Mountaineering Leadership with Colorado Mountain College Leadville

   The clouds hung low over the Arkansas Valley shrouding the Sawatch Range. Cool wet winds reminded us that this has been a moist summer through out the entire Rocky Mountains including our field objective for the course Wyoming's Wind River Range.

Students on Monitor Rock

   As challenging as mountain weather is to any objective we set out on our first field day namely Monitor Rock on Independence Pass. Here we climbed the moderate Rainbow Route on fixed lines. Transitioning at anchors and wrapping friction hitches the class scurried up saturated and striated granite.

   The next day we took to the road. First we headed to the Front Range for supplies. Then northward into Lander Wyoming where we camped at the town park. In the morning we were on our way to Dubois in order to meet the horse  packer. Consider there are 13 people staying in the field for 12 days  this expedition style course required a resupply deep within the Wind River Range.

   After a quick lunch and a couple more supplies we were on our way to the glacier Trail head. Once at the trail head we quickly changed clothes then weighed packs to see how much everyone was carrying. Packs were loaded with 3 days of food, personal supplies and 3 person shelters. Packs weighed in between 72 lbs and 58 lbs. What a range!  The weight was proportionate to each cook groups meal plan and each individuals personal gear needs. While at the trail head we referenced the maps and estimated distance, elevation gain, and travel time to camp.

View of Gannett from Inkwells

   The first afternoon led us 6 miles up the trail into late afternoon rain and into a wet camp at Williamson Corral. On day two we headed over burrow flats. Then the class went down past Double Lake into the Downs creek drainage and up to Inkwells. In a huge day carrying big packs we covered nearly 13 miles. Once at Inkwells we crammed food and additional supplies for the remaining 11 mile approach to our high camp on the Dinwoody Moraine

   After a comfortable camp at Inkwells we prepared for the next heavy haul. Slowly we meandered along Dinwoody creek, across a bridge and up past treeline to our camp adjacent to Elk Lake. A short night at Elk Lake led to establishing camp on the Dinwoody Moraine. While this landscape was referred to as "being on the moon" I see these types of landscapes as "of this world." That planet earth is in reality as rugged as any place we could imagine. However since we are of this earth we feel as though we can survive here but not on another celestial body. But the reality is that this high moraine, this barren landscape devoid of most animals and an occasional human, devoid of most plant life, and filled with glaciers that seemingly stand still but once our human pace has slowed their movement becomes apparent we realize our survival is not guaranteed and we are left with this impression of our world.

Sunset at Elk Lake camp

Dinwoody Moraine Camp

   

   

   Once we set up our tents and grabbed some food we quickly set out on the glacier to discuss snow walking and glacier walks with crampons on steep snow and ice. Also we covered ice axe positions and use.

Kip Demonstrating Rope Team Skills

  

   In addition we covered rope team techniques such as kiwi coils, tie ins, and pre-rigged prusiks.

The Class Headed Upwards

 
The next day we went up the Dinwoody glacier to cover self arrest with an ice axe but without crampons. Once we found a north facing slope with frozen snow and a good sliding surface we practiced self arrest. Initially we slid feet first on our backs, next was head first on our stomachs, then head first on our backs. Once everyone demonstrated adequate self arrest techniques the class headed up a nearby couloir. On this route we used simul-climbing and running belays with snow pickets for protection as each student plunged their way up the 35 degree snow chute.

   As the weather stabilized the rope teams took the opportunity to go for a summit attempt on Gannet Peak, Wyoming's highest at 13,809'. An early alpine start of 4 a.m. led us through the headlamp lit moraine. Once below the steep toe of the Dinwoody Glacier we applied crampons and started up through the dry glacier using french and 3 o'clock and 9 o'clock crampon techniques. After reaching the wet glacier the teams quickly encountered our first crevasses and this prompted us to rope up and provide some protection as we navigated around sagging snow bridges and open crevasses. Along the way team leaders employed hip and terrain belays using nearby boulders as anchors and using our bodies as belay devices. Eventually the glaciers slope eased and we reached the wet glacier where we meandered to the base of the South Gooseneck Couloir. We crossed a bergschrund to enter the couloir then climbed, clipping snow pickets, planting ice axes and steadily plunge stepped until we reached the exposed wind blown scree near the ridge line. Next we scurried along the ridge to an exposed 32 degree snow slope that took us to our final traversing summit ridge. Under blue skies in calm winds, over wet snow, along a spine of rocks we reached the summit. While there was a prominent rock precipice generally the summit is flat and covered in snow.

The Class Headed Up South Gooneck Couloir

    Finally the time came to head back down the mountain. Across the summit ridge down a slope of snow another ridge line took us to the standard Gooseneck Couloir for our descent. At this point I was given the opportunity to place pickets for the group. My rope team and I headed down slope in sloppy snow conditions. We descended starting with a plunge step and eventually we faced the slope to down climb. This allowed us to be more stable in a self arrest position. With Kips oversight I work hardened the snow as I drove the pickets into the snow, clipping our rope in, and continuing our descent. We reached a bergschrund at the bottom of the couloir. Negotiating the schrund was easy but a little risky as it was only a matter of feet to inches from punching through the snow bridge into the gaping crevasse below. Everyone made it down the couloir and onto the Gooseneck Glacier down to the standard trail, through scree, across the creek and back to camp.

Hauling 6:1

   The next day brought us rest and recovery after a long day on the mountain. However we did have a ground school covering direct and indirect haul systems.

Ryan Above Moraine Camp

   

   

   With only a few days left in the moraine camp our next objective would be a sub peak of Mount 

Woodrow Wilson. Another early morning under dark skies with a fresh few inches of snow we left camp through the moraine, up the dry toe of the Dinwoody, around crevasses, and onto the wet glacier to reach a nice steep slope of snow to gain the summit ridge and out to the summit prominence of the day.

   On the descent we rappelled 3 times. First off 2 equalized snow pickets. Next off of 2 equalized ice screws. On our last low angle slope we arm rappelled.

Students Rappelling 

   Due to an unforeseen injury we left camp the next day, down through the Dinwoody Moraine, past Elk lake and to a trail side crag. Here we covered traditional protection placement and anchor building as it pertains to the alpine environment. After a short climb integrating hip belays and natural protection  we continued down the valley, through an aspen grove along the creek and back to Inkwells for our final resupply and a hefty loading of carbohydrates.

Double Lake Reflection

Over the next two days we meandered along creeks, through forests, upon rolling trails, up steep sunny switch backs, past beautiful alpine lakes, below towering walls of pristine Wind River granite, over high mountain passes, among the big horn sheep and ghost ponies to arrive at the Glacier trail head.

Dragontail and the Backbone Ridge

It all started with a simple question "What route havent you done?"

After a day of 100 degree temps and swimming in the Wenatchee River "World Class" and I headed up to the Stuart Lake trailhead to make final preparations for the Backbone Route. This route summits Dragontail at 8,840' and is within the Alpine Lakes wilderness. Also Dragontail is the second tallest peak with in the Stuart Range and the Enchantments. The trailhead starts at about 3,400' and asecnds to 6,400' the remaining 2,000' is technical rock climbing up to 5.9. In addition this route is grade IV with a total of 11 miles round trip. Our objective, to complete the route in one day.

Looking out through the car window, up towards the sky, stars shown brightly as we settled in for "a big day" in the mountains. Our eyes slowly shuttered close, the galaxy flickered away and just when we had fallen asleep the alarm started to buzz. In short order we ate a little food, brewed some joe, and we were off through the darkness on headlamp lit trails. Up the Stuart Lake trail following Mountaineers Creek to the junction with the Colchuck Lake Trail, along the dawn lit shoreline of Colchuck Lake and past scattered campsites. Eventually we chose a route up talus and scree then with crampons we crossed a small snowfield.

World Class approaching the Ledges Start

The route starts up class IV ledges that climb left past the backbone ridge and then back up to the right. Following the ramps up and back right to the ridge leads to a groove or dish that goes back left to an optional first pitch that goes at 5.2 . Alternately taking a more direct line up instead of right takes one directly to the base of what maybe pitch 0. At this point we soloed in approach shoes passing a ring slung tree then right to gain the ridge. This is where we roped up and started up on pitch 1.

Pitch 1 & 2 Including the Offwidth

Pitch 1 starts on moderate 5.5 climbing over blocks and around a bush to the base of pitch 2. This astonishing 2nd pitch starts out with hand size jamming but quickly goes to arm, leg, and then shoulder width. This climbed well with a left side in including side pulls on the right edge combined with stems and mantles on the right side face.

World Class Following Pitch 2; Yes That is a #6

Prior to this climb I read about the route including gear beta. Rest assured anyone on this pitch will be pleased to have a #5 and #6 C4. I bumped these pieces up for about 45 feet until I exited the off width to the left. Following this stunning off width crack we moved our belay left to start the 3rd pitch. On this pitch World Class started up the corner moving out left into low angle dirty cracks gaining a nice finger crack that would go at 5.7. Although just to the left of the belay were steeper cracks that lead more directly into pitch 4. World Class and I climbed the first four pitches in 2 pitch blocks so she continued up pitch 4. She left the belay to the right and up a short 12' hand crack to slabs and into a gradually widening hand to off width crack. Once gaining the offwidth portion World Class stepped down and left into a right facing dihedral with a finger crack in the corner and face edges to the right. Eventually she topped out to the left after 5.8 moves. After getting to the pitch 4 belay we realized that our pitch count was off thus leading us past an often climbed left facing dihedral. From the top of pitch 3 or what maybe referred to as pitch 4 one could "step down and left" to gain the crack system that leads to the left facing dihedral. Continuing up pitch 5 I followed a low angle hand crack up and left, out and around a corner, across a class III ledge and up to a comfortable shaded belay ledge. This is where a team could short pitch, simul, or solo however we continued to pitch out short 5.6 and 5.7 crux moves spaced with low fifth class terrain. We climbed a full 200' 6th pitch then simuled the 7th for another 200'. This lead us to a nice short 5.6 crack on the left side of the ridge. I placed pro for the 30' crack then ran out the remaining 150' for pitch 8. One more runout low fifth class 9th pitch took us to the base of the Fin Direct and lunch.

After a pleasant break soaking in the views from Mount Baker to Mount Rainier, World Class started up leading the 5.5 ridge and into easy ledges for a full rope length. After 200' of leading we finished the remaining 75' of 5.6 by simul-climbing creating what became known as "the longest pitch of the summer." Eventually we exited left up face moves to a comfortable ledge in the middle of the Fin Wall. This was our choice for pitch 10 instead of the chimney corner to our left. This corner  is often used as the lead in pitch to the comfortable ledge in the middle of the Fin Wall.

From this ledge I lead pitch 11 out left from the belay, into 5.7+ face moves, up to short parallel cracks that topped out on a smaller ledge. World Class followed then lead out left again for pitch 12. Thin 5.9 face moves lead into an open book with a crack in the back, climbing out left onto an arete, and up into a right facing dihedral with a combination of jamming and face moves for what we thought was the "short pitch" referred to in the route descriptions.

Two options exist from this belay. One is directly up into what apeared to be a 5.8 hand crack or traverse right across a ledge and into "twin cracks." I led the 13th pitch across the ledge, into the "twin cracks" (5.6)  reaching a dihedral where I built an uncomfortable hanging belay. In hindshight continuing up through the dihedral onto a broad ledge would have been a better option. World Class continued for the 14th pitch up the left facing dihedral with hand and foot jamming, across a broad ledge, then up and left through varied crack jamming and face moves to another "mid pitch" belay directly right and below the Fin. Next are nice 5.7 cracks that meander up, ending at a headwall, then climbing left into a variety of unprotected but short 5.9- face moves into the notch of the Fin for pitch 15.

From here a 16th pitch 4th class ledge leads to a notch on the right. The 17th pitch leads right across a class 3 ledge to join the top of the Serpetine Arete. These last two pitches could be soloed, simuled or short pitched. After coiling our rope and bagging the rack we scambled in approach shoes the last 100' to the summit of Dragontail.

Sunset on Dragontail

Finally we summited about 13 hours after leaving the Stuart Lake trailhead. Our casual pace eventually caused us to be slightly rushed thus leading to the aforementioned mid belays for pitches 13 and 14. After a short break at the summit we reconfigured our packs and started our descent. Once we reached the east side snowfield we put on crampons and descended to Mist Lake and Aasgard Pass. Then to a dusk colored Colchuck Lake down to Mountaineers Creek and back on headlamp lit paths to the trailhead. Roundtrip took me nearly 19 hours while World Class was patient and waited numerous times for me to catch up.

Mist Lake

This route is top notch with 17 pitches of climbing, unparalleled rock and pitch quality, in a wilderness setting, among a grand range of superb alpine rock there isn't better climbing for the grade. A fromidable approach with the possibility of frozen snow or ice and a staggering technical rock route this mountain is a delightful challenge. Considering ones own drive during a single day ascent or a multi day journey through one of Washingtons best alpine rock climbing destinations you will be challenged and you will be rewarded.