Eric Dynamocrack and I climbed Mt. Stephen yesterday, July 30.
True to its reputation as a Book of Lies standout, the North Ridge of
Stephen (5.7, "III", 2000 m) is much more than "Selected" makes it out to
be: it's a longer, more sustained, more complex, and far more hazardous
route than, say, the E Ridge of Temple (5.7, IV) or the E Ridge of Bugaboo
Spire (5.8, IV). We would give it a solid IV/D.
We found very dry conditions, which made for generally great climbing except
in the upper third.
The main hazards right now are in the upper so-called "snow and ice"
sections which are more like vertical morainal till climbing than snow or
ice. I believe that this is not merely a seasonal issue, but a symptom of
withering neves and glaciation throughout the range. We managed to limit the
fear factor to just one 20-m pitch, but your experience may be better or
much worse depending on your route finding strategies.
Here are a few photos for your viewing pleasure.
Regards,
Tom Wolfe
PS: Eric has a route description; you can email me at modrock at Informalex
/dot/ org if you would like a copy. If you already have a copy, please note
that he has a small but very significant error: you take the **<--LEFT**
side of the moraine all the way to the waterfall/cliff and then follow the
miners' steel cable up and beyond and across the serac-threatened drainage
to the route....
death choss - midway through snow and ice pitches.jpg
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typical climbing on ridge.jpg
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STEPHEN upper ridge.jpg
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