Bonney Pass

With Jim feeling sick he switched into Teresa’s solo “quarantine” tent and Teresa moved into the Hex shelter with me. As a group we were hoping for a good weather day for our Wednesday attempt on Pinnacle Ridge.

Weather was a bit unstable in the morning, but Dominic, Sarah, Teresa and I started up the moraine towards Pinnacle Ridge anyway. Shortly after starting it began to rain and we took refuge under an overhanging boulder for a short “bivy”.

With rain and a little visibility on high north-aspects we could see that the rock was freshly coated with snow or graupel. Pinnacle Ridge was mostly a snow climb, but then involved some 4th or 5th class rock to reach the summit. Today didn’t seem to be a good match for that route. Teresa and I decided to bail and return to camp for a rest day. Sarah and Dominic hadn’t climbed Gannett Peak before, and there was no technical rock involved so we took their extra gear and sent them on their way.

For most of the morning I alternated naps with viewing the weather outside. Clouds filled the valley several hundred feet below us and blocked all views of the peaks above.

Before noon I took a little walk up into a basin above camp to view the Heap Steep Glacier and I noticed two climbers descending below the Gooseneck Couloir on Gannett. I figured we’d see Sarah and Dominic back by 1pm.

Sure enough, they arrived well before my prediction with news of a successful ascent (but no views to speak of). They mentioned running into a large group of scouts (many of whom didn’t know how to self-arrest) and other strange mountaineering practices.

Only the briefest of clearings in the afternoon provided any sun.

The next morning we woke up to a mix of clouds and stars. We thought about attempting Pinnacle Ridge again, but then decided that there were more easier peaks on the other side of the continental divide and we should move over Bonney Pass today. After packing up camp we set off up the now familiar moraine.

Just before setting foot on the Dinwoody Glacier, Sarah and Dominic decided that the weather looked good enough for an attempt on Pinnacle Ridge, followed by continuing across Bonney Pass to our new camp. Teresa signed up to join them right away, but with Jim feeling sick I decided to stick with him over the pass. The other three cached their gear and started up the snow climb with minimal equipment while Jim and I slowly moved toward the pass.

Jim was moving slowly but steadily and we reached the pass about 10:30a. We caught sight of our three companions heading up the central couloir towards Pinnacle Ridge.

Jim was the only one of us who’d ever been to Titcomb Basin before so I was excited to see the new views of Spearhead, Helen and the Titcomb Lakes themselves.

Once down the far side of the pass, we started looking for a grassy campsite and descended to about 10,900 feet where we located a nice spot.

Jim and I had arrived early enough to dry out sleeping bags and tents then alternated naps with watching the pass for the arrival of the others.

I located a boulder close to camp that would provide a marmot-inaccessible food hanging cord and around 3pm we finally saw three dots start to descend the snow below Bonney Pass. Using our radios I was able to reach Dominic who let me know they’d successfully climbed Pinnacle Ridge. Just before they reached our camp rain started to fall heavily and new tents were quickly erected.

Thankfully, the rain was short-lived and we were able to cook in the sunshine and make plans for our next day of climbing.

Complete Photo Gallery

Wind Rivers 2009 blog posts:
Approach
Turret Peak
Bonney Pass
Sphinx and Woodrow Wilson
Twin Peaks
Departure

Read Full Post »

Turret Peak

Sometime early in the night Jim decided that a rock was ill placed below his sleeping pad. I looked over with some horror as he started to swing the ice tool we’d brought in an attempt to excavate the rock or add extra ventilation to the tent. Eventually, he determined the rock was larger than our sleeping platform and quarried dirt from another spot to smooth out the rock’s bumps.

With alpineglow on the high peaks of the divide we set off over snow fields and morraine piles to the Dinwoody Glacier.

Turning left we headed under the north face of Mount Warren en route to Elsie Col.

Ice axes and crampons were deployed for the snow climb up to the col. During the climb we looked for the 4th class gully that supposedly led to the summit, but couldn’t ID it positively. Instead, we’d figured climbing the harder Southwest Ridge would present easier navigation. Still we couldn’t quite figure out why this climb was reported as being 10 hours long if it led directly to the higher southern summit.

At the saddle we found newly arrived sun and warmed up while waiting for the whole party to arrive. Then we traversed around some gendarmes via 3rd and 4th class scrambling.

More 4th class scrambling brought us to a large ledge were we dropped the snow and ice gear. We moved left towards the obvious snow gully, then started up a dry gully that split from it immediately. As soon as possible we exited right to get closer to the ridge and soon found terrain we’d want to belay. This first pitch was easy 5th class, but cold this morning. I was glad Dominic and Jim were willing to led all the pitches since they both had rock shoes vs my approach shoes.

Our first pitch stopped just below a rightward traverse to a short overhang. The climbing above then cut left on the or near the crest of the ridge so to reduce rope drag that became pitch 2. While following up this second pitch some distant thunder sounded across the valley. Sarah immediately warned that she could feel her hair buzzing. Thankfully, it quickly went away and the consensus was to continue climbing hoping the storm had moved on.

Pitch three looked short and blocky, but somewhat overhanging. Jim started up it and found a loose chockstone that appeared dangerous. After warning the rest of us, he managed to get around it but reached the ridge crest to find all the rocks buzzing wildly.

While he searched for a rappel anchor above, I started to construct one for our now full-on retreat. Graupel started to fall and rise (wind currents were blowing the stuff every direction). Jim quickly came down then we pulled the rope and setup a long double rope rappel down the gully.

The rest of us waited on the cold ledge, attempting to stay warm under the graupel storm.

I sent everyone else down the rappel first, then removed the unweighted backup cam and rapped off the slung pothole that had held everyone else. Once down we setup one more shorter rappel down the 4th class gully that was now wet and much more dangerous.

After gathering up our boots and ice axes, we descended snow and loose talus down from Elsie Col.

The sky began to clear somewhat on our retreat, but no way were we going back right now.

After an afternoon’s rest and dinner we planned for a slightly earlier start and hoped to move quicker now that we knew the beginning of the climb well. From his highpoint, Jim had thought the climbing above looked much easier and hopefully only another pitch would separate us from the summit.

Tuesday morning we start a bit earlier and make quicker time to Elsie Col.

From the col we scramble up to the large ledge and drop our boots and ice/snow gear.

This morning is less windy, but cooler. With a little fresh graupel I’m even less enthused about taking the sharp end of the rope so Dominic does the leading through pitch 3.

Jim isn’t feeling very well but takes the mostly 4th class pitch 4 that’s a bit of a rope stretcher. We scramble up hoping to reach the summit shortly but find we’ve got a technical ridge separating us. I setup a belay in a small notch while Jim climbs a slight overhang and runs the rope out across a knife-edge ridge to the middle summit of Turret. He radio’s back that “I’ve reached {garbled} summit”. We all wonder if he said “a summit” or “the summit”.

Following the ridge I see Jim perched on the middle summit with the obviously taller north summit still ahead. He continues to lead, this time another 4th class pitch down to a notch.

Once both Jim and Dominic are at the final notch, Dominic leads up the stiff 4th class/5.0 summit.

I’m carefully watching the weather and hoping the clouds don’t develop into anything, as it’ll take us a while to retreat across this technical ridge. I also find myself relaying commands between Dominic (on the summit) and Sarah and Jim down in the notch below both of us. I do a belayed downclimb to the notch, then tie in behind Teresa to simul-climb up to the summit, being the last to arrive. A quick picture then I start the rap first, having only spent about 3 minutes on top.

I had left most of the protection in during my downclimb from the middle summit, so I tried to quickly reascend while putting back the few pieces of gear that I’d removed. Once we were all mostly on top of the middle summit, Dominic led out across the knife-edge pitch and put in some extra gear as grab loops to help everyone downclimb the slight overhang. Going last I was able to remove all the gear and downclimb the overhang free so we didn’t have to leave any gear.

We did something similar to repeat the 4th pitch, Jim led down on top belay, placing a bit of gear then the others rappelled down. Following last I removed the gear while being belayed from below.

The last 3 rappels proceeded as expected, only without the excitement of thunder or graupel today.

We returned to camp late but very satisfied with our accomplishment today. Tomorrow we’d try for Pinnacle Ridge.

Complete Turret Peak photos

Wind River 2009 posts:
Approach
Turret Peak
Bonney Pass
Sphinx and Woodrow Wilson
Twin Peaks
Departure

Read Full Post »

Wind Rivers: Approach

After my group free-solo of the Second Flatiron I rushed over to Teresa’s house arriving sweaty by several minutes early. “Can I use a bathroom to change? I just joined a group free-soloing the Second Flatiron.” Without batting an eye, she just said “I picked a great group for this trip.”

Dominic and Sarah soon showed up and we loaded gear into Teresa’s camper and started the 6+ hour drive to the Glacier Trail trailhead near Dubois, Wyoming. After dinner in Dubois we setup tents near the trailhead and our 5th member, Jim and his family rolled in about 11pm.

Dominic	Jim
Sarah	Teresa

The next morning we were treated to a large breakfast in Teresa’s camper then met with our horse packers and dropped off all our camping and climbing gear. Not having to carry 9 days worth of food and gear was going to make the hike in more of a pleasure.

While ascending the switchbacks leading towards Arrow Pass, I turned back to talk to Jim and noticed he looked a little pale. Two switchbacks later he stopped to engage in a pretty sustained session of vomiting. As Teresa caught up he composed himself enough to rasp out “This isn’t a reflection on your pancakes.” I figured he’d be okay when he demonstrated his normal humor and attention to others. Still, he was definitely sick and not his usual self on the hike over Arrow Pass.

Once on the other side of the pass our route mostly descended past an incredible series of lakes (Phillips, Double, Star and Honeymoon). We stopped at each for a few pictures and to take in the views.

Past Honeymoon Creek we turned left on a cairned side trail to the spot where the horse packers preferred to camp. The horses and Patrick had beaten us to camp so we just had to rifle through boxes looking for our tents.

I’d been worried about how bad the mosquitoes might be at this camp, but they turned out to not be much of a problem. With a smoky fire and some permethrin treated clothes I didn’t find then an issue. While sitting at the fire I looked up at the horses and mules and noticed one that didn’t belong. A moose had joined the party and was staring at us. Patrick drove it off and it moved upstream a little ways.

The next morning we packed up and left the gear with Patrick and then set off for our meeting at Floyd Wilson Meadows. If day one was all about the lakes, day two was the meadow hike. Downs-Fork, Big and Floyd Wilson meadows would mark our progress.

At the end of Floyd Wilson Meadows we had a short wait then Patrick and the pack string showed up.

Jim said he was wondering how I was going to fit everything into my pack (a GoLite Jam2) and admitted to some surprise that it all worked out.

We started off slowly and soon came to a series of creek crossings to divide and conquer Gannett Creek.

Then we were truly above treeline and headed for Elk Lake (which required a crossing of Dinwoody Creek).

From camp we had an excellent view of Gannett Peak.

After camp was setup we discussed plans for tomorrow and decided to try Turret Peak via the Southwest Ridge which was supposed to be 5th class.

Adam’s Approach Photos

Wind Rivers 2009 posts:
Approach
Turret Peak
Bonney Pass
Sphinx and Woodrow Wilson
Twin Peaks
Departure

Read Full Post »

Second Flatiron

While lurking in the forums at Mountain Project I noticed a group planning to free-solo (ie, climb unroped) up the Freeway route (4th class or 5.0) on the Second Flatiron in Boulder. They were starting at 7am on a Friday morning, a time I’d normally be at work. However, I had Friday off with a planned meeting at 9am in Boulder for a subsequent trip to the Wind River range of Wyoming. Squeezing in a climb before the long drive sounded like the perfect way to start the trip.

The group swelled to 11 people (most active, several other lurkers like myself) then about 7:05 we left the trailhead armed with little more than approach shoes or rock shoes and a few water bottles. The day was already warming up and the east facing rock would be sunny. After a 30 minute hike we reached the base and started scrambling up the far less than vertical rock.

People picked different lines up the rock but were all funneled together to the diving board. The preferred way off the diving board was a jump onto the rock (easier than it looked). A couple took the less dramatic downclimb to the right.

More simple scrambling took us to the end of the route where traversing the ridge crest south (left) presented an easy down climb to one of the trails. About half the group went off to scramble to the true summit of the second flatiron, but I was worried about running late for my meeting and switched back into the approach shoes for a steep hike then a quick run back to the car.

Read Full Post »