6/29/2024 Route: Northeast Gully Posted On: 6/30/2024, By: supranihilest Info: From 13,220 we dropped back into Porphyry Basin instead of trying to traverse high on the horrible loose trash coating the basin's slopes. Obvious talus benches made this traverse easy. There were a couple of inconsequential snowfield crossings. The gully itself has a fair amount of snow in it but we were able to avoid it all. What we were not able to avoid was the mud, which made this a two steps forward, one step back kind of ascent. Not hard, just annoying. Microspikes were super useful, as were poles. Ice axe not necessary. There's a huge triangular gendarme at the top of the ridge, make sure to go to climber's right of it - the backside is much steeper and possibly technical or just not passable, so you'd have to drop down around it on the side you came up anyway. From the ridge the remaining ascent is a dry walk. Stunning views. |
