North Chute of San Gorgonio: Doable if you are nuts

[Sally]

After a docile snowshoe trip up Charlton Peak, and scoping the situation of the North Chutes of San Gorgonio, and being encouraged by reports of friends that the chutes were doable, Ellen, Marilyn, and I gathered ALL our gear (Microspikes, snowshoes, crampons, ice ax) and headed up from the South Fork trailhead. The going to South Fork Meadows was snow-free for the most part. After crossing the streams we travelled in Microspikes up the partially snow-covered route to the staging area for the Chutes.

We found a broad log at the bottom of the chute where we could strap on our crampons. It's easier to get them on before you need them than to wait until you are already on a steep incline. We went up a way, and then traded our trekking poles for ice ax.

Things went easily for a while. The slope was covered with a soft crust that we would sometimes shallowly punch through. We were heading up the center of the chute, angling towards the right because we have learned from past trips that sometimes it is safer to bail out on the ridge as we near the top.

With 500 feet or so to go it was getting increasingly steeper and the crust became "firmer" (I think what I'm really saying is that it got icy.) We were determined to get up on the ridge to the right, and between the 3 of us we used just about every technique in the book to keep ourselves firmly attached to the hillside. I felt in control at all times, but it was very fatiguing to slam the ice ax and crampons into the crust. So I took frequent "breathers" and maintained my confidence by keeping fatigue at bay.

Finally we made it to the shoulder that leads to the San Gorgonio ridge, and, much to our dismay, instead of being a safety zone, it wasn't much better than the chute. It did, however have some trees that made some leveler areas where we could stop and rest. From here the top of the ridge looked really close, but it took a little longer to reach it than I was anticipating.

Once on the San G ridge we gave some "woo hoos" and made our way to the Peak. After a lengthy lunch, we reluctantly headed back down. It was a little unnerving in places, but without the fatigue factor I felt much safer.

Usually we dread the "boring" long walk down the trail to the car, but this time we appreciated it. I did, however, at one point joke with Marilyn that I would just sit in the dirt road that crosses the trail after Poopout Hill and wait for her to bring the car up.

We finished in the dark at 7:30, 13 hours after we started. We drove to Forest Falls for Mexican, but they had just closed. Better yet, we went to the barbeque place in Mentone where I enjoyed the best hamburger I have ever eaten.

Ellen, Marilyn, and I have agreed to hang up the crampons for the season. I would suggest that anyone feeling the need to do this route may want to hold off, especially if we get a little snow this week. I would imagine a thin layer of snow on that ice would make for even worse than the conditions we had.

Thanks, ladies for sharing this extraordinary experience with me, and thanks for the hamburger, Ellen, and the ride to the trailhead, Marilyn!

pics:
https://picasaweb.google.com/1009477359 ... directlink

[Robert Hunt]

You ladies never cease to amaze me! I have tried to explain you & your exploits to others and just can't find the words for it. "So these women go on these long, arduous hikes & capture great photos" just doesn't do it. I eagerly await more tales of exploration.
-Robert

[Sally]

I think we amazed ourselves on this one, Robert!

Let's see if I can post some movies:

https://picasaweb.google.com/1009477359 ... directlink

Disclaimer: In the third clip there is one little stray "S word" that slipped out.

[KathyW]

You gals are amazing. That ice does keep you on your toes, or I guess I should say your points. It often gets real icy up near the top of San G. Kicking those steps into the ice does get exhausting - especially when there isn't a place where you can kick in a good safe platform and take a real break.

[zippetydude]

Nicely done, it's murder in those conditions, especially because the whole time you're aware that one slip can be very hard to arrest...

Someone on the San G board just posted this: The last 200 feet has turned into almost a no fall zone with 1500 feet of unbreakable crust to the bottom of the bowl.

Glad you made it safely. If we don't get any snow, maybe you can just run back up in the steps you made going up this time!

z

[Ellen]

Howdy All

Thanks for the kind words everyone

To put the day into perspective -- you've heard the expression about "I'd rather have a tooth pulled than..." Well, today I had a molar extracted (I fractured the tooth before this climb) and I can honestly say that I preferred the extraction to the top section of the north chute and ridge.

Friends had gone up a week before us and wrote, "Very, very icy on the way down, couldn't glissade on the way down, very tough down climb!" When they went, it was very cold and windy. I thought that with warmer temperatures and time, the ice would have softened up. Wrong.

The change from snow to ice happened abruptly. I hunkered down and traversed uphill with both feet turned out to maximize the contact of the crampon points with the ice. Also started swinging the pic of the ice axe into the ice. The tip of the pic barely went in and occasionally bounced off

I had to the use the same technique on the top section of the down climb. Picture me backing down the hill butt first and looking at Sally and Marilyn upside down through my legs. Sheesh They really helped me get through a bad patch on that descent and I'm very grateful.

Let's just say I'm looking forward to hiking Skyline tomorrow with Super Sally and Miracle Marilyn

Miles of smiles,
Ellen

[Ken]

Disclaimer: In the third clip there is one little stray "S word" that slipped out.

Actually, more than that, if one speaks French!

[Sally]

Ken, oh my, what did Ellen say? She is just learning French as we are going to Alps to hike this summer. (Ellen, did you learn that on Rosetta Stone?)