North Face

[tramtim]

I was going over some old e-mails and found this article that a friend had sent me about our North Face and thought I would share it.

http://www.palmspringslife.com/Palm-Spr ... mp-Beyond/

[wb]

Wow, good article on the north face. It gives me a new appreciation for the nut-cases on this list who have actually tackled this monster. Thanks Tramtim.

[Cy Kaicener]

Jim Bakos posted it a couple of years ago. Here is the thread
http://www.mtsanjacinto.info/viewtopic. ... 234f351f44

[bluerail]

fern and I have done 22 trips in three years. I am bragging. some of them have been as hard as anything ive ever done.

[Feeel]

Do any experienced hands ever organize trips, taking nubs along? I have been eying Snow Creek ever since I first read about it on these boards over two years ago.

Respectfully asking board members to spare me dire warnings; I am aware of the difficulty and risk.

[TacoDelRio]

Depends on what your definition of a noob is. If you've done some long tough days doing similar routes, I would say it would be OK.

[Feeel]

I have had some long (16+ hours), tough, fun alpine climbs in mixed conditions. Avalanche Gulch on Mt. Shasta in a day, Whitney via Mountaineer's, winter ascents of San Antonio (Register Ridge), Gorgonio (Vivian Creek), Jacinto (Marion Mountain), and Lassen (from the southern chalet).

None of these quite match Snow Creek, but that's the point, right? There's nothing else like it in the lower 48.

[wb]

fern and I have done 22 trips in three years. I am bragging. some of them have been as hard as anything ive ever done.

Extremely impressive, mind-boggling resume, bluerail. My hat is off to you, truly. How would you compare and contrast C2C with the North Face? What unique challanges does the NF offer that has prompted you to make this climb 22 times and counting?

[TacoDelRio]

I think this would be a good workup:
Baldy in winter
-Hike up Ski Hut
-Ascend the Bowl via Dosties Dare, or Taco Sauce (if cold enough)
-Hike to summit
-Descend N Ridge of Baldy (not N backbone, but the ridge dropping off just west of the summit down the north face
-Ascend north face of West Baldy via Commando Couloir
Hike out.

That's close to Snow Creek in overall difficulty and commitment. Must be done when avy danger is probably minimal, though that's gauged when you've got boots on the ground.

More fun than SC sometimes too.

[bluerail]

wb, actually it has becme one of my favorite places, with or without snow. theres a peace and a beauty i get nowhere else, i feel very at home there.

as for a comparison to c2c....i dont really see much of one. maybe what Ryans talkin about yes....doing a c2c2c...maybe a good comparison too in terms of energy expended. but doing snowcreek and stuff like Ryan is talking about throws in that extra aspect of conditions.....thats where things can really change. postholing up 3000' after youre already tired is just complete misery.....or screwed up ice or whatever else there can be....doing a c2c2c or whatever, you can always easily devert. that nf of baldy or sj...they can be mean.