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Direct North Face

Statistics

  • Date - 04/07/2018
  • Elevation - 11,500'
  • Route - Direct North Face
  • Miles - 2.0
  • Elevation Gain - 1,100'
  • ACME Mapper - Link
  • CalTopo - Link
  • Partners - Brian Kooienga, Kevin Smith

Description

While driving back from Campground Couloir, we took a long hard look at the Direct North Face and thought we could climb it.  After the night in Silverton, Colorado, we drove back up South Mineral Creek to attempt the route.  The approach was fairly easy and didn't require crampons on the lower WI2 slopes which were mostly snow covered.  Brian led up the steep pitch 1, continued halfway up a second step, and then set up an anchor underneath a running waterfall.  Kevin and I followed his pitch and crawled into the belay cave.  Kevin finished the steep second step to easier ground and then brought Brian and I up.  The route was fairly wet and we were in warm temperatures all day.

At this point, I got to lead an easy rampy pitch 3 before we had a slogging snow pitch to get to the upper two ice pitches.  I stayed on lead up a fairly stiff pitch 4 and then Kevin finished the climb up another steep step on pitch 5.  Before we knew it we had successfully completed the climb.  We ticked the Direct North Face of our to-do list and caught the route in favorable conditions.  We drove back to Silverton, Colorado, for another evening in the Triangle Hotel.  With one more day left on the trip, we didn't have a specific objective identified.

Photos

Direct North FaceDirect North FaceDirect North FaceJames approaching the base of the climb.Brian and Kevin on the approach.Brian leading pitch 1.Brian leading pitch 1.Brian leading pitch 1.Brian leading pitch 1.Kevin following pitch 1.Brian at the top of his pitch in the cave.Kevin leading pitch 2.Kevin leading pitch 2.Kevin leading pitch 2.James and BrianKevin and Brian snow slogging up to pitches 4 and 5.Pitches 4 and 5BrianJamesJames leading pitch 4.James leading pitch 4.James leading pitch 4.James and KevinKevin leading pitch 5.Kevin leading pitch 5.Kevin leading pitch 5.Kevin leading pitch 5.