Glacier Mountaineering Society

Sun, May 16 2010 - Hall Peak (View Original Event Details)

Coordinator(s):		Paul Cogswell
Participants:		Larry Hiller, Frank Wesolovski, John Oliver Ellis, Laurel R. Vielle, Paul Cogswell, James L Valentine, Martin Valles, Linda Soper, Franz Barthel, Dell Meuchel, Joe Schletz, Bill Haring

Write Up:
Eleven climbers hit the Hall Lake trail east of Swan Lake and gained elevation easily up the lower mountain for the first hour and a half. Near Hall Lake, when snow made progress more difficult, snowshoes enabled continued momentum up the north face toward the summit. A launching pad was reached in the cliffs surrounding the summit, where the team packed up the snowshoes, and deployed ice axes, readying for the 100 foot final push, which required kicking steps up in the steep snow to the top. The summit, which would have been crowded with many more visitors, the provided views to the north of the Swan Crest and into Glacier, the Bob Marshall Wilderness to the east, the Swan Crest and Swan Peak to the south, the Mission Range and McDonald Peak, and Swan Lake below. After a picnic and a picture, descent began down the southwest ridge. The most challenging part here was descending 50 feet of steep snow, and kicking steps for toe holds, to get around some dangerous rock that blocks the ridge. The ridge eventually widened, and the snow softened again requiring snowshoes. When the snow thinned some brush was encountered, but nothing too serious, and finally the main trail was reached closing the loop for a nice tour of the mountain. Not long after everyone was at Al Hofmeister's beach on Swan Lake enjoying a barbeque complete with live music by Al's father in law and Joe Schletz playing dueling harmonicas. Time on the mountain was just under 7 hours. The sunny skies, the snow hiking, the views, seeing this beautiful mountain up so close, and a super team left no question why we do what we do.

Have some photos from this event that you'd like to share in our photo album? Please forward them to Tim Anderson at twamontana@gmail.com. Please note that we prefer to receive the photos in approximately 640x480 or 750x500 pixels - do NOT send original high-res photos. If you have a LOT of photos, please submit up to twenty of your favorites (only) for a day event, or up to forty of your favourites for a multi-day event. Thank you.