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Northweast Ridge. FA A.M. Bartleet and V.A.Fynn, August 19, 1909. One of the great classic climbs of North America, it boasts a flawless line and a magnificent position. From the Uto-Sir Donald col (2535m) [3], follow the crest of the ridge as closely as possible. Forays onto either the west or north face will invariably lead to more difficult climbing and increased exposure. Most of the climbing is class 4 with a few sections of class 3 and a few short sections of easy class 5 where the ridge steepens at the final summit pyramid. The climbing is for the most part on solid, blocky quartzite rock with exhilirating exposure. The black lichen, however, can be exceedingly slippery when wet. There have been several fatalities from unroped falls. The ascent from the col may take from 1 to 8 hours with similar times for the descent. Parties who require belays on the first few pitches out of the col are best advised to gain experience on the less demanding routes (such as the southwest ridge of Uto Peak). To complete the northwest ridge safely, parties must climb quickly and efficiently, paying close attention to the weather. Those climbers who plan to solo the ridge should be competent at leading at least 5.8-5.9, and possess good routefinding skills. 5.4, D-. The red line indicates
our approach up the Uto-Sir Donald col [3]
and our climb to the summit [5]. |
