Hi guys - I'm planning on attempting Polemonium (knife-edge ridge, from Sill L-coulour/ N. face route) tomorrow and was wondering if anyone had any beta on crevasses in the glacier, in particular on the section leading up to Glacier Notch. I was quite surprised to see one there when heading up to Sill a few weeks ago, and I'm curious if any more have opened up. I was under the impression that crevasses weren't really something to worry about on the glacier, but this is clearly a weird year!

Sunfish,

Will you update on your findings? Where is the crevasse on the way to Sill? Was it easy to cross? I'm headed up that way for a Sill to Thunderbolt traverse. I would love to know how your trip was, see photos, etc. Happy trails and Thanks in advance.

The Inyo National Forest will be up to install ladders across all the crevasses later this week.

I hope you are not planning on rapping the U-Notch after summitting Polemonium.


You must have a serious death wish if you do. The ladders will do absolutely nothing in stopping the continued onslaught of huge boulder rock falls that have been pounding the entire U-Notch for over a month now.

This photo was posted last week on the U-Notch condition thread....

http://www.flickr.com/photos/98501575@N ... otostream/

Take a 30m twin rope for crevasse protection.

And yes... if you want to die rap the u notch. Otherwise find an alternate path down. I spent a night up there recently and it was constant rockfall 24 hrs/day.

I posted a few photos of the U-Notch and glacier from Sept 14, 2012 that may be of interest. You can see them here:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/79760202@N03/8001080965/in/photostream

The glacier exit up to the 3rd class that leads to Glacier Notch had black ice and ice covered with frozen sand-scree. We used an ice axe and crampons but still thought it felt dangerous because a slip would have sent us sliding into boulders below. I don't have much ice/snow experience, so it may have been easier than it felt. We crossed the glacier in the AM but avoided it on our return the next afternoon by downclimbing the icy sand-scree. It was nerve-wracking either way.

(We crossed the glacier from right to left (facing the notches), climbed Sill via the N Couloir, then Polemonium; we bivied then returned via Glacier Notch toward Gayley camp.)

A5RP wrote:You must have a serious death wish if you do. The ladders will do absolutely nothing in stopping the continued onslaught of huge boulder rock falls that have been pounding the entire U-Notch for over a month now.

Joking about those ladders. I wouldn't have gone anywhere near the U-Notch when I did North Palisade a month or so ago. Looked awful then.

Nice photos rener. I was hoping to get on the U Notch this year but obviously missed my window. Will have to wait until next season.

Hi guys - just got back to some internet. The glacier looked crazy, sort of like seeing a cat with no hair:
http://www.flickr.com/photos/7301483@N02/8024102141/in/photostream/

I ended up bailing on the way up to Glacier Notch (definitely wasn't going anywhere near the U-notch!), as I didn't like the conditions enough to feel safe soloing - even at 5 am things were breaking apart. I talked to a nice guy, Doug, at the lake who had been guided on the Swiss Arete the day before, and his description of the descent (car-sized blocks shifting when stepping on them) also made me more cautious of crossing the very unstable South edge of the glacier.

Here are some of the crevasses on the south end of the Palisade glacier, from Polemonium (last 14er!) on Sunday (Oct 21). It's hard to say how deep these are, but I'll probably be taking a rope if I'm there this winter!

Closeup: