Surreal Solo of Granite

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Strange experience on Granite (more on that later).  I approached via Sky Top and packed out via Aero Lakes.  Low water and low snow.  Stream crossings were easy and there was no snow in the finger or the crux.  I didn't see a single mosquito the entire trip (which blows my mind).

Just want to add some details to all the great trip reports and climbers logs:

• Lulu Pass road is ROUGH!  Not rutted, but quite a few large rocks, especially that last 1/4 mile or so between the sharp right turn and the Upper Lady of the Lake parking lot.  The road is wide enough to get around them, but it will make you cringe on a couple of them.
• There are TWO old mining cabins at the trail head.  Go left of the one that you see straight ahead of you as you get to the parking area (the other one would be to your left).
• After you cross the Aero Lake outlet, you swing north and you get away from the Sky Top Creek for a bit.  It's tempting to think you've made a wrong move, but you come back to the creek after a bit.  Pictured: heading toward Lone Elk Lake after crossing Aero Lake outlet.
• If late in the season, the saddle north of Upper Aero is BRUTAL.  I couldn't find any detail on the part between Upper Aero and Sky Top Basin, and now I know why: nobody wants to talk about it.  In fact, the whole way around Upper Aero is rock-hopping/bouldering too.  The trail disappears and there are no cairns after you cross Upper Aero outlet.  It took me 5 hours to get to camp at Sky Top via Sky Top drainage but 7.5 hours to pack out via Aero Lakes.  The rock hopping round the two big Sky Top lakes pales in comparison to what you'll do around Upper Aero and over the saddle into Sky Top.  Pictured: on north end of Upper Aero looking at the saddle.

• You have your choice of 3 gullys to take from Rough Lake into Sky Top basin.  I took the first one to the left of the Rough Lake inlet (it had the most tarn of the 3), and it worked pretty good for me.  Pictured: the wide one in to the right of center is the one I took.
• If you have a two-person tent and a good sleeping bad there are lots of places to set up in Sky Top basin.  
• There are a couple snow fields that start at the very last Sky Top lake that curl around from east to north on the way to the Finger.  Bring your micro spikes and use these.
• My thoughts on the Ramp: yeah, it's sketchy.  I managed to get up and down it without dislodging anything.  But I would be worried about the other guy.  It's wreckless for anyone to tell you "it's fine".  So climber beware.  If you're lucky you'll be the only one in it, like I was.  But if others are in it, especially coming down while you're going up....try to find a safe place and let them come through.
• After all rope sections in the Ramp, just stay to the right.  The last section is intimidating and looks like 5+ climbing, but easier stuff comes into view the closer you get to the top.
• Another section of the Aero Lakes approach: the part between Zimmer Creek and Lower Aero is STEEEEEEEEEEEP.  The Sky Top approaching might be 1/2 mile longer, but the gain is gradual.  

My "surreal" experience.  Got to camp at Sky Top, grabbed some lunch and set up my tent.  Weather was PERFECT and I knew it would be one of those rare days where you could be on the mountain all afternoon.  Wanted to avoid the rush in the morning if I could, and was feeling pretty good so I decided to summit then, leaving camp at 2pm.  An hour or so later, as I enterred the snow finger, a young guy with a sat phone told me that a huge rock slide had just occurred on the East face.  Sure enough, soon after the choppers started coming.  Halfway through the finger the second to the last group made an unsuccessful attempt because the group above them kicked a rock the "size of a mini fridge" past them in the Ramp.  I'm thinking "woah".  Met the last pair of climbers at the base of the slab--they made it, but one guy was hurting bad from a broken bone is his foot.  This made me the last one on the southwest side. 

The whole way up the choppers are flying in and out.  I'm making steady progress, but slower than I'd hoped.  (took me two hours to get to the start of the ramp.).  At one point a chopper stopped and hovered above me for what seemed like an eternity.  I'm thinking about the rock slide, the "mini fridge" comment, the guy with the broken foot, my slow progress, will it be dark before I get back down through the scramble on the snow finger???  Why is this chopper hovering above me?   Can they shut a mountain down???.....  But I press on.  

I'm through all the rope sections.  Yes!!  But then, for a second time, a chopper hovers above me just as I'm coming out on the part that leads to the summit ridge.  I'm def the only person on the mountain.  The last person that day.  I've done lots of solos but there have always been lots of other peope.  Never been "the only one".  With everything that happened and with this second chopper now, I got this ovewhelming feeling that I was somewhere I shouldn't be.  I'd made the most difficult part and anything after that was just pushing my luck.  So I decided that turning around at the point was the thing to do.  I know...so close, right??!!  So you can call it unsuccessful if you'd like, but I'm ok with it.  

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triyoda - Nov 16, 2020 11:41 pm - Hasn't voted

The mountain will still be there

You aren't a real mountaineer until you've had to make the hard call to turn back when you've got a lot invested in a climb.

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