Snow to Valhalla ridge?
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- Slawson405
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Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Has anyone connected Snow Peak with Valhalla via the ridge? Most TR’s have you drop down below a significant ways, but from Mt. Silverthorne it did look like it could go, albeit real loose. Feel free to weigh in, cheers!
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- davebobk47
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
I have not done this ridge but did look at it when I climbed Snow. I definitely think it goes - and probably 3 or easier.
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- supranihilest
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Whiley and I did it last year, Valhalla to Snow. It is indeed around the Class 3 level. We didn't stick directly to the ridge crest, which probably would have been Class 5 up and over a bunch of gendarmes, but rather skirted a lot of the gendarmes just below them on the west side. No need to drop way down to Deluge Lake. Mostly Class 2+ from what I remember, with the worst part being an awful, steep, loose Class 2 sidehill final section to Snow Pass. I have some photos if you want them, but it's generally pretty straightforward and easy. I barely remember it, that's how non-noteworthy it was.
- jbchalk
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Did most of it ridge direct one day many moons ago. I can send some pics in a bit
- Slawson405
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Ok cool cool! It seems straightforward as to when to avoid towers, just wanted another opinion, thanks!supranihilest wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 12:58 pm Whiley and I did it last year, Valhalla to Snow. It is indeed around the Class 3 level. We didn't stick directly to the ridge crest, which probably would have been Class 5 up and over a bunch of gendarmes, but rather skirted a lot of the gendarmes just below them on the west side. No need to drop way down to Deluge Lake. Mostly Class 2+ from what I remember, with the worst part being an awful, steep, loose Class 2 sidehill final section to Snow Pass. I have some photos if you want them, but it's generally pretty straightforward and easy. I barely remember it, that's how non-noteworthy it was.
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- jbchalk
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Climbed Snow’s south ridge with our dogs and then tried to continue onto Vahalla ridge proper back in fall of 2012.
It went much of the way via class 3/4 on blocky aretes and knife ridges. Got stopped by a big drop at the top of the tallest tower on the traverse. Bummed we didn’t have a rope we just descended to Deluge Lake where my wife and dogs were actually waiting for us. The gendarme could easily be bypassed to its west, however, and the remainder of the ridge up to Vahalla is fairly trivia as it’s just loose scree and such.
It went much of the way via class 3/4 on blocky aretes and knife ridges. Got stopped by a big drop at the top of the tallest tower on the traverse. Bummed we didn’t have a rope we just descended to Deluge Lake where my wife and dogs were actually waiting for us. The gendarme could easily be bypassed to its west, however, and the remainder of the ridge up to Vahalla is fairly trivia as it’s just loose scree and such.
- Slawson405
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Re: Snow to Valhalla ridge?
Oh man, thanks for the pics and description! I may try to keep proper as long as possible then. And the scree up the ridge was the one aspect I was sure of haha.jbchalk wrote: ↑Sun Aug 01, 2021 6:47 pm Climbed Snow’s south ridge with our dogs and then tried to continue onto Vahalla ridge proper back in fall of 2012.
It went much of the way via class 3/4 on blocky aretes and knife ridges. Got stopped by a big drop at the top of the tallest tower on the traverse. Bummed we didn’t have a rope we just descended to Deluge Lake where my wife and dogs were actually waiting for us. The gendarme could easily be bypassed to its west, however, and the remainder of the ridge up to Vahalla is fairly trivia as it’s just loose scree and such.
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