| |
Date |
Ascent Time |
Descent Time |
| 1st Time |
20 Aug 05 |
10:42 |
2:28 |
After the long 8.8km approach, we arrived at lower Twin Lake. This gave us direct views of Storm Mtn's east ridge.
Note the chimney on the shoulder just right of the big tree. This chimney is a short cut to gain the upper shoulder of
the East Ridge. While this chimney is just "difficult scrambling", the actual climbing doesn't start until you are
in the yellow rock band about a 1,000 ft below the summit.
|
This is Blair walking along the shores of Lower Twin Lake. In about 20 more feet, there will be an avalanche path off to
the right, which will lead to that chimney mentioned above.
|
This is Blair starting up that chimney. While the scrambling isn't too bad, you wouldn't want to fall.
|
After you top out of that chimney, you get a good look at what's left. You can see a flat bench on the right
side of the ridge. We accidently took a nap up on that bench. Soon after that bench, the technical climbing begins.
Our ascent route would be just left of the right skyline following a series of gullies and chimneys.
|
Here is Blair on that bench mentioned above. He's surveying the start of the technical climbing. He'd soon be nappin'.
|
This is looking back down to Lower Twin Lake from that bench. It's a pretty lake.
|
Here I am standing on that bench. Since Blair was going to nap for 45 minutes, I decided to rest up as well. By looking
at my hat, I must have just woke up.
|
This is Blair on the crux pitch. He'd go up about 15 more feet, then traverse right to the smooth black rock. That's
the crux.
|
This is me, just above the crux. A lot of the gullies were just easy scrambling.
|
As you near the top, you start traversing a bit to the right. The climbing isn't difficult, but it's loose scree with lots of
exposure. We simuliclimbed a lot of this section.
|
This is the upper sections of the east ridge. It's here that we start to angle a bit to toward the summit.
|
Here I am starting to angle up diagonoly toward the summit.
|
More easy terrain with lots of air below me.
|
This is the final pitch. Blair will head right between the cornices and the summit is on the other side of the
left cornice. If you look closely, you can see Blair just right of center.
|
This is looking down what we just came up. At this point, we are standing next to the summit.
|
Here's Blair with the summit behind him.
|
It was a beautiful day and here's a good look at the Lake Louise Group.
|
Here I am standing near the summit, getting my gear all clipped back into place.
|
The clearing is Castle Junction, which is where we started. Basically, our truck is a long way away.
So, what do we do? We go the opposite way, head down the scramble route, which comes out on Hwy 93
even further from our truck.
|
Another quick photo before we left the summit. This is Mt. Stanley's north face.
|
|
