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| Messages 1 - 19 of total 19 in this topic |
schase1967
Mountain climber
Ohio
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 23, 2014 - 09:08pm PT
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I am looking for any route info at all for the East Buttress of Denali.
It seems like it has only been attempted a handful of times.
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rimeiceusa
climber
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Apr 25, 2014 - 08:21am PT
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Mugs was killed on the South Buttress. The Ramp has always been dangerous. A different route than the East Buttress, or East Face. Michael Covington, Fantasy Ridge, guided the S. Butress several times. Ya, East side of D is hard, dangerous & lonely. Killer views from the west Face of Dan Beard. Have Fun !
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schase1967
Mountain climber
Ohio
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 25, 2014 - 09:01am PT
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Thanks for the info.
I should have thought to call Paul. I am sure he's flown around it a few times.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 25, 2014 - 09:02am PT
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Man my brain is going to mush these days. Not sure how I got the E and S buttress mixed up. Sorry about that. AT least I was correct about Thayer Basin which always seemed an interesting spot.
But in anycase Paul at TAT is the go to guy for current conditions on less used routes. If he doesn't have the info he can often get it on one of his flights.
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Gooney
Trad climber
Longmont, CO
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Apr 25, 2014 - 09:58am PT
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Climbed it in 1981. Long and beautiful. Probably different now due to climate change. What do you want to know?
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Gagner
climber
Boulder
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Apr 25, 2014 - 03:14pm PT
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Bill Crouse and I did the third ascent of the Haston-Scott route on the South face in 1987. Our original plan was to descend the SE ridge to our skis, sled, and extra fuel. We spent I think 5 days on the route, and watched daily serac fall, as well as Big Bertha on the south face cut loose twice, cross the glacier and go partly up the SE ridge. Needless to say, we abandoned our skis (they were old beater skis anyway) and descended the West Butt instead. Always amazed me that Covington guided that thing as on top of the above, there are LOTs of slots that change direction where the glacier curves over to the base of the South Face.
Paul
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schase1967
Mountain climber
Ohio
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 25, 2014 - 04:43pm PT
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I thought the Haston-Scott route was to the south, not the east.
I'm looking for route info and hazards on the East Buttress.
I haven't found much info online.
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schase1967
Mountain climber
Ohio
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 25, 2014 - 04:59pm PT
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I'm looking at putting together a climb for 2015.
I want a route that's a little off the beaten path, committing, but no ridiculously technical.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:13pm PT
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Good luck! Love it when I hear about climbers who don't want to follow the herd. Probably won't see you at Serenity Crack anytime soon.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:17pm PT
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Hell you might be able to Poach the thing.. .. yeah..just hangin out here in the Ruth for a month... gunna climb a bit..
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schase1967
Mountain climber
Ohio
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 25, 2014 - 05:20pm PT
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The only good trip report I found online was
http://home.comcast.net/~gibell/trip_reports/punks.html
I am just looking to collect as much information as possible. I am not committed to the East Buttress, its just the first option I am exploring.
The crux of the East Buttress, from that trip report and the topo, appears to be the 50-60 degree snow/ice as it leave the Ruth glacier.
It seems to present a couple of logistical challenges.
1. Landing on the NW fork of the Ruth glacier
2. Retreat would seem to be difficult, from the topo the best way out is over to the WB route.
I am thinking of solo up to a 3 person team.
Thanks for your inputs.
Steve
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:26pm PT
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A traverse does seem like the best plan. WB works or you could go out the Muldrow. Seems you would have to take everything to at least around 19K perhaps the summit though either way. I'd be prepared for retreat down the route in anycase due to the possibility of plain getting stomped on by weather up high and not being able to get over the top before running out of supplies. Would recommend being comfortable with that contingency even if it is not your favorite way to go. Or some other alternative descent route if the summit gets locked out.
Thats a lot of crevasses to deal with for a solo. Even above Thayer looks like it could have some bad stuff for a soloist. No way in hell I'd want to do that.
You really should try to get a hold of Paul.
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donini
Trad climber
Ouray, Colorado
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:30pm PT
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It has been mentioned that Paul Roderick at TAT would be a good source of info.....likely, you will not have to go any further.
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MarkWestman
Trad climber
Talkeetna, Alaska
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:37pm PT
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Steve,
The northwest fork of the Ruth has not been suitable for glacier landings in about 20 years. I think 1994 was the last time a plane made it in there (I'm pretty sure it was Paul Roderick). The glacier is all wavy and broken up now. So you'd have to approach the route from the Mountain House- and getting up the northwest fork from the Sheldon Amp will be an endeavor, one that would not be advisable solo.
I assume you're referring to the 1963 East Buttress route, though there is also the unrepeated Catacomb Ridge which sticks to the true buttress. Apart from some major cornices it would appear in my opinion to be have generally less objective hazard than the 1963 route, which had a number of ascents in the 70's and 80's. The 1963 route and even the base area of it has a pretty major amount of objective hazard from serac fall. I am almost certain nobody has climbed the 63 route since the early 90's.
If you're looking for a really neat adventure, the south buttress 1954 route from the Mountain House or West Fork of the Ruth will deliver what you're looking for with far less objective hazards, and a 4 mile long ridge traverse from 13,000-15,000'. Like the east buttress, you'll have the option of traversing through Thayer Basin or finishing by the southeast spur 1962 finish, either of which has their own merits to recommend them.
Descending the west buttress via a carryover is pretty much mandatory if you go through Thayer and up onto the Harper/upper Muldrow, as it's much faster. If finishing by the SE Spur 1962 finish you would have to either carryover the summit, or, if you know what you're doing, going back down the South Buttress all the way to Kahiltna Base is doable and faster than one might think (I've done this twice), and you'd avoid the heinous danger of the formerly popular "Ramp" variation.
Check High Alaska by Waterman for more details, all of the above will become more clear.
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climbski2
Mountain climber
Anchorage AK, Reno NV
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Apr 25, 2014 - 05:40pm PT
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^^^
Well that nixes the poaching idea.. lol. Mark is a longtime Denali mountain ranger with the NPS and a truly accomplished Alaskan alpinist with vast experience on that mountain and others in the area. Whatever he says is solid info.
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Gooney
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Apr 25, 2014 - 06:06pm PT
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We approached from the Mountain House landing strip and carried loads up the Ruth to advance base at the start of the East Buttress. Descended the route (several raps) and skied back to the Mountain House. Five camps counting advance base.
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MarkWestman
Trad climber
Talkeetna, Alaska
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Apr 25, 2014 - 07:34pm PT
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Gooney,
In which year did you climb the east buttress?
Edit- I saw it above, 1981
Well done. Did you finish by Thayer/NE ridge or the SE spur? We did the Thayer ridge to finish the south buttress- breathtaking setting!
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Gooney
Trad climber
Boulder, CO
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Apr 26, 2014 - 12:04pm PT
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Thayer/NE Ridge. Agreed, a beautiful spot. Looking down several thousand feet at Huntingdon was special.
We picked primarily because it seemed doable and was off the beaten path. Crux was an ice headwall about 2/3 up from the Ruth and below the East Buttress crest at 14K or so. Undoubtedly changes from time to time.
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neverwas
Mountain climber
ak
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Apr 26, 2014 - 02:20pm PT
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The Alaskan Alpine Rescue Group (or whatever it was called... sorry Doug) dispatched a crew to search for John Waterman when he went missing, I guess in 1981. We landed out on the Ruth, maybe not far up the NW fork from the Mountain Hut cirque, and poked around a few approaches to the E Buttress, thinking that's maybe where he was headed. Didn't find anything, and figured he probably fell in a crevasse down on the glacier. But maybe he did get up there someplace, who knows?
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| Messages 1 - 19 of total 19 in this topic |
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