first ascent [TR] Mt Dickey (Ruth Gorge) - NE Face "No Such Thing as a Bargain Promise" (FA) 4/1/2012

[John Frieh]

Trip: Mt Dickey (Ruth Gorge) - NE Face "No Such Thing as a Bargain Promise" (FA)

 

Date: 4/1/2012

 

Summary: First Ascent of the Northeast face of Mount Dickey on April 1-2 2012. John Frieh and Doug Shepherd. “No Such Thing as a Bargain Promise” 5,000', VI WI5R M6

 

Details: On March 30th, Doug Shepherd (Los Alamos, NM) and I, John Frieh (Portland, OR), flew from Talkeetna to the Ruth Glacier below Mt. Dickey in the Ruth Gorge. We spent March 31 skiing around the Gorge checking out possible routes and allowing the unsettled weather to move through. After some discussion we finally agreed to attempt the unclimbed northeast face of Mt Dickey. On April 1st we crossed the schrund at 7 am and were immediately faced with challenging terrain to negotiate: thin ice, vertical to overhanging snice and snow mushrooms made for slow progress and minimal gear placement options. After a full day of climbing we only had 3000 feet of climbing to show for our efforts. We chopped a bivy ledge and settled in for a chilly night.

 

Day 2 started with us climbing up to our hoped exit off the face, only to find enormous snow mushrooms chocking the chimney system. Rather than bail we opted to traverse north around the NE ridge, hoping to find a different exit off the face. A 30 meter rappel landed us in a runnel system splitting the north face of the NE ridge. We followed this up to the seracs that overhang the true North face, nicknamed "Walmart". After a brief food, water and psych up break while still sheltered from Walmart, we blasted two quick pitches through the seracs onto the summit slopes. After some trudging we reached the summit around 8 pm; 37 hours after crossing the schrund. We descended the West ridge of Mt. Dickey and around 1 am on the 3rd we reached our camp back on the Ruth glacier. Later that morning Paul Roderick of Talkeetna Air Taxi picked us up and brought us back to Talkeetna to make for a brief four days in the range.

 

Sorry for the shortage of photos... I'll try to add some later.

 

 

 

Approach Notes:

You may find a cheaper air service but you will not find a better service. Fly TAT

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Woohoo!!! Need more climbing pron!

[Dane]

THAT is pretty foooking cool! Congrads guys!

[Calder]

Congratulations John!

 

Your climbs are an inspiring to me. Now lets see some more pics!

[Dannible]

Nice work guys! Something drove me to look at the weather forecast there last week, and I was surprised to see a couple of good days. Glad you got in there. That is a huge piece of rock, here it is in late May:

 

[PrincessWookie]

JOHN!!

 

Whoa! Super BadAss!! That is so AWESOME and thrilled about your accomplishments! This is such a super state to visit!

 

Thanks for sharing those super photos... loving it!

 

Working right now off the Beaufort Sea is another story. LOL. 20 below, blowing snow with howling winds of 55 MPH, windchill of 48 below.

[chubler]

Incredible, John and Doug. Congrats and well done!

Anything in particular on how you prepare mentally for a route of this stature?

[glassgowkiss]

Congratulations to boh of you!

Just a side note: since you rapped the technical rating should include A0 to describe the technical difficulties of the route.

[Plaidman]

Nice work guys!! You rocked it out of the park.

[powderhound]

PROUD!!!!

[DPS]

I recognize that plane. Flew into the Thunder Glacier in it.

[dberdinka]

..need more pictures.......

[DanielHarro]

Tilt

[John Frieh]

Tilt

 

:laf: Well played Daniel.

 

Thanks for the props dudes. Apologies for the lack of photos but we shot everything in RAW which means they need to be cleaned up first... they are way too dark right now.

 

In the meantime if you want to see some great photos AND video... some tilted... some not... you should all come to the 3 Types of Fun event next week! It is a fundraiser for a toliet at Vantage... who wouldnt want to support that?

[pink]

cool, that's a pretty good sized hill

[DanielHarro]

John + dehydrated dinner + Spoonbill = what level of fun?

[John Frieh]

John + dehydrated dinner + Spoonbill = what level of fun?

 

The best part was knowing Mulkey will be enjoying the "fruits of my labor" for as long as Doug owns that bag :laf:

[ZimZam]

Muy impresionante!

[powderhound]

John + dehydrated dinner + Spoonbill = what level of fun?

 

The best part was knowing Mulkey will be enjoying the "fruits of my labor" for as long as Doug owns that bag :laf:

 

Sounds like a new line of men's fragrance. Bound to drive the snow bunnies wild.

[wfinley]

Nice!!! Congrats!

[billcoe]

I'll see your congrats and raise you a "HOLY CRAP!" Way to yank and crank!

[pink_chalk]

Damn! Well done boys!!

[John Frieh]

A few pics. If you want to see more pics come to the Feathered Friends show this Thursday. Check the events forum for details

 

 

 

 

 

[SeanO]

Really awesome pictures! Congratulations!

[scottgg]

Solid work John and Doug! Wish I could make the show!