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Climb Cassin Ridge w/ Skis/Descend Messner?
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Hey, how difficult would it be logistically to climb the Cassi and ski down the Messner couloir? I want to hear from all you trolls and experts out there let’s start a great discussion, cheers! |
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Agree with Abandon that would be the way to do it. Messner is no joke though, I watched a guy(gal?) take 2 turns and then fall 1000+'. Helicopter came, not sure if (s)he survived. Be careful up there. |
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http://www.alpinist.com/doc/web21c/newswire-chantel-astorga-solos-cassin-ridge-denali (TL;DR: Chantel Astorga is a badass) |
Kyle Tarry wrote: She is badass skier and didn't ski the Messner on that descent, which says something to me. I've considered this same idea, but the conclusion that I've come to is that the conditions that make for favorable climbing on the Cassin don't coincide with the conditions that make for favorable skiing on the Messner. |
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It really depends one how you plan to climb the Cassin. Chantel probably did not ski down the Messner because of either the conditions or more than likely she was a wee bit tired and the risk was not worth it. Based on my experience on the Cassin carrying skis up would not be too much of a PITA just added weight. We, like most dumped skis at the NE fork. Probably more realistic for most would be to ski up to 14k on the West Buttress, carry skis up the West Rib Cutoff, then come down the Messner if in condition. |
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I was at 14 camp during the week + season Chantel did the thing. Conditions on the Messner are tricky/rarely optimal. It was horrible last year! Blue ice. Did not see any descents despite many good skiers being in camp. Our friend Pat rode the rescue gully with an x-dream in each hand.... |
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logistically? simple - as above posters describe. likely? if you're comfortable skiing "extreme" (one published definition: extreme = you fall you die) lines, go for it! after all, Messner after the first ascent descended his route riding a plastic sled! (Roger Robinson showed me the photos he took from 14k). alternatives: carry your skis up Cassin (not unreasonable - climbed it in '81) or stash them on an acclimation run up the west butt, as suggested above. if the Messner looks too much, carry on down to the Rescue Couloir (soloed it in '82, conditions would have been skiable that year), and if that doesn't look good, carry on down to the west buttress headwall - ski it or carry your skis down it. Carrying your skis up either route will tell you if conditions are to your liking, and if you can carry them up, you can certainly carry them back down to 14k. Good luck! -Haireball |
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Logistics would be easy. Its those other things that would be hard... Amazing season these guys had in the AK range: Making the most out of the AK Range Michael Gardner's write up in Alpinist pretty worth reading. What a season! So, end of the trip, they climb the Cassin with skis, tag the south then north summits, then make the first ski descent of the NW Buttress. This after a new route, with skis on the up, on the Isis Face of Denali, ski out the South Buttress. Then a climb up the Bibler-Klewin to the summit of Mount Hunter. Then guiding the West Buttress. Incredible (as was their 2019 season too). I wouldn't underestimate the difficulty of doing this stuff...given what must be an immense amount of talent and experience these guys have. |
Brian in SLC wrote: I think there is a lack of emphasis on how challenging/dangerous skiing a new route on Denali would be, especially doing it top down without recon on the up... So many unknown variables... |
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Which is why I ended my post with: "I wouldn't underestimate the difficulty of doing this stuff...given what must be an immense amount of talent and experience these guys have." Also, this is a great read and addresses some of the issues they're seeing up there: A couple of take aways: "We have seen a disturbing amount of overconfidence paired with inexperience in the Alaska Range." "We have also seen an increase of skiers aspiring for highly coveted lines off the summit such as the Messner. High elevation peaks in the Alaska Range are often wind-scoured with low snowpack, making for highly challenging, unforgiving ski conditions. Even the most experienced skiers in Lower 48 terrain get in over their heads in the Alaska Range, and conditions can change rapidly from the top to the bottom of a 5,000-foot ski run. Conditions need to be perfect for skiers to pull this off safely. " |
Brian in SLC wrote: Exactly what I was going to post. Have you climbed in Alaska before? Have you been on Denali before? Have you skied from 18,000' before? All of these people, Michael, Sam, Chantel, etc have spent MONTHS and MONTHS climbing on Denali and all over the Alaska Range. This is not something they just went and did. They knew their bodies and did something massive because of experience. Experience is only gained through...well...experience. Be careful and be humble in Alaska or it will humble you. |
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I have a friend who routinely solos 5+ ice. He also routinely downgrades WI5 to WI 3 and tells me you can solo it no problem. It pays to know what other folks super abilities and risk tolerances are before you start thinking that so and so did it so it should go.... |
