4/22/2010, Pride glacier headwall

Thanks Josh K for the inspiration.

Visiting the north east side of Kyes peak and the Pride glacier in the Monte Cristo range has been high on the priority list this year.  With the TH being less then an hour away, it fits nicely in with my goal of more touring and less driving this year. The most daunting task was finding someone willing and crazy enough to go. With 0 beta other then a becky guide, a map, and knowing the Josh had skied teh glacier via a differant approach. it was a hard sell to most everyone else except for adventurer Kyle Miller. I was super stoked to have him along. I don't mind rolling solo, but I knew this was going to be better with a strong partner.

We got an early start and where happy to have on skins about a 1/4 mile from the TH where the snow on the road was impassable at  below 2,500'.  Once we reached the trail it was skis off for maybe another 1/4 mile or so, then back on for the remainder of the trip. We traveled easily along the quartz creek for about 4 miles and 1,500' of gain and very little loss. Multiple small creek crossings and lovely waterfall sounds and scenery made it pleasant.



We had the choice of taking the known climbers route along the ridge, or attempt or more direct route towards Quartz lake. The decision was made to take the ridge since it was at least a somewhat known. After gaining the ridge, some tricky skinning, climbing, and traversing, we ended up at a spot above Quartz lake where it seemed best to descend and get our bearings together. We sat for a bit and had some food while making mention of how Quartz cirque and Goblin mt in itself could be a worthy objective. This was defiantly a lesson in route finding, and Kyle was putting on a clinic. A little discussion and his strong mountain sense pointed us in the right direction.  After some easy skinning up some rolling terrain, we where soon on the ridge again, and shortly after onto the pride glacier.





Up to this point, we didn't have much visibility.The views of Kyes and the rest of the Monte cirstos where cloaked in white gowns like ghosts haunting over the goblin valley(OK, that's my only attempt at poetry here). When the clouds finally parted and we could clearly see, I got clearly intimidated. The vertical rise and in your face nature of Kyes kind of slaps you in the face. Maybe it was just because it wasn't there, then it was, but I was a little scared and happy to be so.




Throughout this whole day clouds Had been rolling through with the occasional white out. We would sit and wait during these times and talk about the views we could see, and possible escape options. These waits would eventually cost us. By the time we finally gained the highest climbable snow on the east ridge,it was getting late. We contemplated wrapping around to the other side following a lower snow bench, or checking something Else out. With time being a factor, we decided to do traverse out along the head wall, confirmed what we needed too, and then descended from there.


Since Kyle was a gentleman and let me go first on big Chiwaukum, I wanted him the honors. Plus, it looked like crap, and I didn't want to be first to slide to my icy death. His first few turns didn't look too bad on firm but slightly edgable snow, then it went to icy avi pooh, and survival mode set in for a bit. Kyle kept in good form most of the way with only the occasional uphill hand assist. I on the other hand had to swallow my pride. At the top of the headwall I dropped a glove and watched it slide into the most runnel-ed up section. After making a few good turns turns, I had to go where I did;t want to get my glove. It wasn't;t so bad since there was enough new snow that I could create a slow slough slide to sit on cushion the lumpy ice balls on my coccyx. the worst of it was over pretty quickly.

This would have been nice with slightly better conditions..





From here it softened slightly and we where able to enjoy the rest of the glacial decent with a few crevasse and bergschrund olys. A little climbing from there got us to a col where we rode back down to quartz lake. Then the unknown decent below the lake. We where able to ride within about 20' above the valley bottum where boards came off, and some veggie belayed downclimbing with an airy waterfall move, and that was it. We did a little more survival riding til it flattened next to the creek.

At this point it was High 5's, headlamps, and skin skiing back to the car. Perfect timing! The ski out took a while, but it seemed to go quickly as my mind was busy sorting through the awesome day. While I am a bit disappointed that the weather and my fear of downhill the unknown in the dark kept us from going a little further, I am glad we turned back when we did. I'll get back for the rest some day.