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First off this is my first trip report so lets see how it goes. It would have been posted sooner, but I've been having some computer issues.
I owe a special thanks to lordhelmut for all the extremely helpful info on the alternate route around Mayflower Hill to avoid all the avy terrian to gain the ridge of Pacific. Without that, this trip wouldn't have been possible.
My partner, Tony and I headed up the night before to Mayflower Gulch to get a early start. We hit the trail at 5am and headed up the Gulch. Instead of gaining Mayflower Hill, as for the standard route, we took a pathway that heads up north around Mayflower Hill and then circles back around into the basin with the west ridge in front of you to the left.
First good full view of ridge
For the first hour in the morning we made really good time. The pathway was extremely easy to follow and was nice and packed. Once we made it around Mayflower Hill and started heading up into the basin, that was when the good times of post holeing above our knees came into effect.
But we did have this view which always helps
We had about an hour of post holeing before we hit the ridge. Now the fun was going to start.
Our long awaited class 3 ridge was right in front of us.
Tony working his way up the ridge
Dropping off the ridge to go around one of the class 5 towers
We had to cross quite a few knife edged, snow covered parts of the ridge
About half way up, the veiw of the remaining ridge
After a good 3 hours on the ridge the summit was finally right in front of us.
Here's some shots of the last stretch of the class 3 climbing to gain the summit.
Tony on top
The saddle between Pacific and Atlantic
Looking down the North Couloir, Maybe this spring
Once we made the summit we decided to descend the wind swept NW face since the avalanche forcast that day was considerable. It took us a little longer than we thought. Its just one long tedious talus slope.
Enjoying a much needed sandwich with NW face behind
We made good time heading back to the car thanks to our early morning trail breaking, but even with that we still didn't get down until 4pm. We had a good solid 11 hour day in the mountains.
An early morning shot of the west ridge and saddle to Atlantic
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Your day was eerily similar in weather, time on the ridge, pics, etc. Thats a sweet route and an unnderrated ridge, nice work Patrick. That basin is the gem of the Tenmile, IMO. I was hoping to get the N.Couloir soon, maybe we can work something out. Glad everything worked out for you guys.
Thanks everyone for the nice comments. It was an awesome day and Brain I‘m down for sure for the coulior. Send me a PM one of these days soon and we can figure it all out.
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