Route Climbed: Moynier Couloir Date Climbed: October 01, 2000
Michael Gordon and I climbed the Moynier Couloir on good and solid alpine ice in October 2000. I found this gully to be as good (and steep) as the legendary Mendel Couloir Right with the short rock section even harder than Mendel. We soloed the first 4-5 pitches and roped about 2 pitches before the rock pitch. The climb was much easier than the descent. The N Ridge of Thompson proved to be much more interesting proposition, if you go down this way, follow the ridge way out till you see easier ground. We didn't and found ourselfes in tough ground. 3 hours up, 5 hours down. Great climbing, great gully, my hat's off to you Mr. Moynier to solo this on first ascent.
Route Climbed: SW Chute Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2003
Day 5 of the 2003 Sierra Challenge. Ugh, what a slog... I'm not planning on heading back to this one any time soon, even given the stellar summit views. Secor comments that the rock around here is "disagreeably loose," but that's really an understatement. There was a little fun class 3 in places, so as to try and avoid the sandy slopes, but even on that rock there was still loose crap everywhere. The best climbing was actually found on the buttress leading up towards Thompson-Powell Col from Sunset Lake--solid rock, easy, but quite fun.
Babboon Lakes featured some beautiful wildflowers on the return--after reaching the summit, perhaps the highlight of the trip.
Route Climbed: Harrington Couloir downclimbed Date Climbed: October 1997
I downclimbed this Harrington Couloir in October 1997, after going up the Central (later named Smrz Couloir by RJ Secor) of the three couloirs visible in the Harrington Page picture. This Harrington Couloir has rather steep section at the top where some 200 feet of hard ice needed to be climbed. I faced in, with two tools to downclimb this steep section. I elected to downclimb this, because the regular route off Thompson via the North Ridge looked too difficult (to me) to downclimb solo, without rope, and with fresh snow covering the ground. Several years later, that North Ridge descent proved anything but class 3, especially if one follows the ambiguous decription in all the Climbing Guide Books. Better way is to follow the North Ridge at least 1/4 mile out, over 4th class terrain until easy WALKING gully can be taken down to the Thompson Glacier. If you start down too soon, you will get into difficult terrain and several steep raps. I would recommend this Harrington Couloir as a great ( one day RT from South Lake) training outing, if you know the way down. In mid August, this couloir might have hard neve in it. In October, it usually has fine, hard alpine ice. Enjoy!
asmrz - Apr 17, 2005 2:49 am
Route Climbed: Moynier Couloir Date Climbed: October 01, 2000Michael Gordon and I climbed the Moynier Couloir on good and solid alpine ice in October 2000. I found this gully to be as good (and steep) as the legendary Mendel Couloir Right with the short rock section even harder than Mendel. We soloed the first 4-5 pitches and roped about 2 pitches before the rock pitch. The climb was much easier than the descent. The N Ridge of Thompson proved to be much more interesting proposition, if you go down this way, follow the ridge way out till you see easier ground. We didn't and found ourselfes in tough ground. 3 hours up, 5 hours down. Great climbing, great gully, my hat's off to you Mr. Moynier to solo this on first ascent.
agorokhov - Aug 2, 2004 2:08 pm
Route Climbed: SW Chute Date Climbed: June 5 2004Bob Burd - Jan 12, 2004 11:57 pm
Route Climbed: Southwest Face Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2003With Matthew (below) and Michael. As matthew said, a slog for the most part. Trip Report
Matthew Holliman - Aug 19, 2003 6:18 pm
Route Climbed: SW Chute Date Climbed: Aug 13, 2003Day 5 of the 2003 Sierra Challenge. Ugh, what a slog... I'm not planning on heading back to this one any time soon, even given the stellar summit views. Secor comments that the rock around here is "disagreeably loose," but that's really an understatement. There was a little fun class 3 in places, so as to try and avoid the sandy slopes, but even on that rock there was still loose crap everywhere. The best climbing was actually found on the buttress leading up towards Thompson-Powell Col from Sunset Lake--solid rock, easy, but quite fun.
Babboon Lakes featured some beautiful wildflowers on the return--after reaching the summit, perhaps the highlight of the trip.
asmrz - Apr 23, 2003 4:57 pm
Route Climbed: Harrington Couloir downclimbed Date Climbed: October 1997I downclimbed this Harrington Couloir in October 1997, after going up the Central (later named Smrz Couloir by RJ Secor) of the three couloirs visible in the Harrington Page picture. This Harrington Couloir has rather steep section at the top where some 200 feet of hard ice needed to be climbed. I faced in, with two tools to downclimb this steep section. I elected to downclimb this, because the regular route off Thompson via the North Ridge looked too difficult (to me) to downclimb solo, without rope, and with fresh snow covering the ground. Several years later, that North Ridge descent proved anything but class 3, especially if one follows the ambiguous decription in all the Climbing Guide Books. Better way is to follow the North Ridge at least 1/4 mile out, over 4th class terrain until easy WALKING gully can be taken down to the Thompson Glacier. If you start down too soon, you will get into difficult terrain and several steep raps. I would recommend this Harrington Couloir as a great ( one day RT from South Lake) training outing, if you know the way down. In mid August, this couloir might have hard neve in it. In October, it usually has fine, hard alpine ice. Enjoy!