Sherpa Peak - 9.1.2011
Our approximate route to Sherpa Peak... we did the summit on the middle day of a '3 day, 2 night' backpack trip... total elevation gain for the trip was ~7700 feet... with 4100 feet being on summit day.
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iraman and rocman at the Esmeralda Basin trailhead (4200')... at the end of the N. Fork Teanaway River Road.
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After a short hike, follow the Ingalls Way Trail.
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After another short walk, follow the trail to Longs Pass.
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iraman and rocman nearing Longs Pass.
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Mt. Stuart from Longs Pass.
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Point 6878 from Longs Pass.
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The 'S' curves leading from Longs Pass down toward Ingalls Creek.
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iraman heading down from Longs Pass.
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The next morning now... summit day... rocman and iraman are actually on very good path here... we are taking Beckey's Variation No. 1 route.
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At ~6000 feet this gully begins to narrow and steepen.
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We are looking for a good place to exit this gully to the right.
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Out of the gully now and gaining elevation quickly.
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Still trying to get above the steep gully.
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The steepness eases some at ~6600 feet.
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Off of the 'Variation No. 1 route' now... iraman is giving back 150 feet of elevation down into the gully that will take us to the west ridge of Sherpa Peak.
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Sherpa Peak in the center of the photo.
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Looking back at the 150 feet of elevation that we just gave up to get into this gully.
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Looking back at Bill Peak (center)... Iron Peak and Teanaway Peak on the right.
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Ascending toward Sherpa Peak.
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More and more rock to deal with as we get higher.
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Getting closer, but still plenty of distance to go.
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rocman and iraman gaining elevation.
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rocman in the boulder field... good luck finding him.
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Looking back at some of the Teanaway Peaks.
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ragman in the rocks.
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Mt. Stuart is up that way... somewhere.
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rocman and iraman are standing on Table Rock (7400')... really.
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Again... rocman and iraman on Table Rock.
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Looking up toward Mt. Stuart.
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From Table Rock I'm looking back at the terrain we have traveled.
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Looking up toward Mt. Stuart... still 800 feet of elevation to gain before we start using the rope.
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rocman and iraman (lower right) study the route notes while resting on Table Rock.
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Some snow is a convenient diversion from all of the rock.
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Looking up toward Mt. Stuart.
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Looking back down the gully.
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We have reached the summit block... are we really going up there?
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iraman and rocman putting on rock climbing gear... Mt. Stuart (center).
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Looking down the gully... across the Teanaway Peaks to Mt. Rainier.
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Almost ready to start climbing.
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Mt. Stuart from the col between Sherpa and Stuart.
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iraman leading the first pitch.
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iraman on the first pitch.
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rocman leading...
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rocman going higher...
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Still higher...
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rocman putting in a piece of protection...
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and moving higher.
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Looking across to Mt. Stuart.
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Some of our gear is down there in the center of the photo.
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iraman is watching rocman... Mountaineer Ridge is left of his pack... Axis Peak and Cashmere Mtn are above his head... Hi-Jack Peak and Eightmile Mtn are on the left.
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Looking down at the Stuart/Sherpa col.
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On a comfortable ledge here but we are off route... and iraman is looking at making a not so comfortable move to get around the corner.
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First try... uh, lets try again.
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Much better...
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Just a little further.
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iraman leading pitch 5 that will get us up to the crux move.
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iraman getting closer to the crux move.
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iraman just below the crux move... one more pitch will get us near the summit.
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iraman is on the summit and looking back at us while we wait for our turn to touch the summit.
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iraman on the Sherpa Peak summit (8605').
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iraman got this shot of the Balanced Rock.
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ragman making the second of two airy step-over moves.
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ragman on the Sherpa Peak summit.
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We didn't spend much time on the summit and are back to where we can see the Stuart/Sherpa col below.
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rocman rappelling...
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ragman being lowered down the last pitch... it is 6:00 p.m. and we need to get back to a good trail before it gets too dark to find our way.
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The nex morning now... and time to pack all of the gear over Longs Pass and back to the car.
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We can see Longs Pass in the center of the photo.
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The flowers are hanging on very well.
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A closeup of Sherpa Peak (center) as we get closer to Longs Pass.
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rocman and iraman near Longs Pass.
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rocman very close to Longs Pass.
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Mt. Stuart from Longs Pass.
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Leaving Longs Pass... the hike to the car is all down hill from here.
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