This is a nice short easy alpine route, which under ideal conditions for the climber consists of snow down low, then sn'ice, and finally some harder alpine ice up nearer the summit, if you get lucky. For the skier or board dude/gal, fresh powder nearly the whole way. The route is wide and makes for a great ski run (pardon my terminology, I do not ski or board), if a bit easy looking.

Amazing high-speed topo of justice

When other routes on the Northwest Face get thin, this one is often still in condition, and sometimes filled with powder while rock shows in the more popular gullies.

Getting There

The most common way to access the Northwest Face is to head down to the saddle between Thunder and Telegraph, and walk right onto the face. To complete this route, head down into Coldwater Canyon until you are in the route's path. This route is basically the northern terminus of the Northwest Face.

Route Description

Route climbs out of Coldwater Canyon, straight up the Northern side of the Northwest Face. Route turns right before the ridge, goes through a smaller couloir, and takes up the ridge, ending at the summit.

Go right!

One can skip the second couloir described above, but the ridge isn't a fun place to be, typically. The author enjoys minimizing the amount of time he spends on the ridge proper by 'handrailing' it, and then gaining it as late as possible.

Essential Gear

-A helmet is a great idea!
-Two axes = faster, safer. This route is lower angle (40-45 degrees at most), so one axe is just fine.
-Crampons are obviously a good idea.
-Protection is not really necessary, but if I was to set up a rack for this, your usual complement of pickets, runners, biners, and a set of nuts would do the trick.

External Links

San Gabriel Mountain Forums

Trip Report