asmrz - Jan 28, 2013 3:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2005
A Good Route!
Penelope May-Smrz and I climbed the North Face in 20 hours RT from our Titcomb Lakes area camp (don't laugh, we are in our 60s) on August 29th, 2005. The route was wonderful snow, ice and easy 5th class rock journey combined with huge ammount of hiking and quite a bit of glacier crossing. We brought rope and rock/ice gear but found the route just easy enough not to have to rope up for it. We descended the regular GPR route. This North Face route is (IMO) wonderful alternative to the often climbed Gooseneck Pinnacle Ridge (GPR) route and not too hard. In late season (September, October) this might be really good ice route. Recommended.
N Arm of Gooseneck Glacier is what this route was called in the '68 Bonney guide (2nd ed.), which we used for our August '77 ascent. Back then we had the whole area above Titcomb Lakes to ourselves. This was an exciting climb - white out conditions, cutting steps up the steep hard snowfield (no crampons or screws for us in those days), roped together without pro or visibility... (and the occasional axe/ankle belay). But it was the summit that I really remember - still white out, waiting it out, until everything began to hum and buzz and all hairs and fibers stood on end. Then a hint of St Elmo's Fire and we literally ran down the walk-up route, to our collapsed tent on the lower Gooseneck Glacier. Ah, youth.
zoomloco - Jul 7, 2011 11:59 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2008
N Face sweet/ S Face bear
Very nice route, moderate ice and a little easy 5th rock. Glacier was clean so no need to rope until the technical ice near the summit. We traversed the peak, descending the normal route and walked around the base to get back to camp at the base of the glacier, which made for a long day. Better to rap/ downclimb the route. The technical section is only a few pitches. Though by doing this we did see a bear cross the glacier then ascend the crux snow slope of the normal route, unbeknownst to 2 guys right in front of them. It then went over the pass while the guys continued up the ridge, still clueless. An awesome peak, and this is the climbers way to summit it.
asmrz - Jan 28, 2013 3:50 pm Date Climbed: Aug 29, 2005
A Good Route!Penelope May-Smrz and I climbed the North Face in 20 hours RT from our Titcomb Lakes area camp (don't laugh, we are in our 60s) on August 29th, 2005. The route was wonderful snow, ice and easy 5th class rock journey combined with huge ammount of hiking and quite a bit of glacier crossing. We brought rope and rock/ice gear but found the route just easy enough not to have to rope up for it. We descended the regular GPR route. This North Face route is (IMO) wonderful alternative to the often climbed Gooseneck Pinnacle Ridge (GPR) route and not too hard. In late season (September, October) this might be really good ice route. Recommended.
applewood - Sep 3, 2011 1:49 am
N Arm of Gooseneck GlacierN Arm of Gooseneck Glacier is what this route was called in the '68 Bonney guide (2nd ed.), which we used for our August '77 ascent. Back then we had the whole area above Titcomb Lakes to ourselves. This was an exciting climb - white out conditions, cutting steps up the steep hard snowfield (no crampons or screws for us in those days), roped together without pro or visibility... (and the occasional axe/ankle belay). But it was the summit that I really remember - still white out, waiting it out, until everything began to hum and buzz and all hairs and fibers stood on end. Then a hint of St Elmo's Fire and we literally ran down the walk-up route, to our collapsed tent on the lower Gooseneck Glacier. Ah, youth.
zoomloco - Jul 7, 2011 11:59 am Date Climbed: Aug 20, 2008
N Face sweet/ S Face bearVery nice route, moderate ice and a little easy 5th rock. Glacier was clean so no need to rope until the technical ice near the summit. We traversed the peak, descending the normal route and walked around the base to get back to camp at the base of the glacier, which made for a long day. Better to rap/ downclimb the route. The technical section is only a few pitches. Though by doing this we did see a bear cross the glacier then ascend the crux snow slope of the normal route, unbeknownst to 2 guys right in front of them. It then went over the pass while the guys continued up the ridge, still clueless. An awesome peak, and this is the climbers way to summit it.