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It is January and rumors of a Winfield TH were obviously founded in fact.
Made a climb of Mt. Blaurock and found the same cruddy snow conditions as many others noted for the central Sawatch, a 2" slab atop 24 to 30 inches of facets. BTW, looking over at Ice and the reading that report, well we're admittedly just pikers compared to the crew in the opposite valley.
Placed our bet on a short route for an easy 6 miles Bicentennial, got hammered with a 10 hour round trip, a beating over the course of one hour that yielded all of 150 feet of progress. Added a broken snowshoe, a cranked pole and a just plain old snapped pole to the equation. Add the tank of gas and we've got a little over budget trip in hand.
The drive to Winfield was fine and the road to Grey Copper Creek is packed. if anyone is interested, our trench cuts off uphill from just past the creek crossing (frozen) and heads of the ridge, cutting to the right.
We slogged to the ridge
and then made a tired climb upward to the summit ridge proper. The route looks tougher than it is, unless you just took a beating in the powder below
Then on across the summit ridge, nice bit of knife edge as one goes up and over to get to the farthest point
Which did require a bit more than a walking effort but it was the best part of the traverse.
The summit yielded the view that made it all worthwhile
If anyone is interested our trench, when you get to the point where one route splits right and the other seems to drop right down slope to the intersection, go UP that slope and skip the right route.
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
Good to see you keeping busy. I remember the terrain leading to Ervin and Blaurock being unforgivingly steep. Drop me a line when you come down next summer if you are planning any bicentennials. Sarah and I would like to get out with you and your crew.
Surf, you're right on both counts, but what of the coming summer . . . (Dry...)
Papillon, I completely agree, it is time for a connection trip to work some of these Bicentennials.
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