North Face

Page Type Page Type: Route
Location Lat/Lon: 44.16640°N / 121.7714°W
Additional Information Route Type: Basic Snow++
Additional Information Time Required: Most of a day
Additional Information Difficulty: AI3
Sign the Climber's Log

Approach


Mostly off-trail. A topo and compass or GPS is a must.
From the Pole Creek Trailhead head up the Pole Creek Trail for 1.4 mi. to its junction with the Green Lakes Trail. At roughly this point (check your topo), you head more or less west, gunning for the north side of the mountain. You are moving through trees and rolling terrain, so keep up on the orienteering!
When you arrive at the north side, you will see several routes. "Early morning couloir" goes up the left side of the north face; what you're shooting for is the main snowfield right up the middle/right of the face. Camp at the base and get started early in the morning.

Route Description


Description is for a spring/winter climb. I would avoid it in summer!)
Head straight up the north face snowfield. This is standard french-technique crampon work --- about 30 degrees or so. When you top out, follow the ridge southward, traversing under the false (red) summit to the west. At the first opportunity, angle left (20 ft of steep neve or water ice) into the notch between the north (false) summit and the next (also false) summit. Traverse southward on the east side --- you can now see the main summit right ahead. Belay in the huge gutter and climb easy (5.5) rock up to the summit. There isn't any solid pro; in case you fall, plan to push off big and slide down east face till the rope catches you. Don't fall.

Descent is up to you: reverse your ascent route (bad downclimbing on the rotten rock), or try the "standard" descent down the bowling alley (west side).

Essential Gear


Helmet and Ice Ax. A rope and lost arrow or two (although placements are near impossible to find) are good, along with some long slings for boulders, etc.
Do not rope up while climbing the snow field unless you are running belays!

Miscellaneous Info


If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.
Parents 

Parents

Parents refers to a larger category under which an object falls. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports.