For those looking for more technical climbing on this route, it's possible to climb the large buttress below the start of the ridge. In winter conditions (we did it January 4), this provides easy mixed climbing on good rock, snow, and frozen turf. We started at 11,400 feet by the moraine-like feature just south of Reynolds Lake, and climbed three long pitches angling left to join the regular route just where the ridge steepens and the first scrambling is encountered. Each pitch had cruxes a bit harder than the 5.2 step on the regular route.
Dougald5 - Jan 5, 2009 11:26 am - Hasn't voted
East Ridge Direct DirectFor those looking for more technical climbing on this route, it's possible to climb the large buttress below the start of the ridge. In winter conditions (we did it January 4), this provides easy mixed climbing on good rock, snow, and frozen turf. We started at 11,400 feet by the moraine-like feature just south of Reynolds Lake, and climbed three long pitches angling left to join the regular route just where the ridge steepens and the first scrambling is encountered. Each pitch had cruxes a bit harder than the 5.2 step on the regular route.