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GRJ
climber
Juneau AK
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Topic Author's Original Post - Apr 6, 2008 - 11:58pm PT
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This last March Sam Magro and I visited the Mendenhall Towers just outside Juneau Alaska to see if we couldn't dig up some fun mixed lines on the North Side of the massif. We flew in on the night of the 14th in clear weather......the next day it fell apart on us. Over the next week and a half we received over 20ft of new snow. We spend 7 days shoveling in 2-4 hour shifts to keep from being buried. Imagine the two guys in a leaky dingy bailing to stay afloat, yeah that was us. Finally, after one horrendous night, we dug a cave.
Then, after 5 days of cave dwelling, the storm broke. We had to spend the first day drying layers and letting the snow settle. The next we tried what we thought was an ice choked corner on the West Tower and got our asses handed to us. Then next day we tried again, cuz we're really smart like that, and got shut down by insanely difficult mixed climbing.
We had our bivy gear so at 11am we went exploring and hit the jackpot. Perfect neve ice and wonderful mixed climbing. 1500ft later we found a nice little alcove beneath an overhang and as it was beginning to get dark and the sky was red we figured why not get some sleep and climb in the light. We did just that and awoke to northern lights followed by another beautiful day of climbing on the upper headwall.
To get an idea of good the route was 14 pitches, the easiest "pitch" was AI3+, and the hardest AI4 M5. When the climbing got difficult the was gear there, then in between we found ourselves on bomber neve.
We summited at 6pm with a view 100 miles in every direction. We were able to run down the West Ridge with only one single rope rappel and made it back to camp by 8pm. We never even bothered getting out our headlamps, and the only gear we left on the route was a picket on the descent.
In the end we made the first ascent of the North Face of the West Tower "The Great White Conqeror" 800m V M5 AI4 A1
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marty(r)
climber
beneath the valley of ultravegans
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FANTASTIC!!!
Out of curiosity, is there any relation to the Mendenhalls of Eastern Sierra fame?
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climbrunride
Trad climber
Durango, CO
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Looks great. Way to go!
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Rhodo-Router
Gym climber
Otto, NC
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Awesome. If there is a god then 54 page-one political threads will immediately self-destruct out of pure shame.
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Standing Strong
Trad climber
the secret life of T*R
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grj where did you guys come from? balla damn.
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Crimpergirl
Social climber
On my way to Boulder
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Gorgeous photos! Thanks for sharing -
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survival
Big Wall climber
A Token of My Extreme
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That is freekin' awesome. Very spare trip report, but nice and concise. Leave it to the Alaskan spirit to help keep us all focused on the ball.
Hats off to you gentlemen.
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eeyonkee
Trad climber
Golden, CO
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That's one beautiful mountain. Congratulations!
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'Pass the Pitons' Pete
Big Wall climber
like Oakville, Ontario, Canada, eh?
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Great job, lads! Brrrr ... sure looks cold, though.
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simian
Gym climber
milan
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I love the way this was reported...I've spent some time on these towers (traversed, aid on the N face, frist free of the ears) and know how big and dark they can be, well done lads, not just the climb but also the very British reporting style!
Did you walk or fly?
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Chiloe
Trad climber
Lee, NH
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Now that looks like an adventure. Got more pictures?
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GRJ
climber
Juneau AK
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2008 - 03:02pm PT
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Lets see if I can answer a few questions. I am from Juneau and Sam is from Ohio, but we've both been staying MT for the last few years.
I don't know where Mendenhall was from but his name is everywhere. That's one of the main reasons we named our route "The Great White Conqueror."
We flew in with coastal helicopters. Knowing the kind of weather we might be dealing with we brought more food than anyone in their right mind would think to bring. We skied in a whiteout to Suicide Bowl and found that the glacier had opened up much more than expected so rather than spend 2 days hauling and navigating our way through we called for a pick-up.
The Mendenhall is in bad shape. I hadn't been on it in two years and the usual access via the West Glacier trail is getting kind of nasty. It was very sad to see, but maybe it will reveal some amazing rock in the few years.
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TheJman
Trad climber
Bozeman, MT
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Sam & Ryan.... Congrats guys... Everyone was pulling for you back in Bozeman.. Awesome work.. From Sam's TR, I heard there were also some brown little friends left behind on the route... Great work guys!
josh
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SteveW
Trad climber
State of confusion
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Great report--looks like a great route!
Did you mean the glacier's in bad shape due to
global climate change or did I just misunderstand?
(that happens occasionally). . .
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GRJ
climber
Juneau AK
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Topic Author's Reply - Apr 7, 2008 - 03:18pm PT
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Thanks Josh, and yes some brown friends did some low angle base jumping.
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Hamilton
Mountain climber
Bozeman, MT
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Awesome! Nice work guys - looks like a sweet route and great climbing. I'm jealous!
Sam - see you back in Bozeman!
Chris
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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I don't ice-climb but that's an awesome outing. Well done!.
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hosh
Trad climber
in the shadow of the mountains
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Apr 24, 2008 - 07:46pm PT
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GRJ, looks like you used your Taa-K-Oons on the ascent. True? As soon as my shoulder gets better, I'm going to try an OW I saw out there a few summers ago...
hosh.
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 24, 2008 - 07:57pm PT
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Thanks for bumping this thread Hosh!
It's a good one and I missed it while out of town.
Nice job bumping the Svenson thread too...
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hosh
Trad climber
in the shadow of the mountains
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Apr 24, 2008 - 08:04pm PT
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Just happened to be looking around for some Svenson art online and happened apon that thread, which led me here (the Mendenhall Towers connection). I'm really eager to get on the Towers next summer for some climbing. The storm crap that GRJ was talking about is not my cup of tea...
hosh.
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ground_up
Trad climber
mt. hood /baja
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Apr 24, 2008 - 09:09pm PT
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bump...for someone climbing something....nice
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Mtnmun
Trad climber
Top of the Mountain Mun
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Apr 24, 2008 - 09:19pm PT
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Nice work! Beautiful line, What does the grade Al4 mean? I am not familiar with that one.
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Double D
climber
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Apr 24, 2008 - 09:24pm PT
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Nice post GRJ...you gave a taste of AK that ended with a sweet line!
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Zander
Trad climber
Berkeley
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Apr 25, 2008 - 12:26am PT
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So Nice! Great job. Great pics.
Zader
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Tarbuster
climber
right here, right now
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Apr 25, 2008 - 11:25am PT
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Mtmun: AI4 = alpine ice 4
Not recalling too well how that relates to the Scottish grading system...
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piquaclimber
Trad climber
Durango
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Apr 25, 2008 - 11:32am PT
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Very proud adventure!
Great post. Thanks.
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nutjob
Stoked OW climber
San Jose, CA
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Apr 25, 2008 - 11:42am PT
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This kind of stuff is in such a different league than yosemite weekend warrior adventures. thou art manhood incarnate.
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handsome B
Gym climber
SL,UT
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Apr 25, 2008 - 11:55am PT
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thanks for the inspiring TR!
congrats on the new line
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MZiebell
Social climber
Prescott, AZ
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Apr 27, 2008 - 11:25pm PT
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Awesome TR BUMP!
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unnamable
climber
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Apr 29, 2008 - 01:37am PT
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Well done and thanks for the story.
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MisterE
Social climber
My Inner Nut
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Apr 29, 2008 - 09:50am PT
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Cool line. I always wanted to take a trip there when I lived in Juneau, but never made it.
Thanks for the TR
Erik
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climblight
Mountain climber
Northern NV
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Apr 29, 2008 - 12:25pm PT
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Very well done.
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| Messages 1 - 35 of total 35 in this topic |
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