President's Day Weekend Summit Hike Report 2/17-18/07

[rockin rex]

Funny that you should mention Everest...When we were waiting beneath the tricky, rocky part where you have to grapple onto tree roots to successfully gain purchase, we jokingly clamored "c'mon! go! move! we're gettin' frostbite down here" just like Tim and Gerrard at the base of the second step on the Discovery Channel's Everest show. The climbers above joked and laughed with us as they let us through.

The only place I know where you have to grapple on tree roots is on summer route of lions head, on the rock slabs before the traverse. Is the winter route open?? maybe the winter route has the same thing with the slabs and tree routes? I would think the traverese is filled in by now and safety is an issue. That part of lions head just below tree line is the hardest part of the climb. Especially to break trail in.

[climbabout]

During periods of less than average snowfall, like this year, there is a section of the winter route that has a rocky slab underneath and it's tough to gain purchase there in the absence of snow and ice. As I recall, its about 1/4 or 1/3 of the way up the steep section. I'm sure that's the section being referred to. I recall a group of climbers one year refer to it as the hillary step. When there's an abundance of snow and ice on the trail, it's relatively easy.
Tim

[straps]

We were definitely on the winter route, and with the amount of snowfall, were limited to stumps and branches. The summer route was prone to avalanche.

As we descended, we used our axes to grapple anything we could (snow, ice, wood) as we kicked footing. In some places there was rock and ice, but for the most part slick parts where people had sat and slid.

I am not familiar with technical names of portions of Tucks, aside from Hillman's Highway, but there was a great deal of snow in the bowl. Neither camera battery could be revived to capture it. Looks like I will have to go back!

[Brad]

Hey Straps! I think we met up there. Maury caught up with me right at the top, 2:15pm. Cool guy. I went up with Elliot, another awesome IMCS guide. What a fantastic day .. a butt kicker even w/o breaking trail .. those guys are amazing!!

Did you get the wind speed/temp when we were there, it was fairly brutal. It looks like a whole other world in my Summit Pic. Especially after the sun and nice conditions most of the way up. The archive shows about 4 deg, -25 with wind chill. 45-60 mph winds. Felt worse!

Here is a gap in the Deck camera at 2:15 that day.



And the Conditions page at that time:

[mk10]

On Sunday, when it was less crowded, I managed to snap a photo of the tricky part of the winter route that we are referring to. It's towards the bottom portion of the trail and the first place where the pitch exceeds 45°. There was very little snow covering the rocky slab and the little snow that did exist was not constituted such as to be able to front-point up the slope without chunks of it simply breaking away beneath your weight. Just above this part the series of wooden check-dams begins.

Straps is spot on, there were times that you had to clutch and grab whatever tree, branch, or root that you could to keep yourself from sliding down the trail. Traction in the low-density snow was poor (even with crampons) and the entire ice axe shaft would constantly sink uselessly all the way up its head in the deep powder.

[smashburn]

Here is a gap in the Deck camera at 2:15 that day.

Amazing how fast it changes up there ... this is my summit pic maybe 10 min later.



Should have had my snack & drink -after- the summit pic! Awesome adventure either way.

[smashburn]

On Sunday, when it was less crowded, I managed to snap a photo of the tricky part of the winter route that we are referring to. It's towards the bottom portion of the trail and the first place where the pitch exceeds 45°

Here's somewhat of a jam at that spot on Sat, but much later.





Everyone was cool and friendly .. what an awesome scene!