Click on the thumbnail for a Google Earth view of Stage 2, with annotations. Please note that Stage 2 begins at Kool Aid Lake and leads up the Middle Cascade Glacier over Spider-Formidable Col, which is the starting point of this image. See the Google Earth view of Stage 1 for the first part of this stage.
Concerning the detail that Beckey says you take the West notch through the Spider-Formidable Col. My friends had an older Beckey guide (I regret that I don't remember the year it was published) and in it he says to take the East notch and go down the snow. The west notch pretty much cliffs out as far as I can tell. I probed it but it was pretty loose, ugle and steep. At the east notch the snow is a little steep but there was a pretty good run out at the bottom when we did it and it felt totally safe (like you we belayed a couple of uncomfortable parnters). I submitted a picture showing the south face of the col, so people can see what the west and east notches look like.
I concur. I am looking at the 1977 first edition, and in it, Beckey states:
"Then ascend the glacier to Spider-Formidable col (7320+); the correct col is 100 yds E of the most obvious one. Descend snow on S slope, then bear W."
Bob Bolton - Dec 18, 2005 7:17 pm - Voted 10/10
Route CommentClick on the thumbnail for a Google Earth view of Stage 2, with annotations. Please note that Stage 2 begins at Kool Aid Lake and leads up the Middle Cascade Glacier over Spider-Formidable Col, which is the starting point of this image. See the Google Earth view of Stage 1 for the first part of this stage.
willow - Aug 3, 2006 11:39 pm - Hasn't voted
Spider - Formidable ColConcerning the detail that Beckey says you take the West notch through the Spider-Formidable Col. My friends had an older Beckey guide (I regret that I don't remember the year it was published) and in it he says to take the East notch and go down the snow. The west notch pretty much cliffs out as far as I can tell. I probed it but it was pretty loose, ugle and steep. At the east notch the snow is a little steep but there was a pretty good run out at the bottom when we did it and it felt totally safe (like you we belayed a couple of uncomfortable parnters). I submitted a picture showing the south face of the col, so people can see what the west and east notches look like.
Aaron Dyer - Jun 1, 2009 11:54 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: Spider - Formidable ColI concur. I am looking at the 1977 first edition, and in it, Beckey states:
"Then ascend the glacier to Spider-Formidable col (7320+); the correct col is 100 yds E of the most obvious one. Descend snow on S slope, then bear W."