Odell's Gully  WI2-3

3,288 page views Good page?

Type:  Ice, Alpine, 600 feet Consensus:  WI2-3 [details] FA:  Noel Odell, Lincoln O'Brien, , J.C Hurd, and Robert Underhill March 16, 1928 Season:  Winter Submitted By:  Peter Beal on Jun 2, 2009 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (19) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

BETA PHOTO: Odell's

Add Photo  Add Comment    Printer View

Description 

This is the classic wide open gully to the left of the Pinnacle Buttress. After an initial easy section, you can choose a number of variations, all relatively moderate, which lead to much easier ground just below the Alpine Gardens. It is worth noting that due to the ample low-angle snow slope above the climb, Odell's is particularly vulnerable to avalanche danger. Be very careful in assessing conditions and pay attention to the USFS forecasts.

www.tuckerman.org/safety/safety.htm
www.tuckerman.org/avalanche/index.html

A number of serious accidents/episodes have occurred with regard to this moderate climb the most famous of which was the 1982 Hugh Herr/Jeff Batzer rescue. Odell's was the last ice climb I did in New Hampshire and thoughts of others' previous mishaps plagued what should have been a relatively mellow solo climb, especially when the wet heavy snow thumped and subsided as I kicked my way up the final stretch of the gully. Be careful up here.

Location 

Easily located just left of the Pinnacle Buttress. Descend by heading south across the Alpine Gardens towards Lion's Head or more quickly east down the Escape Hatch. Make sure that you have a good sense of direction and a compass if the weather deteriorates.

Protection 

A small rack of screws

Photos of Odell's Gully Slideshow

Add Photo

Near the top of O'Dell's.	Right side of O'Dell's.	O'Dell's in early December