Lone Peak Winter Climb, Utah 11/01/2009 Big Willow, Little Willow

Summit Picture

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Lone Peak Winter Climb Pics.



Total miles, 11.6 miles.  Total climbing time, 11.5 hours.  Car to car.   
I park at Hidden Valley Park, south of the LDS Church.  Roughly 2800 Wasatch Boulevard.  Take that trail up Southeast on the tar path then to the left towards Big Willow.  You will see a great well traveled trail up towards the river bottom north east.  Pass the gate and keep going for a few hundred feet.  There is a sign at about 5400 feet, take that trail to the right. (there is a new sign there the only sign for a trail to your climbers right)  Head up this trail to the right.  Take this up the steep mountain face which zig zags, all on the steep West Face.  You will be climbing the ridge between Big Willow Canyon (north) and Little Willow Canyon (South).  You will eventually head east, and get to a sign about Avalanche Danger.  This usually takes me an hour hiking fast.  Sorry no pictures, too early on the way up, and too tired on the way down. 

The trail then heads north across the ridge between these two canyons.  Stay on that trail.  Then you have to make your decision once on the ridge that splits these two canyons.  Its obvious.  There is a trail to your left, northeast, or a trail up the ridge.  Depending on your route, conditions, you have to decide.  To the left (northeast down the most traveled path) is the way I usually go up.  This trail up Big Willow is often marked by a red marker someone hammered into the trees.  It takes you to the field and eventually a boulder field at 9800 feet.

I climb to the right/left of the rock outcrop depending on conditions.  It has taken me 2 hours plus to move up this 800 foot climb....

I will say this.  And it only applies to winter.  The going up to Lone Peak this way in summer/winter makes sense.  But there is a North Facing snow field at 9800 feet you must climb. (It starts at 9843 feet ends at 10,663 feet) It is roughly about an 800 vertical foot climb, facing North.  I have climbed this many times in the winter.  (Never done this in the summer but I imagine it is fine) Every time other than once, the snow and conditions have been horrible.  Prepare for snow up to your waist every time.  It never freezes.  It starts at 0 degrees, then goes to sometimes 70 degrees.  So at that angle it is prone to avalanche.  I have seen many down below, and missed a few here.  I have climbed this towards a rock out cropping, left or right, and for the most part its been safe.

When you get to the top, it gains the ridge before heading southeast towards the summit climb to Lone Peak.  This hill is a little steep.  Stay with the ridge.  That leads you to the summit.  There is about 200 feet of south climbing to get to the true summit.  In the summer its tough and dangerous.  In the winter its worse.  Make sure you have a belaying partner, or don't do it, its not worth it.  I have done it alone and wont again.

Summit Ridge. 

I have been going down Little Willow.  Hard to explain, and can be easy or dangerous.  I need to speak to you to explain.  I have all the GPS coordinates to show my trail and would gladly send them to you.....

Boulder fields without enough snow, but just enough are dangerous.

Boulder fields.  Avoid with weak snow cover.

Pics of my climb.  I will help with coordinates, just let me know...

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Happy Climbing!!

Red Pine Lake Frozen

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=R4_GAQetWd0

Clothing Ideas, Gear ideas and what works for me.

Some thoughts on Gear.  I, like most climbers, am a gear junky.  You can never have enough.  However  I don't have unlimited funds to buy the newest best thing every time it comes out.  But I have learned what works for me.  These clothes always refer to winter mountaineering only.  Not summer.  And always wear polyester.  Remember, cotton kills...

Regarding winter clothing here is what I wear:
Boots - Leather/Synthetic/Plastic blended boot made by Vasque.  Plenty warm for the lower 48 and good enough for Rainier a few times.
Socks- I wear one pair of thick wool socks.  I have tried 2 pair, or even a very thin liner to help with friction, blisters, and warmth.  I have found the best thing for me is one pair only.  Gives me room to move my feet and they are not too tight.  Circulation is important to keep your toes warm. 
Gaiters-Outdoor Research Expedition Crocodile Gaiter.
Pants-I wear a Schoeller soft shell pant made by Cloudveil.  They stretch well, are relatively light, warm, and water repellent.  Fine in the snow and cold.  Not waterproof but I don't climb in the rain.  I will bring a light pair of Marmot full side zip pants if rain is in the forecast.  Underneath I wear a Mountain Hardwear N2S windproof tight.  Light and thin but effective.  My legs never get cold.
Mid section-I wear a Golite (windproof) N2S shirt.  It never comes off, and if I am always moving it might be the only thing I wear.  I also wear an EMS 100 weight polartec fleece vest, and sometimes sweater.
Jackets-I love my jackets the most.  I wear a Mammut Extreme Softshell Jacket.  It has 2 pockets, 2 arm pockets, pit zips, and a two way zipper.  It has everything I need plus.  Most importantly it is windproof, and has a hood.  The hood can get in the way of my pack, and is sometimes annoying.  But the warmth it provides when it is cold is worth the battle.  I also wear a Mammut Hardshell when the going gets tough.  I wore it on Rainer last year, but it usually stays in my pack.  It weighs almost nothing but has all the things a $400 dollar jacket should have.  I also carry most of the time my down jacket.  I have a 750 down fill jacket from EMS.  Incredibly, down is so warm, in the winter I never leave my less than 1lb. pound jacket behind.  If you climb in the winter, you must have a down jacket.  But if it gets wet, its useless.  There are some new polartec insulated jackets that seem almost as warm.  And it they get wet they still keep you warm.  I dont own one yet.
Climbing Gear/Hardware-I have black diamond trekking poles.  They are probably the most important piece of climbing gear I own.  They save my knees, and have probably saved my life.  Never climb without them.  My favorite Ice Axe is the Black Diamond Raven Pro.  It weighs 12ozs. and can take a beating.  I also have the Black Diamond Venom set.  This is what I use when climbing on Rainier, and anywhere I will need two Ice Axes.  They perform very well.  Not at the standard of an Ice Climbing Axe, but for me more than enough.  Crampons are also important.  I have Petzl, Black Diamond and Grivel Crampons.  One pair of Grivel Crampons is aluminum.  Light but not as strong and sturdy as steel.  However I have used them to climb many routes in winter including Mt. Hood in winter and they were awesome.  For multi days, pitches, and rock stick with steel.  I have a Black Diamond Helmet.  I don't always wear it when mountaineering, but when ice, rock, or people fall can happen, you will see my orange helmet on my head.  Usually under my Mountain Hardwear fleece hat.  It is warm, windproof, and hear proof...  Its hard to hear with this hat on.  I also have ice screws from black diamond I take to Rainier.  Usually only 4.  Varying sizes.  I also swear by pickets.  I take 2-4 with me and they have not only kept my tent from flying down the mountain, but belayed me when I didn't think that was possible.  I have left a few behind.
Stove-I use the MSR Wisperlite International Stove.  White gas stoves are the only thing to use in the mountains when at altitude, and when it is cold.  I have a canister stove, but when I am high, and when it is cold it fails me.  There are new stoves and techniques to make canister stoves work better at altitude and cold.  It has not been worth the hassle for me.  I will stick with the white gas stove.  It is tricky lighting and using in your vestibule.  I haven't mastered that or felt comfortable with that yet....Not sure you ever will!
Sleeping bag-I use a Golite 20 degree bag.  That seems like not enough, but has kept me warm in temps way way below zero.  I was in a tent though.  I also have a 0 bag from REI.  Both weigh under 3lbs, and have been more than enough.  I would possibly get a -20 bag for winter on Rainier, but otherwise a 0 bag should be enough!  I also have a Bivy sac from Outdoor Research that is in my pack every winter climb in make.
Sleeping pad-We use a Thermarest Prolite 4.  Nothing better...  Stay off the ground and snow and stay warm.
Tent-I have many tents.  7 actually.  But my lightest 2 man mountaineering tent is my Mountain Hardware Spire Tent.  It took an incredible beating on Rainier last year, and couldn't have performed better.  Winds were well above 60 mps, and I am sure much, much more.  It bent, it sagged, it creaked, but it kept me and Chase alive for a 3 day storm on Rainier that killed others.  I will never forget this 4lb tent.  I also have a 8lb Sierra Designs Tiros Tent that is bombproof.  I have used it on Rainier and in many winter climbs.  It just weighs too much and I don't use it anymore.
GPS- I got lost in Hells Gate in Arizona a few years ago.  I immediately got home and bought a GPS.  Since then I have owned a few.  I can't tell you how important a GPS is now to me.  Not only does it track where you are, where you are going, and what you have climbed, it SAVES your life.  Last year on Rainier I was stuck in a storm.  I knew Chase and I had to leave after a 3 day winter storm in June.  But we couldn't see each other, anything near us, up, down, or sideways.  We had to trust our GPS to lead us out.  It was not fun, but we followed the track back where we had come and we made it out.  I will never go into the mountains again without one.  I use a Garmin GPS 60cxs.  I have all the latest software.  I also have a Garmin Forerunner 305.  It is great for local small climbs, but the battery goes out in 10 hrs.  Don't leave home in the winter without your GPS.  It might just save your life.

Pfeifferhorn Climb 11/22/2009

I left my car at 4 30am, summited the Pfeifferhorn at 10:30 am.  6rs up, 2 1/2 hrs down.  I got back to the car 1:00pm
Total time roughly 8.30hrs
Mov time 6.10 stopped time 2.28
Exactly 10 miles round trip.
I tracked myself with 2 gps's, my Garmin GPS Map 60CXS as well as my Garmin Forerunner 305.  I have accurate way-points and mapping.  



Did the traditional climb from the White/Red Pine Trail Head, and went the Red Pine way.  Crossed the frozen lake and made my way to the North/South facing ridge that gets you to the high Ridge you will need to climb westwardly across a very exposed rocky ridge to the summit Mountain.  That final summit is about 300 feet or so.  Conditions on the summit mound were excellent to the climbers left of the snow field.  Wind was 30 plus up top, gusts higher, as a storm was on the way in.

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Summit Pfeifferhorn Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUFdThXEhyA

This is a picture of a very frozen Red Pine Lake, Utah.  Ice is 10 inches thick or more.  

From Red Pine Lake, Utah Head East to the South/West Ridge line.  It was tedious if not dangerous.  There is soft snow up to your waist, and constant falls into holes near all the granite boulder fields.  Don't get stuck in one of these.  All of the snow bridges around them are weak.  We need more snow to make this easier to get around.  It took me 2 hrs to get from the lake to that ridge.  That is slow going.  With Ski's or snow shoes it wouldn't be an issue.  I had neither.  Once on ridge it goes good, as well as the upper Ridge.  The scramble on the ridge to the start of the summit climb is precarious, and a no fall zone for the most part.  Take your time.  The weak snow there is just enough to make it difficult.

This is the ridge up to the top Ridge line where you will head west along a knife edge ridge to gain the final summit.

This is that final East/West ridge.

                                   This is the final summit climb.  I climbed the rocks to the left of the snow, but  came down the snow as it was softer than I thought prior.

It was a cold 7 degrees when I started without windchill.  Summit winds were 30 plus. 

Summit Pfeifferhorn Video
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fUFdThXEhyA