Gannett: Tourist Creek route

[spiderman]

I am heading to Gannett over Labor Day weekend and wanted to know if anyone had advice on the Tourist Creek route. I am hoping to avoid the rock climbing sections on the standard route that is necessary now that the snow bridge has collapsed on the Gooseneck 'schrund. I read a few reports suggesting that this alternative route is a less technical option. It seemed like the route was mostly class 2-3 with a brief section of unexposed class 4 going between the notch and the peak, and a relatively easy crossing of the Minor Glacier.

Does anybody have comments or suggestions on the Tourist Creek route? Is the Class 4 section a Colorado-esque toughness or should I expect something more difficult?

[ptyrg]

I have made an attempt of the tourist creek route. We went up the call between Gannett, and Mt. koven, but got stormed out, and had to retreat. From the call is lower fith class,up the north ridge, and is more difficult than the standard 4th class west face. Also I have tried the standard route from Titcomb basin over Labor day week, and yes the shrund was not passable, the crevasses, where wide open, and generally,slow travel. Unless your staying up in the west Gannett basin for a while, I might suggest camping in the green river valley, right below the tourist creek drainage and making a one day shot up Tourist creek, to Gannett. Humping a mondo pack up the first 1000' of tourist is very steep, and tough going. lots of car size boulder hopping using that route. Good Luck!

[pbakwin]

I agree low 5th class above the col. See my route description on summitpost.

[spiderman]

I agree low 5th class above the col. See my route description on summitpost.

Here is what I saw on your summitpost page (thanks pbakwin for writing up the route description): Once on the north ridge, work south towards the summit, ascending class 4 rock. This is fun climbing and not super exposed. A couple of rappel stations have been rigged in recent years for the descent. The rock ends with a short walk across snow to the summit.

We hope to pack as light as possible to make the hump up Tourist Creek less nasty... those boulders looked awfully big on summitpost.

[Matt Lemke]

Yes the boulder hopping in Tourist Creek is some of the worst I have ever done. Huge chasms between house sized boulders just waiting to suck you into oblivion and eat you alive. Crossing the Green River at Three Forks Park is a fun challenge too! Say...are you looking for partners? I am very interested in this route on Gannett.

[hunterwf]

Here is a look down the drainage to where we camped by the river about 2 weeks ago. There are plenty of boulders like everyone else said.

Looking down tourist creek drainage

IMG_1584.JPG (186.29 KiB) Viewed 2050 times

[pbakwin]

I agree low 5th class above the col. See my route description on summitpost.

Here is what I saw on your summitpost page (thanks pbakwin for writing up the route description): Once on the north ridge, work south towards the summit, ascending class 4 rock. This is fun climbing and not super exposed. A couple of rappel stations have been rigged in recent years for the descent. The rock ends with a short walk across snow to the summit.

We hope to pack as light as possible to make the hump up Tourist Creek less nasty... those boulders looked awfully big on summitpost.

Ha! Bad memory. 4th class it is then.