[TR] Mt Stuart - The complete North Ridge

[OlegV]

Trip: Mt Stuart - The complete North Ridge

 

Date: 9/14/2013

 

Trip Report:

Cheating death is an addiction.

Awakened by a powerful blow of the mighty northern wind, my mind returns from a catatonic state to reality. With my back firmly pressed against a perfect crack of the great Gendarme, I am overwhelmed by a strong feeling of being a part of this ancient tower. I celebrate the arrival of 3 o’clock and continue counting endless hours. Time passes slowly. Nastia and I are crouched in fetal position attached by our umbilical cords to the rappel bolts at the small ledge next the Gendarme. Because the morning forecast didn’t look good, we are mentally prepared to a difficult escape. We cherish clear starry skies and pray mountain Gods for no rain in the morning.

 

 

 

The previous day progress to the base of the North Ridge was stalled by difficult route finding and heat. We simply ran out of water and had to drink shit. The high traverse across the icy Stuart glacier without ice axes and crampons was interesting. Fortunately, no grey matter substance was spilled against the rocks. We downclimbed wet ledges and settled at the bivy site not far from the toe of the ridge. Feeling dehydrated, we drank water that looked like muddy sewage coming out of the broken Taj Mahal pipe. Fack Giardia – if we fertilize this valley, the Earth will be much greener!

 

The complete North Ridge from the Goat Pass:

 

Nastia at the first bivy site:

 

The lower ridge is a fun crag. Nastia is having double-fun following the constricted 5.8 slot and the 5.9 crack with a heavy pack filled with bivy gear and mini pizzas. We can fight obesity with strenuous exercise and fear! We are now being followed by Ryan and his companions. At noon, they catch up with us at the notch. For a while, we climb side by side. To avoid a bottle neck, we slow down, giving up on the idea of going to the summit the same day. Because we are hard alpinists made of rusty Russian steel, we pass the bivy sites and choose to sleep at the toe of the Gendarme exposed to cold northern winds …

 

Nastia starting on p1:

 

Oleg, p2:

 

Nastia, p3:

 

Looking down:

 

Oleg, p4 (5.9 crack):

 

Nastia at the lower ridge:

 

Nastia pulling some hard moves:

 

The Ice Cliff Glacier:

 

Three teams on the ridge:

 

Approaching the gendarme:

 

Awakened by a weak whisper of the alarm clock, we welcome morning inversion and strangely looking clouds. I secretly drink water, but Nastia stops me with harsh Russian comments. We say “Fack” to bypass and prepare to climb the cold wavy crack just above our heads. The first pitch is made of the perfect granite; the crack is solid and has female body shape... climbing is equally enjoyable. We are feeling the exposure of what lies ahead of us. The sight of old gear permanently stuck in the cracks makes us feel somehow close to many, Jim Wickwire included, who crawled up this masterpiece over the years. I burry my elbows in the wide gaping groove and walk my way up the crack using the two #3s as the extension of my hands. Nastia follows me, looking surreal with her big pack and blushing face.

 

Sunrise:

 

The great Gendarme:

 

Oleg leading the p1 of the Gendarme:

 

Oleg leading the p2 of the Gendarme:

 

Many pitches later and some off-route travel we arrive to the summit feeling happy and tired.

 

 

 

Descent: we never find a trail that goes right of Cascadian. Keywords: down-climbing south; bushwhack, approaching thunderstorm, dealing with a woman and a man, discovering running water, great relief, very long pass, parking lot, downpour, hale. Aaron B generously offered to crash at his place in Seattle instead of us driving to PDX. He said I looked like real shit which is true. Aaron is a master chief who knows how to cook the best post recovery dinner and how to drink whiskey and a beer! Bravo!!!

 

Gear Notes:

5 mini-pizzas, 5 sneakers bars, lots of vitamin C, medium rack, few doubles, light bivy gear, compass, topos.

 

Approach Notes:

nasty

Edited September 21, 2013 by OlegV

[dougd]

Very nice work you two.

 

Thanks for posting the story & pics.

 

d

[stevetimetravlr]

RAdnesss of the highest order!

[ivan]

in russia, mountain climbs YOU

[olyclimber]

Hahahahahaaha....awesome you two. Well, I guess you'll know if you got some giardiasis in T-minus 1 week!

 

[OlegV]

in russia, mountain climbs YOU

 

Yep, Russians pagans say: "Mountain was impending us"

[ivan]

i still can't understand how you fellars lost the cold war

[olyclimber]

the cold war never ended. it just went into remission, like herpes.

[OlegV]

i still can't understand how you fellars lost the cold war

I don't think we did Gorbachov wanted a summer house in Pasadena, so he went soft on you guys

Edited September 19, 2013 by OlegV

[OlegV]

the cold war never ended. it just went into remission, like herpes.

 

 

I like that

[JasonG]

Damn. The Russian way is not for pansies.

 

I still laugh when I think of Oleg turning to me in the crater of Rainier on a cold winter's day, smiling, and saying "It reminds me of Siberia!" Like that was a good thing. Since I was wearing every last bit of clothing I had with me (and wasn't warm), I was thinking that if I stop moving I'm going to die.

 

 

[LostCamKenny]

The top of the gendarme is a much kinder bivy spot than at its base

[matt_warfield]

Russians and Americans should all read "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" next time you're on a bivy and feel like bitching. Great TR and pics. NR of Stuart is as classic as classic gets and every TR will get lots of looks.

[OlegV]

Russians and Americans should all read "One Day in the Life of Ivan Denisovich" next time you're on a bivy and feel like bitching. Great TR and pics. NR of Stuart is as classic as classic gets and every TR will get lots of looks.

 

Hey Matt, I always wanted to read this book - will do tonight!!!

 

Soljenicin is always fun when it comes to describing suffer

Edited September 20, 2013 by OlegV

[OlegV]

The top of the gendarme is a much kinder bivy spot than at its base

 

The NR of Stuart is the most populated bivy place. It is like a city of climbers!

[OlegV]

Damn. The Russian way is not for pansies.

 

I still laugh when I think of Oleg turning to me in the crater of Rainier on a cold winter's day, smiling, and saying "It reminds me of Siberia!" Like that was a good thing. Since I was wearing every last bit of clothing I had with me (and wasn't warm), I was thinking that if I stop moving I'm going to die.

 

 

Hey Jason, old memories don't die I remember having hard times keeping up with you!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Damn. The Russian way is not for pansies.

 

I still laugh when I think of Oleg turning to me in the crater of Rainier on a cold winter's day, smiling, and saying "It reminds me of Siberia!" Like that was a good thing. Since I was wearing every last bit of clothing I had with me (and wasn't warm), I was thinking that if I stop moving I'm going to die.

 

 

there is a Russian saying I like:

 

za odnogo bytogo, dvukh nebitykh dayut

 

Translating word for word would be too terse. Suffice it to say that Russians consider a man who has been beaten down to be considered a valuable one to have around for future endeavors - more so than two who have not experienced a beat-down :-)

 

 

 

[DPS]

Russians consider a man who has been beaten down to be considered a valuable one to have around for future endeavors - more so than two who have not experienced a beat-down :-)

 

 

I must be priceless then.

[OlegV]

Russians consider a man who has been beaten down to be considered a valuable one to have around for future endeavors - more so than two who have not experienced a beat-down :-)

 

I must be priceless then.

 

We should admit, we never fully recover from our little tragedies

[YocumRidge]

Haha, awesome report, Oleg!

Now that I am driving back from Yosemite I seriously doubt that the

Gendarme bivy was that bad. Sleeping in the portaledge on the Prow beats it all. Wonder how Ivan is still alive

[ivan]

it's easy to sleep if you don't give a fuck about being alive

[KaskadskyjKozak]

it's easy to sleep if you don't give a fuck about being alive

 

Are you sure you are not Slavic?

 

;-)

 

[stevetimetravlr]

Ivan's frickin northern Cimmerian.

[OlegV]

it's easy to sleep if you don't give a fuck about being alive

 

What are the hopes and plans of life at best,

But faint and trifling dreams that fade?

 

M. Lermontov, "Demon"

[KaskadskyjKozak]

it's easy to sleep if you don't give a fuck about being alive

 

 

Bez muki net nauki