|
Base Camp
Up
| |
- Statistics:
- Date Hiked: November 21,
2009
- Miles Hiked: 5.3
- Elevation Gain: 2,500'
- Hiking Partner(s): Scott
Borger
- Routes: WI3
- Description:
-
After climbing AMU a couple of weeks ago, two
friends of mine wanted to give it a shot. Mark found another
partner so although we all went up together we ended up climbing as two
teams of two. Scott and I hadn't been out together since the
middle of June. We didn't leave the Glacier Gorge trailhead until
8:00 am, but we made good time to the base of the route. There was
less ice than just 10 days ago despite a small storm that came through
the Front Range the previous weekend. The weather conditions for
the day were acceptable; however, several times throughout the day a
blanket of spindrift would flow down the mountain. It literally
looked like a waterfall over the entire route. When a wave began,
we all threw our hoods up, ducked our heads, and waited for the snow
flow to subside.
-
John led the first pitch with Mark following and
then Scott led behind him. By the time I got to the first
belay station, John starting leading the second pitch and opted for a
harder line to climber's left. Since I knew I was heading right, I
started up before Mark left the anchor. I climbed the same line I
previously did with less ice. I extended my pro to help with rope
drag. Mark started up behind John as I built an anchor and
prepared to bring Scott up. Scott reached my belay station shortly
after Mark reached John. Scott lead the third snow pitch on the
route.
-
John and Mark got into some difficult terrain and
decided to bail after a couple of attempts to progress their route.
Scott brought me up and I started up the final pitch. The bottom
half of the route was relatively fun and easy; however, the ice
thickness on the upper right part of the pitch was much thinner and
didn't appear as though it would take screws. I climbed left into
a narrow off-width chimney and was able to get a great piece of rock
gear in. I then got two good sticks in high to the right of the
chimney. I swung out on the tools and carefully worked my feet up
on the thin ice and rock wall on the left. After establishing a
relatively stable position, I was able to move my tools up again and
then get on much easier snow-climbing terrain above the technical
section of the pitch.
-
Scott followed the pitch but was unable to climb up
the chimney because of snow and spindrift funneling down into it.
He ended up climbing the thin ice on the upper right part of the pitch
because of spindrift. When he finally got up to me, he indicated
that the running snow didn't seem to quit and was like a constant mini
avalanche. The descent went smoothly and when we got back to Mills
Lake, Mark and John had just arrived from a quick jaunt up to check out
the Jewel Lake ice. Mark also showed us his helmet that was dented
from a piece of ice he took to the skull while on rappel below us.
We hiked out and returned to the car just before dark at 5:00 pm.
- Maps:
-
Click here
to view a
map of the area where this hike is located.
- Photographs:
- I only took photos at the base of the route and from Mills Lake.
Given the ice and weather conditions, I didn't think the photo
opportunities would be that great so I didn't take any climbing
pictures.
- AMU (1)
- AMU (2)
- AMU (3)
| |
www.
just
hiking
.com
|
