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25 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2012 : 7:25 PM
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Hi All:
One more for everyone's enjoyment. Unfortunately on this one, I'll be reporting on the route condition as observed from a distance instead of first hand. We (my climbing partner) succumbed to a odd eye infection up at Sherman Camp on Saturday morning that ended our trip fairly abruptly. As his eye was swollen shut, and pain was on the menu for him, we were not able to go up any further.
However, here's the deal up there.
Hike in to Sherman Camp:
The hike in of course from the trailhead and the White River campground is straight forward. Pay the ridiculously hefty $43 per person for a climbing permit (ohh the joys of climbing in the US...), park your car, and head up the well maintained trail for about 1.5hrs until you leave the main tourists behind at the Glacier Basin camp.
Now comes the fun part of going up the Inter Glacier slope. From here, you're going to gain approx. 2,400ft to camp. Not a bad little ascent. The tricky part comes once you reach the edge of Steamboat Prow. DO NOT go up the rocky ridge to climbers right. If you do that, you will be forced to downclimbed VERY exposed 4th class loose/crumbly rock for a couple hundred feet or so. Instead, make your way straight downt he other side on a nice bot packed trail leading to the glacier. Rope up if you want (no need really), cross the 2 solid bridges, and make your way up to camp via an easy slope on good snow.
We got to Sherman camp and before nightfall, there were about 18-20 people there. Not bad if compared to the DC route.
Emmons Glacier route:
It's closed. Period. The "easy" tourist way up is no more as the glacier, about 1/3 of the way up collapsed on itself and blocked the way. Doesn't really look like there is a way through unless you were really adventurous, and skilled. Honestly, it would be fun to try :)
Winthrop Glacier route:
Ohh this one isn't your walk in the park anymore either. Snowbridge collapse, dicey traverses, and a broken icewall step to a 12ft overhanging ice climb were on the menu. Sounds more like an advanced climb to me! Awesome. This route turned around all parties going up on Saturday morning, except for these insane russian climbers that ended up doing Rainier Car to Car in 16hrs. Yeah.... Car to top and back to camp in 12hrs. If they took their time down to car, 16hrs.
So word was that it was doable. 2 guides went up that morning to find an alternate route up, which they did.
The correct route up the Winthrop is now a general follow of the bootpack (be prepared to jump, not hop - JUMP over some big holes) up leading to the icefall. Go completely around the jumbled mess on climbers right until a safe ramp is found (50 degrees or so). 20 or so minutes on the ramp and you've made it to the safe zone. From here, it's a simple, uneventful low angle walk to the top.
So too bad that my climbing partner couldn't see, cause it would have been fun as all hell to go up via this route. You NEED to be comfortable on questionable snowbridge crossings, and have your rope jugging dialed in. This is a route now suited to the Intermediate-Advanced climbers only. All parties turned around except the pro's/rangers on this one. We would have been up there with them was it not for the medical concern. Mountain will be there next year - July long weekend.
So now I wait - for another 6 days, until my next, and final big trip of the year. A trifecta attempt on Mt. Robson (via Kain Face) and it's 2 satellite peaks (Resplendant/Helmet). Look for that TR around September 5-6 under the British Columbia section.
Signing off.
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Finally stopping that crazy suffering that is ice, climbing to concentrate on great ski tours!
3520 Posts |
Posted - 08/19/2012 : 8:04 PM
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25 Posts |
Posted - 08/20/2012 : 12:07 PM
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quote:
Originally posted by johngenx
Can they really close a climbing route?
Closed in the sense where no one is getting guided up there, and the glacier collapse created an impassable section. If you were adventurous enough and a strong enough climber, I'm sure something would go, but as it stands, the new route up that side is the Winthrop |
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Mt. Rainier - Winthrop Glacier (Emmons is closed)
