SummitPost.org

we're looking to go for Gannett and Granite this summer ...

our team of five has a common open window of dates in mid-september ... kind of late season for these peaks ?

friends have said that Gannett's bergschrund should be wide open ("impassable") by then ... and that we might experience snow on Granite's final approach (not enough to place pickets, but enough to make the final climb kind of unhappy meal) ...

some of us prefer earlier season climbing, across snow instead of scree and talus ... doubt we can avoid that in september ...

any advice on Gannett's bergschrund ? if it's "wide open" could we reasonably climb around it ?

most of our team have done Denali, Rainier and other high peaks, have good mountaineering experience, etc ... we don't hire guides ...

greatly appreciate any feedback you could provide ... thanks !

.

Don't know about Gannett, but Granite is just a matter of hitting a weather window. If the weather is good, you'll be fine. The route up top can be slick, so if there is ice up high, then you'll want a rope. Fall is great for climbing in Montana, but only if you have the time to hit the weather.

I believe Matt Van Horn climbed Gannett after the bergschrund was open. If he doesn't see this thread you might send him an e-mail.

Gannett can be done from the west via Tourist Creek in late season to avoid the schrund on the standard route.

You can do the standard route up Gannett with the shrund open, but I believe you have to stay left and do some low 5th class climbing...I was there a few weeks ago and saw a couple of fixed lines on that area.