Cecil Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 Trip: Mount Stuart - West Ridge Date: 8/23/2013 Trip Report: After being shut down on the North Ridge a few weeks ago, and not being able to find a partner for my mid-week days off for a return ascent(no thanks to my previous partners'(Luke and Audrey) 9-5 schedule), I settled on soloing the West Ridge. Because it wasn't on the 50 classic climbs' list, I first thought of it as a consolation prize. I was wrong. It may not of had the great gendarme but it was still my proudest climb yet. I set out at 0245 on Thursday morning knowing that I'd reach "the business" just as the sun was rising giving me maximum amount of daylight. I filled up my dromedary with 3 liters of water from Ingalls Lake where I almost shat myself when I turned around from the lake to face off with a goat about 8 feet away perched on a rock. At first site it looked like White Fang, hence the shat, but then I soon realized he was just looking for a sodium filled nightcap and posed no threat. It was about 5 in the morning so I gave him a golden shower instead. Jk. I reached the west ridge about 0600. I started around the right side to see a blue bag hanging from a tree. My first thought was "sweet... booty" then a take a few more steps over some boulders and find a fellow climber rousing from the night's bivvy. We talked, he says he's always wanted to do the West Ridge, but didn't feel up to soloing the 5th class sections. I gladly offer up my leading services and offered to share my 3 liters of water (he had 1). It didn't take me long to get a "lets do it" out of him. I was happy for the company. Plus Doug is 59 and has been climbing the majority of his life, so I was excited to learn and share the experience with a veteran. We both got our beta from Eric T's TR (thanks!) from 8/6/13 so we were on the same page. Although it became very clear that I hadn't studied it nearly as much as Doug because he had a much better understanding of the route. We assessed our gear: he had a belay device, 2 or 3 slings, a 8.2 mm 50 meter?? rope. I had 2 slings, 4 nuts, 4 cams and a 7.7 mm 50 meter rope. We were good to go. We roped up maybe three pitches for some steep climbing, but mainly scrambled up 3rd and 4th class rock to the top. There was plenty of exposure on the south and north face. We reached the summit at 1430 to be greeted with amazing views, excitement, and two airplane bottles of booze (thank you btw). After a quick swig of rumpleminze we knew we had a long road back so we took to the east ridge around 1500. The descent was well marked by cairns and I was warned by Luke to keep on the east ridge because there is a trail marked by cairns that will lead you down the wrong gully too soon. Even with the warning I still went down it and had to back-track a hundred feet or so back up to the route. Additionally, I had borrowed a GPS with the descent route which made it both easier and harder. Easier because it was certain that the route would get us back to the car, but harder because whoever set the route was basing it on the most direct route over Longs pass which saved on distance, but not on time and energy. Doug was very apprehensive and didn't understand why we weren't going straight down to the valley where delicious creek water was awaiting. In hindsight, that's exactly what we should have done. Either way we made it to the creek further up the valley where I pounded about 1.5 liters and filled up another 3 for the rest of our trip back. It was dark, we spoke about bivvying, but Doug said he had 4 IPAs at the car and that was enough motivation to keep me moving up Longs Pass. We arrived at the car around 0100. I was soooo exhausted (going on 5 hrs of sleep in 3 days) I only had ONE of Doug's IPAs. Also, a special thanks to Luke for insisting that I take his GPS, emergency trancevier, and 7.7 rope if I needed to rappell. A special thanks to Doug for the route finding, company, and IPA! And a special thanks to Eric and Dan who successfully climbed the North ridge route the day after me and picked up my size 0.5 cam I had lost on the descent. It's a small wonderful world this climbing community! Gear Notes: 4 mid sized nuts, 0.5, 0.75 cams, and a rope Approach Notes: I90 to 970 to Teanaway north Fork road. Start at Teanaway trailhead and keep an eye out for the Ingalls lake trail about a quarter mile on your right. Quote
dougd Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 (edited) Here's a few pics for reference... Mt Stuart from Ingalls Lake... The gatekeeper's bivy on route at the base of the beautiful granite gully... We saw nice bivy spots all over this route... Note food bag hanging. Cecil walked through that gap and says hello. Scared the shit out of me... Cecil nearing the top of the gully, comin' on up! Cecil running out the short, low 5th pitch (left side) up long john tower. Me following the upper part of this pitch, huffing and puffing... Nearing the W Ridge notch! Got some climbing left... Summit views, Ingalls Peaks/Lake below. East Ridge behind us, looking down the motherfucking cascadian... After the initial surprise (and re starting my heart that had stopped momentarily) of hearing a voice saying "hello" as I started to wrap up camp, and ensuing discussion that essentially was Cecil motivating me to go for it, we climbed this mountain. Couldn't have asked for a better partner (a bikini clad Avalanche_Lilly notwithstanding). Thanks Cecil! Edited August 27, 2013 by dougd Quote
Eric T Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 I love how adventures change as they progress and take on a life of their own. Two soloist carrying on together and rocking hard for an even better day! Way to handle business Brothers! You're welcome for the beta....see you out there. Quote
Rad Posted August 27, 2013 Posted August 27, 2013 Love this story. Reminds me of traveling. Many of the best experiences emerged from shared adventures that sprang from chance encounters with wonderful strangers. Two thumbs up! Quote
dougd Posted August 28, 2013 Posted August 28, 2013 We assessed our gear: he had a belay device, 2 or 3 slings, a 8.2 mm 50 meter?? rope. For the two short sections we pitched out, we used my 8.5mmx30m alpine rope... Worked well... Quote
GWolter Posted August 28, 2013 Posted August 28, 2013 Thanks for the post! I am planning on climbing this route this weekend. Were the cairns easy to find? Any other route beta you care to share (places where it would be easy to get off route)? Would you recommend descending via the Cascadian Couloir? Thanks again. Quote
dougd Posted August 28, 2013 Posted August 28, 2013 (edited) Lots of beta on this route on the web and cc.com... I found this write up useful. http://www.climbingwashington.com/classics/mtstuartwestridge.htm Cairns were easy to find yes, lots of em up there, they're helpful, sometimes... I try not to trust em too much... The E Ridge/Cascadian is the way most folks seem to descend so, with neither of us being all that familiar with this range decided to go that route. As Cecil mentioned above he carried a borrowed GPS with a track installed that we followed down and that I found counterintuitive... The E Ridge descent wasn't bad but once we found the jump off point (cairn there), that first part was steep choss but as we got down further the walking wasn't bad and we cruised along pretty well. About 1/3 - 1/2 of the way down that track took us W across a boulder field (no cairns or signs of fresh track 'cept for goats), I think we left the Cascadian here, and SSW down more steep gullies then finally to another boulder field to a brushy trail (cairn here and plenty of sign of other folks goin thisaway) that dumped us out at the Ingalls Cr Trail at a really nice CG. Wasn't far West then to the Longs Pass trail cutoff... We had one swallow apiece left when we reached the creek and it'd been a while since we had had a real drink... We had 2 liters apiece for the climb. When we decided to head out together from my bivy we knew it was going to be a thirsty day. Three liters per each from Ingalls Lake for a c2c would have been good I think... 1st time climbing the route? I guess I'd recommend the Cascadian but I'm going to be working harder on an alternatives for future climbs, and there will be future climbs, in the area... good luck! d Edited August 28, 2013 by dougd Quote
mthorman Posted August 28, 2013 Posted August 28, 2013 Nice job Doug and Cecil! Looks like a fun route with great views! Quote
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