Stuart approach and descent beta

[Rad]

Headed to do the complete north ridge from Teanaway in a few days. Does anyone have recent beta for conditions (snow needing crampons?) getting over Goat pass?

 

We're thinking of trying Ulrich's instead of Cascrapian on the descent. Any photos or beta or comments on that?

 

Many thanks

[DPS]

Hi Rad,

 

I did WR Sherpa a couple of weeks ago. There is very little snow compared to previous years. I can't comment about Goat Pass, but the approach/descent to WR Sherpa we took was up and down a ridge to the east of Cascadian Couloir (and west of the basin below Sherpa Peak). We met 7 other climbers using it as a descent from Stuart. It was really quite pleasant; shorter than Cascadian with none of the loose, sandy, rocky mess. If I wasn't hot and tired at the time I would have called it enjoyable and scenic.

 

As for Ulrich's, I started down it once in a snow storm in August (see Nick Lyle's TR with Doug Smart) after a CTC ascent of the NR. It was pretty ugly looking. I would definitely recommend investigating the Sherpa ridge option.

Edited July 25, 2013 by DPS

[JensHolsten]

You for sure do not need crampons to gain the Complete North Ridge...if the snow on the glacier is hard, just walk below it on rocks...you might have to cross a snow field or two, but I'm sure you don't absolutely need crampons to get through that minimal amount of terrain.

 

Have fun!

[kevino]

See you up there Rad!

 

For what its worth, my partner and I aren't bringing pons or axe. As Jens said, you can avoid stuart glacier if needed.

[Rad]

Thanks guys. Trying to go car to car wo a bivy so I appreciate the tips.

 

Kevino, if you see two old guys simulclimbing that's us (Rad and David). Blake says the #4 is still in the gendarme ow and that we can climb the whole route with nothing larger than a #1.

 

DPS, I remember your recent comments on that. Any special notes (or a photo) on finding the top of the Sherpa gully? thx

 

We sure do live in a great place. I think of friends who travel across the country or world to get to do something as beautiful as the N ridge of Stuart. And we have it here in our backyard!

[DPS]

 

DPS, I remember your recent comments on that. Any special notes (or a photo) on finding the top of the Sherpa gully? thx

 

You don't want to drop into the Sherpa gulley, if you do you've gone too far east. I don't have any photos but I think you just traverse past Cascadian to the ridge separating the Cascadian and Sherpa gullies. At that point the ridge is open forest with big, blocky boulders. There is a foot path with cairns which becomes a more distinct trail as you descend.

[Good2Go]

I agree with Jens, you won't need axe or crampons to get to the toe of the N ridge. Aluminum axe and crampons can be handy though for getting down the false summit in the dark (which is inevitably the condition I find it in when I do the complete NR). Hardmen like Jens can find their way around that hard, steep snowfield in the dark (seemingly with ease), but that hasn't been the case for me. Also, I descended Ulrich's last year (in the dark). Didn't seem "that much" worse to me than the Cascadian, but there are two raps, which adds a little bit of time and fuss. The very bottom does suck pretty bad. Weird crusty soil (think kitty litter over slab) and steep walls funnel you into a final bushwhack to the trail. On the upside, it spits you out at right at the Longs Pass trail. I'd go Cascadian if I were you.

 

BTW - I'll be part of a crew of 4 heading for the "classic" version on Sat, so see you all up there.

[Rad]

Went out yesterday and had a great, if long, day.

 

Bottom line: after botching the Cascadian descent on previous outings in different ways, we finally did it right and it was great. If I go back, I'd gladly do it again. It was boot skiing. Scree skiing. Dirt skiing. All good fun if you have a shoe with a little bit of a hard sole (five tennies great, running shoes not).

 

Beta:

from false summit scramble right along the ridge (south) a could hundred feet. Do not follow this ridge too far (a past mistake of mine). Find a logical spot to scramble down some loose rock until able to hop on the snow. Boot ski down many hundreds of feet to small saddle. soft snow in the afternoon.

Bear skiers right into the top of the Cascadian.

After several vert hundred feet, look for a flattish hill on the right side with low trees. Just above this, head right into the lower cascadian. Follow this down and stay in the central wash all the way to the bottom of the rocks. AVOID side trails to the right when you get low (a past mistake of mine was to take these). At the end of the rocks, look for cairns that lead you in to a trail. The trail goes through brush and grass and drops you right onto the Ingalls Creek trail. Turn right and reach Long's pass trail in 5 minutes. I still can't believe people go UP the Cascadian! That must be an incredible sufferfest. We met two people who did it yesterday.

have fun out there!

ps. we looked from a distance at the ridge dps mentions above. It looks lovely and we were tempted to try it but didn't this time.

 

[curtveld]

I still can't believe people go UP the Cascadian! That must be an incredible sufferfest.

They are people that don't rock climb and want to summit Stuart. Lot of folks fit that bill actually.

 

But as a descent, I agree it is a safe, reasonable (but long), low-stress way off a big mountain.

[pu]

Sounds like the Sherpa glacier couloir is probably not a descent option anymore this year? Can anyone confirm this? Melted out?