I'm quite puzzled by your description of a leap-across... I don't remember anything similar on the Contact Crack route last year. There was one slightly exposed traverse to gain the final summit ridge, but it was really easy. Anyway, if I recall correctly, we gained the ridge to the left of the gendarmes shown in your pictures. We basically got to the base of the crack described in physics' picture -- but then just gained the ridge via the traverse rather than follow his recommendation, as shown in this diagram.
Matthew,
We approaced the summit from the right (as opposed to your approach from the left)as shown in my pictures. I'll ask a couple of the participants in my group who are much more knowledgeable about the specific route that we took to end up at that gap. As I mentioned, when we got to that point we exhausted every effort to find another way to the summit but that big step across was the only game in town.
Matthew Holliman - May 6, 2006 1:45 pm - Hasn't voted
WeirdI'm quite puzzled by your description of a leap-across... I don't remember anything similar on the Contact Crack route last year. There was one slightly exposed traverse to gain the final summit ridge, but it was really easy. Anyway, if I recall correctly, we gained the ridge to the left of the gendarmes shown in your pictures. We basically got to the base of the crack described in physics' picture -- but then just gained the ridge via the traverse rather than follow his recommendation, as shown in this diagram.
Augie Medina - May 7, 2006 7:05 pm - Hasn't voted
Re: WeirdMatthew,
We approaced the summit from the right (as opposed to your approach from the left)as shown in my pictures. I'll ask a couple of the participants in my group who are much more knowledgeable about the specific route that we took to end up at that gap. As I mentioned, when we got to that point we exhausted every effort to find another way to the summit but that big step across was the only game in town.
Augie Medina