Todd and Cheryl Holt
NE ridge - Black Peak July 1st - 3rd, 2007
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| Longtime NCMG clients Todd and Cheryl Holt
made their annual pilgrimage out to the Northwest again this
year. The goal this year was Black peak and its knife edged
Northeast Ridge. |
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| Along with their guide Larry, they began
hiking from Rainy Pass. They followed a mostly dry trail
up to Heather Pass, at which point they stayed on snow
all the way to camp. |
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| At Heather pass, they were treated to
their first view of the goal. The Northeast Ridge is the
right hand skyline and the South Route (descent) is the
left hand skyline. |
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| There was snow all the way to the campsite
at Wing Lake, where there were just two perfectly melted
out tent platforms. Here Todd and Cheryl enjoy dinner
after a long day. |
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| They started early to climb up to the
start of the route. Here Cheryl gets ready to go. |
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| They climbed unroped with
crampons on up to the point where the angle steepened
and the real climbing began. |
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| A little ridge walking and a few short
pitches of steep snow and they were on the ridge proper. |
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| Here Todd and Cheryl switched into rock
shoes to more fully enjoy the rock climbing along the
ridge. |
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| Often compared to the West ridge of Forbidden,
the Northeast ridge of Black is a long, moderate route
with great exposure and amazing views. |
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| Here Cheryl and Todd climb along the
spiny ridge. |
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| The exposure is evident on the upper
ridge. |
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| Todd and Cheryl enjoying a leisurely
lunch on the summit of Black peak accompanied by about
1000 ladybugs. |
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| The descent down the South route is largely
a scramble with a few short class 4 sections. |
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| There were still a few snow slopes between
the climbers and camp, which were quickly negotiated with
ever popular sitting glissade. |
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| Todd and Cheryl taking the last few steps
back to camp on summit day with Black peak behind them. |
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| Its always wonderful to rejoin the world
of greenery and flowers after even a short time in the
world of rock, snow and ice. As they hiked back to the
car, Todd and Cheryl walked by this meadow of Glacier
lilies above Lake Ann. |
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