RAM
08-10-2009, 06:44 PM
We awoke at Lucky Pass to blue skies. We had a big day ahead. A peak on each
side of us and an arduous descent. We were climbing by 5 AM. The peaks were not
difficult technically but visited oh so infrequently, remote as they are. On the
way up Triconi, after getting some of the days first views, we just stared at
each other......Its rare........When it comes, all you can do is express
awe.....and soak it in.....You really can't look away. We were above a sea of
clouds, islands of peaks poking out of the low, white cover. Once we summitted,
I bargained with Ziff for more time on the summits. We descended after a bit
longer stay than we should have and crossed the pass and climbed Primus. We were
presented with even a better show. We were on our 2nd summit of the day by 8:30
AM.
What dragged us sadly from the summit, was not only the long way we needed to
go, but also seeing that the trips most difficult glacier passage, the Borealis,
was below the cloud level. Without views, this would be serious business. We
descended, packed up and reached the shared top of the clouds and the top of the
glacier. We poked. We probed. We hemmed. We hawed. We formed plans. We dismissed
them. We decided on a line down steep ice and snow. All of a sudden a bit of
view came in and we could see a route all the way around the cirque. It was long
and required 500 feet of re ascending hard snow, then some steep snow traverse
to reach, but it was safe....Just at that time another member of the party spied
a route on the glacier edge that MIGHT go and it was right next to us. Ziff went
to probe it. We cheered him on from above. Steep, at times, exposed, somewhat
loose, complex but it went with much class 4 and only periodic steps of class 5.
Once on the lower, flat part of the glacier, we went to the outlet of a frozen
lake and rested at a small and wonderful bivy site. The clouds had lifted and we
bathed in sunshine, drinking freely from the stream. More stalling, for we faced
a timbered ridge descent of 2 miles that loses 4,000 feet of altitude.. Heather,
then trees and the bugs attacked. DEET was applied for the 1st time this year.
Some passage, but not many come this way. Cliffs to weave around. Loose talus
forces concentration and the occasional dodging of rolling rocks. Swinging from
tree to tree, like faux Tarzan's. What is this? Alders on a ridge? Get outta
here! That's a new one! Lower down the trail disappears into blowdown and we
beeline straight for the Thunder River. We hit it within sight of the only
bridge crossing in for miles. Drenched in sweat, we strip and swim in the ice
melt stream. Divine!! Then it is 7 miles of trail to the car. Hammered feet
claim it was longer! Car shuttle reversed and dinner out. 4 days, 6 mountains, 6
glaciers, 15,000 feet of ascent, a thousand memories. Thanks guys!!
Pictures of heaven??
http://picasaweb.google.com/aramv14/PrimusAndTriconi71409#
side of us and an arduous descent. We were climbing by 5 AM. The peaks were not
difficult technically but visited oh so infrequently, remote as they are. On the
way up Triconi, after getting some of the days first views, we just stared at
each other......Its rare........When it comes, all you can do is express
awe.....and soak it in.....You really can't look away. We were above a sea of
clouds, islands of peaks poking out of the low, white cover. Once we summitted,
I bargained with Ziff for more time on the summits. We descended after a bit
longer stay than we should have and crossed the pass and climbed Primus. We were
presented with even a better show. We were on our 2nd summit of the day by 8:30
AM.
What dragged us sadly from the summit, was not only the long way we needed to
go, but also seeing that the trips most difficult glacier passage, the Borealis,
was below the cloud level. Without views, this would be serious business. We
descended, packed up and reached the shared top of the clouds and the top of the
glacier. We poked. We probed. We hemmed. We hawed. We formed plans. We dismissed
them. We decided on a line down steep ice and snow. All of a sudden a bit of
view came in and we could see a route all the way around the cirque. It was long
and required 500 feet of re ascending hard snow, then some steep snow traverse
to reach, but it was safe....Just at that time another member of the party spied
a route on the glacier edge that MIGHT go and it was right next to us. Ziff went
to probe it. We cheered him on from above. Steep, at times, exposed, somewhat
loose, complex but it went with much class 4 and only periodic steps of class 5.
Once on the lower, flat part of the glacier, we went to the outlet of a frozen
lake and rested at a small and wonderful bivy site. The clouds had lifted and we
bathed in sunshine, drinking freely from the stream. More stalling, for we faced
a timbered ridge descent of 2 miles that loses 4,000 feet of altitude.. Heather,
then trees and the bugs attacked. DEET was applied for the 1st time this year.
Some passage, but not many come this way. Cliffs to weave around. Loose talus
forces concentration and the occasional dodging of rolling rocks. Swinging from
tree to tree, like faux Tarzan's. What is this? Alders on a ridge? Get outta
here! That's a new one! Lower down the trail disappears into blowdown and we
beeline straight for the Thunder River. We hit it within sight of the only
bridge crossing in for miles. Drenched in sweat, we strip and swim in the ice
melt stream. Divine!! Then it is 7 miles of trail to the car. Hammered feet
claim it was longer! Car shuttle reversed and dinner out. 4 days, 6 mountains, 6
glaciers, 15,000 feet of ascent, a thousand memories. Thanks guys!!
Pictures of heaven??
http://picasaweb.google.com/aramv14/PrimusAndTriconi71409#