The majority of this route is a class two scramble, but does contain some class three moves in the last 20-30 feet, and a considedrable amount of couloir slogging.

Route Description

There are a few couloirs to choose from to gain the ridge, the southernmost couloir is the easiest. It forks midway up, and the right fork is the best option, although both gain the ridge and are not too different in dificulty. The other large couloir (to the north)is steeper and narrower, reaching up to a 50 degrees as it tops out on the ridge. From the ridge, it is a straight-forward ridge-walk on easy scree and/or snow for about a mile (1000' additional elevation gain) to the summit. There are a couple of tricky (class 3) moves in the last 20 feet of the climb, as the summit is comprised of a large granite block.

This route may not be the best choice in off-season, due to the extreme avalanche danger of climbing a steep couloir.

Essential Gear

Crampons and an ax are reccomended for any time but late summer.