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| Ingraham Flats with the Disappointment Cleaver on the right. |
Few climbers managed to reach the summit via the Disappointment Cleaver on July 22nd. This was, in part, due to reports from returning climbers early in the day that the route had changed overnight. There were also reports of a bottleneck at a glacial plug around 12,400’--near where climbers leave the top of the Cleaver and climb through a frequently-hollow section of glacier.
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| Plug at 12,400' with overhead icefall hazard that is constantly present on the DC route |
The morning light allowed a more thorough assessment of the plug. It is possible that some of it had collapsed overnight--what remained intact was narrow, but moderately thick. Nearby glacier features, like thin fins of ice, give the appearance that the plug is poorly supported. With the high freezing levels in the forecast, there is no telling how soon this snow bridge will fall out. Remember to practice conservative decision-making in the mountains and this situation is no exception; it is not advisable to cross tenuous features in late morning or early afternoon conditions once the sun starts softening snow. For the moment, this route remains a viable option in somewhat typical July condition, excepting weakening snow bridges like these and other hazards inherent in the mountains.
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| Looking up from the top of Disappointment Cleaver. Note the icefall debris on the left and the crevassed jumble on the right. |
However, with this partial collapse and the increasing potential for rapid changes, the guides at Camp Muir have begun talking about other options. Who knows where the route will go as the summer presses on? Guides are hopeful that the debris from the collapsing bridge and surrounding seracs will eventually fill in the crevasse at 12,400' and allow the route to follow a common summertime path out to the Emmons Shoulder. If the gaping crevasse doesn't fill in with debris, the guides will likely have to completely rework the route. Time will tell.
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| Plug at 12,400' from another angle |
Please understand that if this bridge fails while your team is above it, your descent to high camp will be a long journey. There is no easy workaround if you return to this bridge and it is no longer passable. In fact, if the bridge collapses while you are above it, returning to camp will require several thousand feet of extra uphill climbing. The only other known option to return to Camp Muir involves climbing back up to 13,500' and descending to Camp Comfort at the top of Gibraltar Rock. From here, you will have to follow the old trail (no markings, wands, ladders, or pickets) and make your way across the recent ice fall debris on the Ingraham Glacier to get back to the Disappointment Cleaver. If you are planning to climb this week, be ready for things to change rapidly and to have a reserve of energy to overcome these potential challenges.
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| Climbing Ranger descending to the top of the DC |
