Hi,
Nice page! I think you could make it a bit better with some changes to the first paragraph. The page says "The Middle Palisades Glacier lies on this side, an immense span of snow and ice that is split in two by a morraine attached to the Northeast Face." I'm not positive, but I think the glacier to the NW of the moraine is actually a separate glacier, known as Clyde glacier. Also, I think there's a typo in "morraine".
More importantly, I'm not sure the "except the NE Face" from the following sentence is always true: "All routes on this side except the Northeast Face will require crossing the glacier which can be difficult in summers following dry winters."
I was on the NE Face route in Aug '07 (following a dry winter), and it required about 100' of glacier crossing, which would have been difficult to avoid if you wanted to gain the 3rd class ramp. We managed to make it across without ice axe or crampons, but if it's really icy, this might not be possible.
So, even for the NE Face, climbers should at least consider bringing crampons and/or ice axe.
The Norman Clyde Glacier is indeed a separate glacier, but it is much further west, separated from the Middle Pal Glacier by the North Ridge of Norman Clyde Peak. See this photo for an example.
It is also possible to climb the NE Face without crossing the glacier by other means than the ramp. But you are correct that the ramp in the easiest and most common means, so I should comment on that.
And apparently I never learned how to spell "moraine." Thanks for pointing that out - I'll have to correct it in quite a few places! :-)
Ahh, you're 100% correct about the glacier names. Thanks for keeping the page up-to-date!
I saw a climber come up the north side of the Middle Pal glacier and scramble into the chute without any problem (I didn't see his exact line), but he went from glacier to summit in about 20 minutes, so his mountain experience doesn't apply to most of us. But I think you're right: avoiding the glacier probably isn't very difficult, even for the average climber.
As the Middle Palisade Glacier has receded over the past decade, Secor's NE Face route has become more difficult except in early season. I climbed it in early August this year. The class 2 ledge is now left hanging above the glacier's edge and requires some very unnerving, loose class 3-4 scrambling to reach it. The safer route is to follow the snow-free red/white rock to the main chute right of the moraine. This seems to have now become the standard route followed by most parties.
lavaka - Aug 28, 2007 4:16 pm - Hasn't voted
glacier crossingHi,
Nice page! I think you could make it a bit better with some changes to the first paragraph. The page says "The Middle Palisades Glacier lies on this side, an immense span of snow and ice that is split in two by a morraine attached to the Northeast Face." I'm not positive, but I think the glacier to the NW of the moraine is actually a separate glacier, known as Clyde glacier. Also, I think there's a typo in "morraine".
More importantly, I'm not sure the "except the NE Face" from the following sentence is always true: "All routes on this side except the Northeast Face will require crossing the glacier which can be difficult in summers following dry winters."
I was on the NE Face route in Aug '07 (following a dry winter), and it required about 100' of glacier crossing, which would have been difficult to avoid if you wanted to gain the 3rd class ramp. We managed to make it across without ice axe or crampons, but if it's really icy, this might not be possible.
So, even for the NE Face, climbers should at least consider bringing crampons and/or ice axe.
Bob Burd - Aug 28, 2007 6:45 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: glacier crossingThe Norman Clyde Glacier is indeed a separate glacier, but it is much further west, separated from the Middle Pal Glacier by the North Ridge of Norman Clyde Peak. See this photo for an example.
It is also possible to climb the NE Face without crossing the glacier by other means than the ramp. But you are correct that the ramp in the easiest and most common means, so I should comment on that.
And apparently I never learned how to spell "moraine." Thanks for pointing that out - I'll have to correct it in quite a few places! :-)
thanks,
bob
lavaka - Aug 31, 2007 5:51 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: glacier crossingAhh, you're 100% correct about the glacier names. Thanks for keeping the page up-to-date!
I saw a climber come up the north side of the Middle Pal glacier and scramble into the chute without any problem (I didn't see his exact line), but he went from glacier to summit in about 20 minutes, so his mountain experience doesn't apply to most of us. But I think you're right: avoiding the glacier probably isn't very difficult, even for the average climber.
Bob Burd - Sep 21, 2020 10:37 am - Hasn't voted
2020 updateAs the Middle Palisade Glacier has receded over the past decade, Secor's NE Face route has become more difficult except in early season. I climbed it in early August this year. The class 2 ledge is now left hanging above the glacier's edge and requires some very unnerving, loose class 3-4 scrambling to reach it. The safer route is to follow the snow-free red/white rock to the main chute right of the moraine. This seems to have now become the standard route followed by most parties.