Memorial Weekend 2020 – Andrew's Hikes

Report

Shoshone on Memorial Day

After yesterday’s failure on No Sweat Arete, we went for Shoshone on Sunday, with perfect weather… sunny skies, warmer temperatures, no wind. We hiked in and easily found the correct spire and found the traditional stream crossing. However, it was still early season, so the stream was roaring, and no easy crossing was to be…

May 24, 2020 to May 25, 2020 By

No Sweat Arete 5/23/2020

Goodness was this a rough day! Location of climb on Mountain Project is totally wrong Cold, cloudy, windy, and a potential storm rolling in Ticks, ticks, and more ticks The first thing that went wrong was the approach. On Mountain Project, the crag’s location is set to be around the main crag wall. That also…

May 23, 2020 By

Weather

Weather at crag/No Sweat Arete (updated 5/21/2020)

Sat: 37/56, mostly cloudy, 30% chance of rain
Sun: 39/64, mostly sunny
Mon: 42/71, partly sunny
Tue: 50/74, mostly sunny, a chance of rain

Weather at Shoshone (updated 5/21)

Sat: 33/49, mostly cloudy, 40% chance of rain, 8-10 mph winds with gusts to 18 mph
Sun: 34/58, mostly sunny
Mon: 39/64, mostly sunny, slight chance of rain after noon
Tue: 45/67, mostly sunny, slight chance of rain

If you are quarantining (e.g. have come from or traveled out-of-state) you cannot leave for groceries, public outdoor recreation (including hunting/fishing), to go to work or any other activity. You must remain at your place of quarantine for the duration of the quarantine period (14 days). Exceptions will only be made in the event of a medical emergency or natural disaster.

Quarantine expires June 1st: https://www.visitmt.com/travel-alerts.html

National Guard might even be screening temperatures at borders and informing of quarantine

Map: https://caltopo.com/m/VP5T

Google My Map: https://www.google.com/maps/d/edit?mid=1-Eyt0JcmVjlRSCK3fd7MQYQs8a6rcQa5&ll=46.5398571028817%2C-114.17779025054557&z=14

Friday – Drive to Hamilton

8:30 hr drive

12:00 PM – Depart
10:00 PM – Arrive, check in with self entry key box (Montana’s 1 hour ahead of us, so we lose time)

Saturday – No Sweat and cragging?

6:30 AM – Leave house (23 min drive to Mill Creek Trailhead)
7:00 AM – Start hiking
8:00 AM – At base of No Sweat Arete
8:15 AM – Start climbing
12:00 PM – At summit
12:15 PM – Walk off back around to the Tick Farm Crag
12:45 PM – Do some more cragging at Tick Farm, 5.8-5.10 sport
4:00 PM – Walk back to car
4:45 PM – At car

Sunday – Shoshone

6:00 AM – Start hiking
8:00 AM – At base
8:15 AM – Start climbing
1:30 PM – At summit
1:45 PM – Descend
2:45 PM – At base, hike out
4:00 PM – Back at car

Monday – Arch

6:00 AM – Start hiking
9:00 AM – At base
9:30 AM – Start climbing
11:45 AM – At summit
12:30 PM – Back at base
12:45 PM – Hike back
3:00 PM – Back at car

Tuesday – Crags on way out?

Have to see what’s open

10:00 AM – Drive home
6:00 PM – Home (we gain time driving back)

No Sweat Arete – 5.7, 4 pitches

Protection: Double rack, alpine draws very useful. 60m rope.

Approach: 45 minutes, involves 4th class scramble, can be a bit tough to find (read comments)

Descent: Follow the trail to the east off of the ledge to gain a saddle, and descend this eastward on the trail. Walk off does NOT return to base, so bring gear up.

Shoshone South Face – 5.8+, 5 pitches

Consistently 5.8 (only one 5.7 pitch). Finding the start can be a bit tricky, there’s a comment that explains the offwidth options.

Steph’s info: http://www.stephabegg.com/home/tripreports/montana/blodgett2018#shoshone

Protection: Double rack to 3″, nuts, one sling for a tree rappel. 60m rope.

Approach: 2.5 miles, 1,800 ft gain, about 1.5 hours? Road looks fine for sedan.

Descent: Walk off east side down some slabs, follow gully down until cliff band, then do two rappels using 60m rope on two bolted chain anchors.

Shoshone Spire
Pitch 5 of South Face of Shoshone Spire.

Horsehead Arch – 5.9+, 2 pitches

Steph’s info: http://www.stephabegg.com/home/tripreports/montana/blodgett2018#horsehead

Double ropes needed to rappel. One pitch of 5.9+, then 5.6. Looks well protected.

Protection: Singles to #3, doubles of #1 and #2. Nuts. At least one long sling for slinging horn below summit.

Approach: 3.5 miles, 2,400 ft gain, about 3 hours

Descent: Double rope rappel by counter balancing on opposite sides of the arch (simul rappelling). About 160 ft to the top… so if we brought a 40m rope, that’s 130 feet… worst case could lower the remaining distance?