jasonwx
Well-known member
- Joined
- Jul 22, 2020
After a half day of training at Camp Muir, we hike to the Ingraham Flats. Ingraham is at 11000 ft. But to get there you need to hike over Cathedral Gap. A 1000 vertical climb of loose rock. In crampons and full 40# pack.
On to Cathedral
It's about a 1.5 hr hike
Once at Ingraham we just rest for the afternoon. Knowing that we have to be in bed at 5:30, because we start the summit climb at 11:30 at night.
The crux of the climb is climbing over Disappointment Cleaver. It's a 1400 vt climb. Mixed snow and rock. Steep and a exposed as hell..All done at midnight. But to get to the cleaver you have to cross crevasses, either long step or by ladders ala Everest. This is were it got interesting. It was gusting to 50. I had a guide and another climber on my rope. My pack was acting like a freaken sail. I was getting pulled off the mountain. A few times a well place ice axe was all that held me. I'm not exaggerating. I was scared shitless.
After 2 hrs of climbing we made it to the top of the Cleaver. At around 12500ft. At this point 4 of us said no mas. The thought of climbing another 3 hrs in those conditions didn't appeal to me.
Down I went. I returned to my tent a 4:30am..The 4 climbers that made it to the top, came down saying I made the right decision..
This was an indescribable experience...
That's me in the middle descending from the flats
notice the large pack
The end!!!!
On to Cathedral
It's about a 1.5 hr hike
Once at Ingraham we just rest for the afternoon. Knowing that we have to be in bed at 5:30, because we start the summit climb at 11:30 at night.
The crux of the climb is climbing over Disappointment Cleaver. It's a 1400 vt climb. Mixed snow and rock. Steep and a exposed as hell..All done at midnight. But to get to the cleaver you have to cross crevasses, either long step or by ladders ala Everest. This is were it got interesting. It was gusting to 50. I had a guide and another climber on my rope. My pack was acting like a freaken sail. I was getting pulled off the mountain. A few times a well place ice axe was all that held me. I'm not exaggerating. I was scared shitless.
After 2 hrs of climbing we made it to the top of the Cleaver. At around 12500ft. At this point 4 of us said no mas. The thought of climbing another 3 hrs in those conditions didn't appeal to me.
Down I went. I returned to my tent a 4:30am..The 4 climbers that made it to the top, came down saying I made the right decision..
This was an indescribable experience...
That's me in the middle descending from the flats
notice the large pack
The end!!!!
