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Stemwinder 7/14/06

Finally got a chance to do this nice little route with Courtney Pursell (cp0915) last Friday.

It's amazing that there's a relatively easy route up Thor's SE face, but there is. Looks totally intimidating but like many routes is much easier once you're there. The 5.4 crux move at the start is a bit awkward but the rest is easy.

Once we got up to the upper plateau we saw a lone hiker coming up from one of the east chutes. Turned out to be oldmanmike who I had hiked with a little the weekend before. We seem to keep running into each other.

Photos are here:

http://www.rickkent.net/ViewerPlus/view ... lderID=516

-Rick

Rick,
Nice photos - thanks for posting. Looks like a lot of fun!
g4b

Nice pics and trip report notes ! Thinking of doing this one sometime soon, if we can get a dayhike permit. Also spied Bob & Matthew's trip report.

Sounds like a Croft-style alpine rack should suffice .. guessing maybe cams to 3" ?

Is the SE Couloir a good descent this time of year or is the NE Slope better ? What do folks think of Secor's route description ?

Nice to meet you yesterday Rick

We did this route on Saturday and had a "stimulating" climb

I brought a set of nuts, cams from 0.6 - 3 inches, 6 trad draws, a double-length sling, and two cordelettes. This turned out to be plenty of gear. I don't have a rope shorter than a 50m x 8.5mm, so that's what we brought.

Secor's description seems pretty accurate, though there seemed to be a class 3-4 chimney near the start of the route -



Maybe it's possible to climb around it, but we just went up it (I belayed my partner through it - it's pretty awkward and about 10-12' worth).

The piton near the bottom of the 5.4 chimney looked solid, but there was also a nice nut placement not far above it, so I backed it up. There was also some gear above it, so I figured why not. I used some mid-sized pieces for the gear belay above the chimney. Otherwise I managed to sling horns for the belays.

I looked at the 5.4 chimney for a while, and finally decided to take my pack off and put my right side in, and my partner hauled the packs up.

Like the other trip reports I'd read, we managed to get into some class 4-ish terrain on grainy rock in between the chimney and the "pale red pinnacle" in Secor's description, but not more than a whole pitch.

The fourth class slab traverse was pretty airy, but not really that hard if you look for holds and keep your head clear. Above the gully things were pretty much as advertised (third class).

The SE couloir made for a reasonable, though rather loose descent. My partner had done it before, so that made it easier.

Somehow we managed to tramp through a lot of frost-covered swampy brush in Bighorn Park, so our shoes got somewhat damp and muddy. Is there a better approach ?

Couple years ago we approached from the 2nd-ish switchback climbing out of bighorn park to mirror lake. Then traversed on a big sandy ledge. No wet feet for us.

I thought that awkward chimney before the 5.4 chimney was worth a mention too. Climbing around it looked hazardous and grainy.

Love the route.