Glacier Mountaineering Society

Fri, Jul 20 2012 - Mount Brown (View Original Event Details)

Coordinator(s):		Jim Foster
Participants:		Alan Wiley, Carly Hohf, Ken McDermott, Jesse Manning, Rod Graham, Scott Colton, Jim Foster

Click for Album

Write Up:
The weather report was pretty scary leading up to our climb with predictions of the same thing that hit the park on Tuesday, 7/27, that cause 12 mud and rock slides across the Going-to-the-Sun Road. Gathering at 0700 at the trailhead we took stock of the situation and all concluded we would make the best of our day regardless of what happened. After 2.5 hours and a rapid ascent we were at the lookout scoping out the summit bid. At around 1000, the weather seemed to be holding and we started off across the saddle. The only snow we encountered on the climb was perched at the low point in the saddle. Gaining the grassy slopes and ridge was made easy with a slight trace of a boot track and rock-ducks placed strategically along the way. Things were going great and we achieved the high point just before the jagged ridge that gives Mt. Brown its reputation. We studied the entrance onto this ridge and most of us saw the route most climb, just to the right of the actual ridge. That did not deter Ken and Alan, however; they went straight up the ridge on probably the most difficult but short pitch of the whole ridge. Inspired by their prowess, the rest of us decided to stay pure to the ridge and we climbed our way up and down along the jagged, toothy ridge. The rock was excellent and the climbing loads of fun but full on class IV. We summitted just before noon with a strong storm cell developing in the north. We could hear distant thunder making us all a little nervous. After a quick bite to eat and our summit photo, we immediately headed down finding a much easier route along the east side of the ridge and avoiding most of the rock climbing we did. We were back to the lookout by 1400 and back to our cars by 1615 with only about 5 drops of rain landing on us. A spectacular day considering the prospects.

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.