Gannett Peak Eclipse

On August 21st, 2017 we departed camp at 1:30 AM. The climbers trail up Titcomb Basin is quite faint so we navigated due north by compass bearing for one mile before veering northeast and then back north by northwest for the ascent up to Bonnie Pass. Due to the number of climbers making their way to Gannett Peak for the eclipse, navigation in the dark proved easy once we got on the snow; there were headlamps ahead of us and we were able to follow a well trodden track. Ideal overnight temperatures gave us perfect snow conditions and I estimate the climb up Bonnie Pass topped out between 35 and 40 degrees. We made good progress and reached the top only a few minutes behind schedule at 4:15 AM.

The top of Bonnie pass was windy and snow free but after descending a couple hundred vertical feet we got back on snow for a quick descent and roped up as we transitioned onto the Dinwoody Glacier. Once again, navigation in the dark was simplified by headlamps in front of us. We traversed north across the glacier maintaining as much elevation as possible, and reached the rocky Gooseneck Ridge 30 minutes ahead of schedule at 6:30 AM. By this point the wind had calmed and the sun was peaking over Horse Ridge but scattered clouds persisted and and we stopped at some low rock shelters to eat and refill our water bottles.

We roped back up, stepped out onto the Gooseneck Glacier on the north side of Gooseneck Ridge, started hiking east sticking close to the rocks on climber’s left, and ascended a couple hundred vertical feet up a punchy little 40 to 45 degree snow slope. At the top of the snow slope we removed our crampons for four hundred vertical feet of third-class rock scrambling along the Gooseneck Ridge and then put them back on for another 200 vertical feet of low angle glacier travel to the base of bergschrund. Despite being late in the summer climbing season, the snow bridge across the bergschrund was in great shape thanks to greater than average snowpack during the 2016/17 winter season. According to the Great Outdoor Shop’s March 20, 2017 Trail & Snow Conditions Report, 2016/17 was Wyoming’s third wettest winter on record. After crossing the snow bridge we ascended the snow slope above the bergschrund for a couple hundred feet to the rocky ridge below the Gooseneck Pinnacle; the snow was in great condition and I estimate the slope angle topped out at about 45 to 50 degrees. Upon reaching the ridge we unroped, removed our crampons, and packed them in our backpacks for the remainder of the ascent. We did however keep ice axes in hand because the summit ridge presented a mix of rock and snow and a slip down Gannett's east face ends with a 400 foot fall to the Gooseneck Glacier below.

A few ominous clouds started popping up around the area causing concern that cloud cover might obscure the eclipse and prompting some climbers to begin their descent. My biggest concern turned to the large number of people on the summit and the potential for accidents on the way down; additionally, a large crowd above the bergschrund could be bad if the weather started to turn. But by 10:35 AM as we reached the highest summit along the path of totality, the skies were clearing, and we were greeted by approximately 40 other climbers, including a group of veterans with No Barriers, all eagerly awaiting the eclipse.

The moon started slowly making its way across the disc of the sun and as totality approached Gannett Peak the lunar shadow blotted out the forest and lesser peaks below as it advanced across the landscape. And then to our unexpected delight the Grand Tetons suddenly appeared silhouetted black against the horizon as if the sun were rising in the west! Moments later the last bright flash of sunlight vanished and the sun’s corona was visible to the naked eye hanging in the indigo sky like a brilliant celestial wreath accompanied by the planet Venus. After 2 minutes and 22 seconds there was another bright flash of light as the sun reappeared. Venus faded, the landscape brightened, and it was over as quickly as it started. Almost immediately if felt like a dream.

A few minutes before noon we started gathering our things and preparing for the hike back down the mountain. After descending the summit ridge we found a short wait at the top of the snow slope above the bergschrund. There was a large group descending fixed lines anchored to the rock along the north side of the snow slope and several unroped individuals descending the middle of the snow slope. The surface snow was starting to soften so we decided to rope-up and drop in a few snow pickets on the way down for running protection. The probability of a fall was low but exposure duration was moderate and the consequences of falling into the bergschrund would be quite high.

As we waited our turn a large rock about four feet long, three feet wide, and eighteen inches thick slid off a sloped ledge on the north side of the snow field; dropped a couple feet to the snow; and slowly started accelerating down the slope. Two people tried without success to stop the rock before a third person who was attached to one of the fixed lines jumped in front of it, managed to bring it to a stop, and used his ice axe to pile snow in front of the rock to prevent it from sliding further.  Jumping in front of the rock was a risky move as the fixed line visibly stretched under the force but if the rock had continued down to the snow bridge anybody in its path could have been killed.

After the excitement of the rock people continued making their way down the snow slope but there was a climber in front of us who was visibly nervous about descending unprotected. Our second rope team had room for an additional person so we invited her to join us and she happily accepted. To avoid any additional rocks that might come loose we stayed south of the fall line and I started feeling more confident after placing the first snow picket because it took five hard blows from the head of my ice axe to drive it into position. We crossed the snowbridge, descended the Gooseneck Glacier, and made our way back down the rocky Gooseneck Ridge without any additional excitement.

We reached the bottom of the Gooseneck Ridge about an hour behind schedule at 3:30 PM so we put our heads down, marched across the Dinwoody Glacier, and tried to make up as much time as possible. We arrived at Bonnie Pass only about ten minutes behind schedule at 5:40 PM. By this point we had been on our feet for sixteen hours, everyone was tired, and Bobs Towers were casting shadows across the snow route back down into Titcomb Basin. To avoid a fall on the home stretch due to fatigue, we decided to err on the side of caution and rope-up one last time. And as the slope relented if felt good to remove our crampons for the last time. My biggest scheduling error was in estimating that it would only take an hour to hike from the top of Bonnie Pass back to camp and in reality it took about two and a half hours.

We arrived back at camp at 8:00 PM after eighteen and a half hours on our feet and I was happy to learn Brad had a good day despite his boot malfunction. He hiked to Summer Ice Lake and then scrambled another 1,000 vertical feet to watch the eclipse high atop The Buttress. He then filtered water and prepped our stoves so all we had to do upon returning to camp was kick off our boots and stuff hot food in our faces. As twilight faded to night we could see headlamps still making their way down Bonnie Pass and assumed they must be the last climbers to clear the bottleneck above the bergschrund. With so many people on the mountain everyone was lucky to have ideal weather.

This trip report is limited to summit day only; the full report including the hike from and back to Elkhart Park Trailhead can be found at http://www.mountainsolitaire.com/home/gannett-peak-eclipse