Check out the video of our climb: Rowan Trollope, Collin Davis and Beamer Hodge climb the U-notch
We made it to ~13,400 feet, about halfway up the U-notch couloir. After our fourth pitch of climbing, we had gotten past the crux of the climb and all of the somewhat difficult ice climbing, but heard the sounds of water rushing underneath the ice and a deep ominous crack from the ice. We decided to turn around, a decision made easier by the fact that we were quite tired.
Day 1 – 4am on Friday morning we met at our house and started our drive. By noon we got started on the approach hike at 7,900ft. Our first night was spent at ~10,000 ft at the scenic second lake above Glacier lodge.
Day 2 – 8am on Saturday morning we start up to our high camp at the base of the Glacier. We arrive in the mid morning and setup camp. ~12,000 ft. After lunch we ascend the glacier to the base of the couloir at ~13,000 ft. We cross numerous small crevasses, but nothing big enough to fall in.
Day 3 – 12am on Sunday morning (Saturday night). We start in darkness. It occurs to me that its 25 degrees in the middle of August in California. Strange. By 2am I lead out the first pitch crossing the Bergschrund on the small remaining snow bridge on the right. Half-way up I find an old fixed line left by a previous party, and clip to it to protect myself from a fall. Easy ice climbing follows where I place a single ice-screen and some rock pro.
Beamer leads out the next two pitches, which are mostly ice climbing on the hard, exposed blue ice. Beamer is a strong climber and that was his first true ice-climbing experience. Yay Beamer! By 6am we hear the aforementioned water and cracking and all decide it would be safer to turn around. A few rappels later we’re heading back to our high camp to get out of dodge.
After a LONG descent (it was 12 miles back to the car and maybe 4 hours of hiking), we arrive back at the trailhead, hungry and tired but really happy!
Congratulations to my partners Collin and Beamer who are totally rad newly minted alpine climbers!
The overall route we plan to take
The summit was very windy, so we dug a small hole in the snow to sit inside so we could eat our lunch with some protection.
We glissaded (slid down on our butts), almost the entire way from the summit back to the Sierra Hut. At 8 miles roundtrip with nearly 4,000 feet of elevation gain, it is a great day trip.
Our climb started Saturday at noon. In addition to cold-weather climbing gear, a stove to melt snow, zero degree sleeping bags and a tent, our packs were laden with all the technical climbing gear needed to climb steep snow and ice climbs, including a thin 8.9mm 60 meter rope, a small rock rack, two ice screws and two pickets. Our packs were thus considerably heavier than the few other climbers we saw climbing the normal Avalanche gulch route, which is mostly a steep hike.
By mid afternoon, we reached the Green Butte ridge at around 9,000ft, and set up our camp for the night. A few hours were spent enjoying the scenery while Lauren practiced some of the technical skills involved in steep snow/ice climbing, including rope management, use of an ice-axe and self-arrest. After a hearty dinner, we turned in at 7pm, exhausted from the altitude and the approach.
Roping up and putting our crampons on, we made short work of the first pitch, where I belayed Lauren up to a small rock, smack dab in the middle of the snow field. Next, we traversed over to the left side to an overhanging rock outcropping, which would keep us safe from any possible rock fall. Two more pitches of steeper snow led to the airy and exposed ridge.
We had lunch sitting directly on the top of the ridge, a 2 foot wide section with incredible views. It was noon. After a few bites of my sandwich, we both heard a rumbling, then looked down to see a few rocks whizzing down the right side of the field. The sun was heating up the rocks, melting the snow and ice cementing them to the ridge, freeing them to fall to gravity’s will.