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My buddy Gabe and I started hiking up the Lake Como road around 11pm on Friday. We set up camp just before the road first crosses the stream at 10700 at 1:30am. Slept until 7:15am. Weather reports claimed 0% chance of T-storms, so our late start the next morning of 8:45am was not worrying me.
We followed the road and then the trail to just above the headwall, then climbed talus and loose ledges to Ellingwoods SW ridge (off route). There was a ton of moisture all around the massif (trust the weatherman?). This ridge provided the most continuous class 3 climbing on solid rock I have done to date, a great route. Here is a pic of the ridge (disposable camera, so not great quality):
Toward the top I opted for a short class 4 climb to stay on the ridge top. I was extremely fortunate to have my helmet on, as a briefcase sized piece of what seemed to be a stable rock broke off in my hand and fell on my head, then knee. Without the helmet, it probably would have sent me falling 40+ feet. My knee was angry but got me to the top.
I had climbed Ellingwood before, but only after the short traverse from Blanca. Climb this mountain alone with this route, it's definitely worth it. The T-storms held out until around 3pm as we passed blue lakes, 0% chance aye?
Thumbnails for uploaded photos (click to open slideshow):
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