East Ridge, 5.2 February 2009

I recently got the news that I would be needed in Texas for a few months so EJ, Jim and I elected to sneak in one more climb before I left. EJ and I had climbed Bancroft’s East Ridge Route a couple of years ago in the Spring but elected to take Jim up a great route that’s close to home. We arrived at the trailhead a bit after 8 A.M. and hiked the uneventful 2.3 miles to Loch Lomond. From the lake we trended left to gain the east ridge which was mostly class 3 with the occasional class 4 moves. We gained the notch and rapped to the snowy saddle and geared up for the 30’ section of technical climbing which when at about 5.2. Since it was Jim’s first time on the route we let him take the lead on the short technical section. Jim set up an anchor above the difficulties and brought EJ and I up. From there we stayed on the snowy ridge to the summit which made for some spicy class 4 climbing. At one point I got off route and ended up making some lower 5th class moves on icy snow covered rocks (the hardest climbing of the day). After 5 minutes on the summit we headed down Bancroft’s Southeast Ridge and back to the 4X4 road. The ridge in winter conditions is much more difficult that in Spring when EJ and I had climbed it in the past. Lots of snowy/icy 4th class terrain punctuated with some great exposure. The weather behaved all day with moderate winds and sunny skies.

East Ridge, 5.2

February 2009

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