Spent a week guiding with Kirsten Knetechel and Alex Geary in the
Hatteras Sugarplum Group for the BMC mountaineering Camp. This remote
area is located SW of the International Basin Group in the Bobbie
Burns area of the Purcells.
The weather was very hot all week with no precipitation. The snow was
quickly retreating from many of the peaks and glaciers. A spectacular
camp was setup NE of Sugarplum at the base of a glacier directly
below the Pirouette Pinnacles and below a small lake. Access was
easy here to the peaks of the area.
The rock was a mix of good granite, quartzite, sandstone and slate.
Sometimes all on the same day.
The main climbs done included: Pirouette pinnacles #2 and #3, (though
one small group climbed #1 and #2) Arabesque sub pinnacle to SE of
#1, Squab Peak (NW to SE), Mt Hatteras via E face, Snowman Peak and
the Snowman -Crinkletop traverse.
One large group attempted the SW ridge of Sugarplum from the
Squab-Sugarplum col, but ran out of time just short of a SW summit.
During the first week a group climbed Arabesque #1, via the SE ridge.
Snowman Peak was climbed by the West ridge, ( some short pitches
of easy 5th class) descent was done by the same route requiring one
60m rappel, and another 30 metre rappel to avoid the upper steep
steps. The traverse over Crinkletop to the Hatteras col was a long
day (14-17 hours) requiring a few lowers along the complex exfoliated ridge.
Squab peak was best climbed from the Sugarplum col going SE. It is
best descended beyond the main summit down a steeper snow slope to
the glacier.(Shrund opening up here)
The lower part of the Squab ridge leading to the true Hatteras col
was quite loose and exposed. Though possible we took the easier snow
slope option.
The Pirouettes were gained between #2 and #3, and descended by a snow
patch from #3.
The east Hatteras glacier is becoming quite broken on the midsection
where a convexity has exposed some large crevasses. This may become
easier as the snow line recedes.
Mt Hatteras required 4 X 60 metre pitches of snow to 50deg+ to reach
the summit of this, the highest peak in the area.
Good weather was blessing as much of the granite and quartzite is
lichen covered.
Peter Amann
Peter Amann
Mountain Guiding
www.incentre.net/pamann/
pamann@xxxxxxxxxxxx
Snowman peak and Crinkletop ridge.JPG
Description: JPEG image
Overview.JPG
Description: JPEG image
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