[TR] Ingalls Peaks - Ingalls Peaks Traverse 6/15/2014

[GerritD]

Trip: Ingalls Peaks - Ingalls Peaks Traverse

 

Date: 6/15/2014

 

Trip Report:

Me and DPS climbed the traverse between Ingalls East and Ingalls North and Dan impressed as usual with more long run outs on wet rock. The approach conditions were not efficient as there was a lot of unconsolidated snow.

 

This was my first time on Ingalls and the rock was as described in the beta I read online. It was either nice and gripy making for amazing climbing or absolutely terrible shiny polished glass. You can avoid climbing on the glass like stuff which I am grateful for because in the sprinkling rain I don't think you can climb that stuff.

 

We used a 70 meter rope which was annoying for the climbing but linked the rappel stations better than a 60.

 

My knee is recovering from an injury and I wrecked it again slipping around in the loose snow. 12 hours car to car.

 

The route starts on the right side and heads left.

 

Simulclimbing 4th class and low 5th class terrain.

 

On top of Ingalls East.

 

On top of Ingalls East.

 

The ridge behind is the start of the traverse to Ingalls North.

 

Mount Stuart. You can barely see the outline of the summit ridge in the clouds.

 

The crust (crux) of the route.

 

It was pretty windy with poor visibility and temperatures right at 32 degrees. I just want to be off the mountain.

 

A goat followed me on the way out for a long time.

 

Gear Notes:

We brought set of nuts, Camalot C4 0.4 - 3

The BD C3 #2 (yellow) was the possibly the most useful and clutch piece, we brought only one but having two would be more useful than many of the larger sizes.

An almost completely tipped out BD C4 #3 "protected" the crux, bring a #4 if you want to make the move safely.

 

Approach Notes:

No traction devices needed. Ice axe was useful for the steep snow in the gully.

[JonW2]

Thanks for the TR, particularly for the pic of Stuart. A buddy and I will be in Seattle in about a week for a conference and are planning on climbing the N Ridge of Stuart. Can you provide any additional info on the how much snow we can expect?

 

Thanks,

Jon

[DPS]

Thanks for the TR, particularly for the pic of Stuart. A buddy and I will be in Seattle in about a week for a conference and are planning on climbing the N Ridge of Stuart. Can you provide any additional info on the how much snow we can expect?

 

Thanks,

Jon

 

There was still a couple of feet of snow in the higher bowls and the north side of the east ridge of Ingall's Peak held a fair amount of snow. I would expect there to be snow at the notch on the North Ridge of Stuart, and if you opt to do the gendarme bypass I would expect snowy, wet, and/or verglassed climbing. I did see a trip report for the Serpentine Arete of Dragontail, so north facing rock routes in the Enchantments are getting climbed.

[montypiton]

update: my son and I climbed the south face of East Ingalls on June 21. approach has consolidated to great neve - firm in the early hours, soft in the afternoon. we had intended to climb the main Ingalls Peak, but found a line-up of parties comprising nearly thirty climbers ahead of us, so switched objectives, and had East Ingalls all to ourselves. we were "underequipped" for the couloir start of the route, having approached in light approach shoes with trekking poles, sans boots, crampons, or ice-axes, so we belayed the couloir section - overkill if you just bring an ice-axe...

second the 70-meter rope suggestion. we were consistently a few feet short on a single 60-meter, even with rope-stretch. not a huge problem if you're paying attention, but rapping off the end of your rope is a very real risk on a 60.

still complete snow cover on the north aspect of Ingalls pass, in case you're thinking of camping... Ingalls Lake is still fully iced in