the right bank of Mountaineers Creek rather than scrambling the cairned boulder field route. It didn't really become a trail until after you were in a ways around where the boulder field starts. Is that trail gone? Or just still hard to find? Quote
Tom_Sjolseth Posted May 23, 2013 Author Posted May 23, 2013 kevino.. I would bet with this cold weather that the Sherpa Gl will be decent (skiable) for another two weeks or so. stewart.. I can't speak for Aaron, but I personally thought the boulderfield path was easier than the "trail" that parallels the creek. We went in the boulderfield and out the "trail". Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted May 23, 2013 Posted May 23, 2013 Cool, it may have overgrown a bit since I was last in from that side several years ago. It may also be that my partner once took a header between two house sized boulders in the boulder field and I thought I was gonna have to carry his body out till he popped back up a minute later. Quote
JensHolsten Posted May 26, 2013 Posted May 26, 2013 (edited) Awesome dudes! Edited May 26, 2013 by JensHolsten Quote
kukuzka1 Posted June 9, 2013 Posted June 9, 2013 nice photos, i can finally see that route blue moon! so obvious from that photo Quote
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