Nooksack Tower/Price Glacier Question

[dave schultz]

Anyone been up there yet this year, or have a recent pic of the Price?

 

Heading in Wednesday for a double-header, Nooksack on Thursday and Price on Friday.

 

I'm torn between my lightweight summer mountaineering boots with steel horizontal front-points, or my insulated boots with steel vertical mono-points. The monos will climb rock better, but they might royally suck on the snow/snice/ice, depending on the actual conditions ... what do people think about the best option?

 

TIA

 

Dave

[DPS]

I'm torn between my lightweight summer mountaineering boots with steel horizontal front-points, or my insulated boots with steel vertical mono-points. The monos will climb rock better, but they might royally suck on the snow/snice/ice, depending on the actual conditions ... what do people think about the best option?

 

 

I did Price Glacier a number of years ago in late season and found many pitches of ice climbing, with 5-6 being over hanging. I would personally want full shank leather insulated boots like La Sportiva Nepal or similar and dual point crampons. The ice was fairly soft and mono points may shear in those conditions.

[dave schultz]

Thanks Dan - you think duel verticals would still have been insufficient in the conditions you found, thus requiring horizontals?

[DPS]

Thanks Dan - you think duel verticals would still have been insufficient in the conditions you found, thus requiring horizontals?

No, I think the modern 3-D forged front points like Cyborgs or Sarkens or G-14s would have been ideal. They seem to be pretty good for that kind of ice. I had Petzl Sarkens which were fine.

[YocumRidge]

I used LS Trango Extreme Evo Light GTX boots and stainless steel Sabertooths (dual horizontal front points) and was very happy with that combination for the ice part.

As we could not pass through the main shrund below the Chrystal glacier and went through the chute to the right instead, we took the crampons off for a few rock pitches we climbed there, it was way faster that way.