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West Gully (3)

Statistics

  • Date - 11/11/2013
  • Elevation - 11,400'
  • Route - West Gully
  • Miles - 8.0
  • Elevation Gain - 2,200'
  • ACME Mapper - Link
  • CalTopo - Link
  • Partners - Brian Kooienga, Kevin Smith

Description

Kevin had never been up the West Gully ice route, so the three of us decided to head back up Glacier Gorge on Veterans Day.  We met in Denver at 4:30 and were hiking around 6:30.  It only took 45 minutes to get to Mills Lake where we took a 15 minute break and then continued up the gorge.  We arrived at Black Lake in two hours and the base of the climb 30 minutes later.  Brian led the first pitch, which was a good warm up for us.  Kevin took the sharp end for the crux second pitch of the route and got us to the base of the enduro slab pitch.  I finished the route on the calf burning pitch 3.  We walked to climbers right for a short ways and rapped off a fixed anchor back to the base of pitch 3.  We chopped out another anchor and were able to stretch our double ropes to get back to the base of the route in one more rappel.  We hiked back to Black Lake for a quick lunch and then made the long hike back to the trailhead.  Our car-to-car time was 8 hours and 15 minutes, which we didn't think was too bad for three 40-year-old part-time alpinists.

Photos

Kevin at Mills Lake.Brian at Mills Lake.Kevin and Brian on the approach.West GullyWest GullyBrian leading pitch 1.Brian leading pitch 1.Brian leading pitch 1.Brian at the top of pitch 1.Kevin following pitch 1.Kevin following pitch 1.Kevin leading pitch 2.Kevin leading pitch 2.James and BrianKevin leading pitch 2.Kevin leading pitch 2.Kevin leading pitch 2.Kevin at the base of pitch 3.Brian at the base of pitch 3.James at the base of pitch 3.Kevin and Brian at the base of pitch 3.Longs PeakJames, Brian, and KevinBrian on rappel.Kevin on rappel.Brian and Kevin having lunch.Mills Lake, Glacier Gorge, and Longs PeakBrian, Kevin, and James