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Routes in Mt Stuart
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Cascadian Couloir T 3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a Easy Snow |
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Direct North Ridge T 5.9+ 5c 17 VI 17 E1 5a |
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Girth Pillar 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c WI2 Steep Snow |
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Gorillas Direct T 5.10d 6b+ 21 VII+ 21 E3 5b |
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Gorillas in the Mist T 5.11- 6c 22 VIII- 22 E3 5c Easy Snow |
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Ice Cliff Glacier AI2-3 Steep Snow |
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King Kong - Gorillas Direct Direct T 5.12a 7a+ 25 VIII+ 25 E5 6a |
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North Ridge T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Sherpa Glacier T 4th 1 2 I 2 M 1b Mod. Snow |
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South Headwall T 5.8 5b 16 VI- 15 HVS 4c |
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Stuart Glacier Couloir T WI2 M4 |
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Stuart Range Traverse T 5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a |
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Ulrich's Couloir T 3rd 1- 1 I 1 M 1a Mod. Snow |
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West Ridge T 5.6 4c 14 V 12 S 4b Steep Snow |
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| Type: | Trad, Mixed, Ice, Alpine, 1700 ft (515 m), 6 pitches, Grade IV |
| FA: | Helmy Beckey & Larry Strathdee (1944) |
| Page Views: | 7,436 total · 61/month |
| Shared By: | Marlin Thorman on Mar 29, 2014 · Updates |
| Admins: | Jon Nelson, Micah Klesick, Zachary Winters |
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Description
Conditions
This route is subject to changing conditions. The ice section could be snow and thin ice or just nice thick ice. The ridge could be covered in 2 feet of rime ice and snow or it could be mostly dry. Obviously the time of year as well as the snow pack and current temperatures will change the nature of the route significantly. In early season expect winter conditions with freezing temperatures, wind, and lots of snow and ice. Route finding can be very difficult when you can't even tell where the ledges are or what the rock looks like! When we climbed it in March it was 95% dry tooling after we uncovered buried rock....full on M5 climbing. Later season I suspect it would be easier climbing and route finding and might knock the grade down a point or two (M3-M4).
Route
The route starts at about 7,800 feet at the top of the Stuart Glacier. Enter the couloir and proceed up on 40-50 degree snow as it begins to narrow. After a few hundred feet the couloir steepens to a short 80 degree step. In later season there can be good ice, early season expect more snow and thin ice. A little bit above this first step is a 2nd shorter step of rock or ice. Then the couloir opens up to a wider snowfield. Continue up this steep snow (50 degrees) for another couple hundred feet to a notch in the West Ridge.
From the notch the typically route follows the ridge for 6 pitches to the summit. The first pitch drops down 10 feet on the south side and follows ledges along the south side of the ridge for a rope length to another notch. Pitch 2 goes up and right initially on easy 5th class terrain. Then once it gets steeper transition around the ridge crest to the north face. Pitch 3 works up diagonally across the north face through mid 5th class terrain until you reach a small gully that leads up to the crest. From here down climb or rappel down the south face for 20 feet to another ledge system. Pitch 4 follows this ledge system (class 3) for most of a full rope length. Pitch 5 turns up and follows a crack system towards the summit. Pitch 6 just continues up cracks to the summit. Both of the last pitches are mid 5th class.
Alternate route on West Ridge
As an alternate route you can do the ridge in 5 pitches. Follow the standard route until pitch 4. From the belay traverse the ledge system of pitch 4 for half a pitch. Then turn up the rock and climb a wide almost box like gully. Continue up this until you find a good belay at the top of the box like gully. From here the summit is only about 1/2 a pitch away and up to the right. This variation is shorter and theoretically faster however it is definitely harder climbing. Still nothing harder than M5 but much more sustained.
Descent
The descent is typically down the Sherpa Glacier as this route is down early season. From the summit descend the east ridge towards the false summit. Continue following the crest of the ridge or dropping down on the south face to bypass steep terrain. After about 500 feet descend down the south side for 100 feet or so and continue to traverse across the face. Your goal is to traverse around the false summit at the easiest point you can find. Once around the false summit you should find a snowfield on the southeast side. Traverse down and across this snowfield past the top of Ice Cliff Glacier until you reach the top of Sherpa Couloir. From here you cross the east ridge crest and descend down the couloir to Sherpa Glacier.
This route is subject to changing conditions. The ice section could be snow and thin ice or just nice thick ice. The ridge could be covered in 2 feet of rime ice and snow or it could be mostly dry. Obviously the time of year as well as the snow pack and current temperatures will change the nature of the route significantly. In early season expect winter conditions with freezing temperatures, wind, and lots of snow and ice. Route finding can be very difficult when you can't even tell where the ledges are or what the rock looks like! When we climbed it in March it was 95% dry tooling after we uncovered buried rock....full on M5 climbing. Later season I suspect it would be easier climbing and route finding and might knock the grade down a point or two (M3-M4).
Route
The route starts at about 7,800 feet at the top of the Stuart Glacier. Enter the couloir and proceed up on 40-50 degree snow as it begins to narrow. After a few hundred feet the couloir steepens to a short 80 degree step. In later season there can be good ice, early season expect more snow and thin ice. A little bit above this first step is a 2nd shorter step of rock or ice. Then the couloir opens up to a wider snowfield. Continue up this steep snow (50 degrees) for another couple hundred feet to a notch in the West Ridge.
From the notch the typically route follows the ridge for 6 pitches to the summit. The first pitch drops down 10 feet on the south side and follows ledges along the south side of the ridge for a rope length to another notch. Pitch 2 goes up and right initially on easy 5th class terrain. Then once it gets steeper transition around the ridge crest to the north face. Pitch 3 works up diagonally across the north face through mid 5th class terrain until you reach a small gully that leads up to the crest. From here down climb or rappel down the south face for 20 feet to another ledge system. Pitch 4 follows this ledge system (class 3) for most of a full rope length. Pitch 5 turns up and follows a crack system towards the summit. Pitch 6 just continues up cracks to the summit. Both of the last pitches are mid 5th class.
Alternate route on West Ridge
As an alternate route you can do the ridge in 5 pitches. Follow the standard route until pitch 4. From the belay traverse the ledge system of pitch 4 for half a pitch. Then turn up the rock and climb a wide almost box like gully. Continue up this until you find a good belay at the top of the box like gully. From here the summit is only about 1/2 a pitch away and up to the right. This variation is shorter and theoretically faster however it is definitely harder climbing. Still nothing harder than M5 but much more sustained.
Descent
The descent is typically down the Sherpa Glacier as this route is down early season. From the summit descend the east ridge towards the false summit. Continue following the crest of the ridge or dropping down on the south face to bypass steep terrain. After about 500 feet descend down the south side for 100 feet or so and continue to traverse across the face. Your goal is to traverse around the false summit at the easiest point you can find. Once around the false summit you should find a snowfield on the southeast side. Traverse down and across this snowfield past the top of Ice Cliff Glacier until you reach the top of Sherpa Couloir. From here you cross the east ridge crest and descend down the couloir to Sherpa Glacier.
Location
Stuart Glacier Couloir is located on the northwest side of Mt. Stuart at the top of Stuart Glacier. Most parties approach the mountain from Icicle road and the Stuart Lake trail. From the summer trailhead follow the trail for 3 miles to the turnoff to Colchuck lake. Continue on the Stuart Lake trail for another mile before veering left to stay in the main valley as the Stuart lake trail switchbacks up and right. Follow this valley for about 1.5 miles to where it steepens. From here turn right and work your way up the steep slope to a small valley above. Good camping is located in this small flat valley (5,400 ft) at the base of Sherpa Glacier.
Protection
A couple of short screws are handy for the ice section in the couloir. In early season, pickets can also be used in a variety of places. The west ridge is protected with a typical alpine rack. We took 5 cams up to a BD #3, 8 nuts and 4 pins, and we used all of it. In retrospect we wish we would have taken a couple more small cams (BD .3 and .4).
Photos
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