All the cold June-uary and unseasonably cold start to July has made for outstanding conditions on the standard routes. Here's some updated info on the DC:
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| Climbers descending above the cleaver. |
Since our last blog update, some guiding has resumed on the Disappointment Cleaver. The path the route takes has not changed much in the last week, but with the added traffic and some hard work by the guides, travel conditions have greatly improved. The current route is well marked with wands and is relatively direct, especially for late July. A recent GPS track log measured the route to be 2.8 miles long from Camp Muir to the crater rim. There are two areas with "fixed" pickets at approximately 13,100'. These fixed pickets are for protection crossing above exposed crevasses on steep terrain - use them at your discretion and leave them in place as you pass. Aside from these pickets, there's currently no other fixed protection, fixed lines, or ladders on the route.
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| Exposed traverse above open crevasse. There are 2 fixed pickets in this section for protection. |
Overall, the D.C. is in great shape. The lower half of the cleaver is melted out, and travel will be on rock, while the upper half is still snow covered. When traveling on the loose rock, make sure to use caution and avoid knocking rocks onto climbers below.
The majority of the crevasse crossings on the route appear to be quite thick and well bridged. This could change with the above normal temperatures we are currently experiencing. When you are traveling on glaciers, be well aware of where you choose to take your breaks. Many flat areas that look like convenient stopping points are actually sagging crevasse bridges. Do not stop in these areas and definitely don't gather together or unrope in these places.
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| Track log from July 19th. |
