Mt Jefferson - Jefferson Park Glacier Route 8/10/2008
Trip: Mt Jefferson - Jefferson Park Glacier Route
Date: 8/03/2008
Trip Report:OK jfreeburg Here ya go from Paul something or other
A long awaited trip to Mt Jefferson finally falls into place, partner gets sick at the bivy site so is not heading up, bummer! I decide to go solo due to another group of 3 heading up the glacier 2 from Seattle and 1 from Corvallis I will soon get to know as Mike, Jim and Dave (Hope memory serves). Anyway perfect snow conditions and no wind set up for a great day of climbing!!
Crevasses seem to be mostly exposed so travel was good on the glacier.
The first schrund was easily skirted around the left or as I found a step across about 3-4ft of void and ice climb out about 8ft finding solid tool placements got the blood flowing thats for sure.
The second schrund was a different matter in that the left was all the way over to a rock face so off to the right the group ahead of me headed to find about a 6ft wide snow patch at about 60-65 degrees. Unfortunately this gets the sun first thing on the Jefferson Park Glacier route so the snow was somewhat soft in most places with some nice rock hand holds along the way. A tool and alpine axe worked good here for myself.
Gaining the Col between Mohler Tooth and Smith rock we got the trade from soft snow to loose rock. From here there is a knife edge ridge leads you over to join the North ridge route. Although very exposed on both sides this class 5 climbing has great hand holds and mostly good rock in comparison to the Pinnacle. Once on the North Ridge its an easy walk over to the base of the Pinnacle.
At the base of the Pinnacle you have a choice to go straight up or as the guide books say traverse right about 50 yards. The other group headed up and I traversed after putting my crampons back on. In the end it would have been easier to go up without the traverse. On the summit we traded pictures and yes Jim left his camera he announced later in the parking lot, none of us was willing to go back for it as returning via the white water glacier was a long way and now the 4 of us have seen every side of Jefferson getting back to camp.
3 raps off the West face of the Pinnacle (had to cut my rope due to a snag and not worth risking your hind end) put us back to the traverse over to the Red Saddle and on our merry (looooonnnng) way back to camp and then out to the rigs where these nice gents treated us to a beer where my bud was waiting for me.
Am having some trouble adding pics so here is a link (I think) to mine on Flikr, sorry guys but I didn't get many of ya'll but have not uploaded all of them yet.
http://www.flickr.com/photos/29389759@N02/Cheers ya'll and on to another adventure!!
Pwelco
Gear Notes:Rope for rap, one nut (left) for a short rap, 2 ice tools and an alpine axe (could have used only one tool but would have had to climb around the first schrund)
Approach Notes:Some snow on the PCT led to some wandering around looking for the trail but pretty easy to follow yet
