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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 10:38 AM
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2009-08-30
I finally scratched Mount Smuts off my list this weekend. Its one Ive looked at doing a few times this year, but for whatever reasons my plans would fall through. In the end it was just as well, as all those times I would study the route and when we finally got onto it, I was quite comfortable with the route finding; which I believe is the biggest challenge to this scramble. The trip report by Bill Kerr on Summit Post was most helpful with this (thank you Bill!), though I believe the route can be made slightly easier with a couple of variations.
We got up to the ascent gully very quickly and recognized it by the staircase feature. Followed it up and looked for a cairn that Alan Kane describes. We found a cairn marking a way through the ridge, but we decided not to follow it as it seemed to be too early. We continued further up until we could go no further and then found a couple of more sturdy cairns marking a way through.
Here we encountered the first difficult section or Step 1 as referred to in the above trip report. We knew the easiest way through was through a groove on the right and that we had to traverse over to it before we got up too high. The mistake we made was we traversed over too far to the right. We were still standing in front of a groove, but it did not look like the one in the trip report so we backtracked until we saw some very recognizable features. My buddies put on climbing shoes to make the ascent easier. I felt my mountaineering boots would be sufficient.
This groove has a crack that splits off to the left and this is the way I took. It seemed a little tighter and less exposed. My friends stayed right. When we were past this Step 1, we compared notes and it seemed like the left crack was the easier way to go. After this first step, we had a nice platform to take a break on and look at the next challenge or Step 2.
It didnt have much variation; the groove on the right seems to be the best way to go. Its easier than Step 1 and pretty straight forward. Once at the top of this step, the above trip report suggests taking the scree ledges and chimney on the right to gain the summit ridge, but this is not necessary. At the top of Step 2 I gained the ridge immediately, while my friends went over the ledges and to the chimney. The ledges and the chimney seemed the longer and more exposed way to go. Gaining the ridge right away was not difficult, the rock here is solid and little ledges provide great footing.
We spent a bit of time on the summit reading through the register and the memorial before heading down.
The way down was much more involved and much more difficult than I expected. Cairns marked two ways into the gully. I felt it was not far off in terms of difficulty compared to the ascent, especially taking the second entry into the gully. Scree on ledges makes this descent really frustrating and tricky. My friends went through the first entry into this gully and to minimize rock fall I took the second. From the second gully I could see a rappel station and my friends decided to put on their harnesses and break out the rope. The down climb looks quite intimidating from here, especially with all the loose rock on the ledges. But after studying the route for a bit I felt I could go down safely, while my friends were setting up to rappel. If I was in a better position to put on my harness, I would have rappelled down with them.
Exiting this gully, we saw a cairn marker showing the way to skirt around the ledges and we followed this down to the col. Its not a pretty descent, with short sections of scree and ledges all the way down. Really, with a rope I think going down the ascent might be a much more enjoyable return.
In the end, it wasnt what I had built up in my head, but I think this was just because we were prepared and really studied the route. Its definitely up there in terms of difficulty and my friend said he would even list it as an alpine climb. I never felt like I was pushing my limits or that sinking what am I doing here feeling which Ive felt a few times on scrambles when getting off route. We had beautiful weather the entire day and it was one of my favorite days in the mountains this year.
               
More photos:
http://markostavric.fotki.com/2009/20090830/ |
Edited by - Marko on 08/31/2009 11:59 AM
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 Simpson quoting tree hunter and canyon rapping rockhound who longs for the return of his trapped Toyota
Salt Lake City, UT
USA
2268 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 10:47 AM
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| Nice! Smuts is one I've looked at in the past and wanted to have more time (and partners) for a trip. Good to hear your thoughts about the route. |
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High River, (just south of Calgary eh!), Alberta
Canada
1697 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 11:05 AM
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Awsome!
Love this view of Birdwood
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3502 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 11:50 AM
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Strong work, that.
Smuts is a "climber's scramble." If I head there, I'll bring a rope, slings and harness for sure, as I'd rather rap off the mankiest anchor than downclimb. Jeezzus do I hate downclimbing. |
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Okotoks, Alberta
Canada
326 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 11:59 AM
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| Nice work Marko and great pics as usual. I have to agree with johngenx, hate downclimbing... |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 12:40 PM
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| Yeah, climbing down is not my favorite, especially with all the scree on slab. Kept having to clean the rock with my foot to make sure there was solid footing. I've been trying to down climb at the climbing gym to get a little more comfortable doing it. |
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Calgary, AB
Canada
252 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 1:33 PM
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| Congrats on the scramble of Smuts. You've really been knocking off the mountains in Kane's book this summer, well done! |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 2:32 PM
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Clayton, I couldn't get enough of that view of Birdwood. I took soo many photos of it, it took me forever to narrow down the photos to post. :)
Eco, it's definitely been a good year for it. Part of it is having no commitments lately so every weekend is a scrambling weekend. :) |
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Calgary
165 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2009 : 3:33 PM
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Well done Marko and good pictures.
I added some comments in my summitpost report about the left hand branch of the Y gully so people will consider it as a choice when scrambling.
We did consider going up onto the ridge at the end of step 2 but we followed a small cairn which lead us to the right onto ledges and more gully. Nice to know it is just as easy to get onto the ridge there.
Bill |
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Telkwa
1176 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 12:02 AM
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| Well done. One i have wanted to do too. |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
109 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2009 : 6:26 PM
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Great TR Marko, definitely a climbers scramble!! Well Done. Looks like you had beautiful weather for the trip as well!
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
1186 Posts |
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Calgary, Alberta
Canada
615 Posts |
Posted - 09/05/2009 : 12:19 PM
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| Good job Marko - great pics! |
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calgary, alberta
Canada
2 Posts |
Posted - 09/09/2009 : 10:16 AM
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nice one
smuts is the next one on my list
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Mount Smuts
