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Summary
Part 1, The Perch
Shirley starting up pitch 3 of Splitgerber-March (5.9) on The Elephants Perch. Chipmunk Perch (left) and Goat Perch (I think) are in the background (July 2011).
We planned on spending 2 days climbing stuff on Elephants Perch in the Sawtooths of Idaho. Drove out on day 0 after work and (following the short shuttle boat ride) hiked in on day 1 under crystal clear skies and in perfect sunshine. We watched jealously from the lake as climbers were topping out on various routes while enjoying the afternoon glow. Dense overcast greeted us on the morning of day 2 but our determination was high. Hiked over to the start of Splitgerber-Marchroute (an 8-pitch 5.10- on the far left side of The Perch) where Shirley dispatched the first pitch, the meat of which is a long tips-to-fingers crack. Dark clouds and intermittent light drizzle gave us plenty of pause at every belay. I led the easier pitch 2, a 5.8 with a crux involving 15 feet of bush climbing and Shirley led pitch 3, a nice dihedral to some 5.9 wideness topped off by more bush/tree climbing. Heavier rain started as I was in the opening chimney of pitch 4. The thought of doing the runout face traverse above in these conditions scared me and we bailed. More on/off rain for rest of the day was followed by a highly memorable storm over night. The three of us were huddled up in our lightweight tent waiting for it to be disintegrated by the howling wind. Morning of day 3 was moist and chilly with some more storm clouds gathering. We hiked out and hit the bakery in Stanley for breakfast. After a family huddle, it was decided that we’d head over to Butte , Montana and try to do a short climb the next day.
Part 2, The Humbug Spires
Shirley hiking the summit ridge of The Wedge to the rap anchors (Aug. 2011).
That evening we ate what was probably the worst Mexican food we’ve ever had (…top listing on Yelp in Butte no less). Despite the turbulent evening, we were at the Humbug Spires trailhead by 6ish in the morning on day 4. A gentle, two hour hike (~4 miles on a well maintained trail) through some pretty Montana woods brought us to the base of the cool-looking Wedge formation: a 600-foot face of white granite towering above the forest. We decided on the The Mutt And Jeffroute (a 5-pitch 5.8 crack line) as it had the highest star rating in the guidebook and we hoped we’d be able to do it reasonably quickly. Fun climbing indeed! The dished out granite surfaces reminded us of the stuff in City Of Rocks . Pitch 2 was quite spectacular and so was the summit ridge traverse. Though the day was still young, we quickly hiked back to the car and headed for home some 700 miles away. Propelled by junk food and audio books, we made Portland before midnight.
Photo Essay
Part 1, The Perch
Shaky log crossing over the raging river & somebody is sporting a new flotation device (July 2011).
Blondie styling her new flotation device on the far side of the raging river (July 2011).
An unknown party on pitch 4 of Mountaineers Route (5.9) on Elephants Perch (July 2011).
Unknown party on pitch 4 of Mountaineers Route (5.9) on the Perch (July 2011).
Shirley & daddy chilling in camp by Saddleback Lakes on our day 1 (approach day & only really nice weather day ...July 2011).
Shirley & Blondie chilling in camp by Saddleback Lakes. Elephants Perch is in the background (July 2011).
Shirley styling the first pitch of Splitgerber-March (July 2011).
Shirley at the thin crux of pitch 1 of Splitgerber-March (5.10-; July 2011).
Following pitch 1 of Splitgerber-March (5.10-). Angle kicks back and the crack opens up to finger sized at this point (July 2011).
Looking up the Redfish Creek valley from somewhere on Splitgerber-March route (July 2011).
Shirley starting up pitch 3 of Splitgerber-March (5.9) on The Elephants Perch. Chipmunk Perch (left) and Goat Perch (I think) are in the background (July 2011).
Shirley on the 5.9 wideness near the top of pitch 3 of Splitgerber-March. The pitch ends via the evergreens above (July 2011).
Starting up pitch 4 of Splitgerber-March. This was our highpoint as it started to rain shortly thereafter (July 2011).
Blondie taking in the Saddleback Lakes vistas on the morning of our day 3. Morning after a violent thunderstorm (July 2011).
Shirley & Blondie waiting for the shuttle boat at the Redfish Lake marina. Unsettled weather chased us out of the Sawtooths (July 2011).
The clearing storm over the Sawtooths on our day 3 (July 2011).
Part 2, The Humbug Spires
Some pretty Montana flora on the hike in to The Wedge in the Humbug Spires area near Billings (Aug. 2011).
First views of The Wedge from the approach trail (Aug. 2011).
The southwest face of The Wedge...something around 600 feet of vertical relief. The Mutt And Jeff (5.8, 5 pitches) route climbs the diagonal (left slanting) crack system to the left of the huge roof (Cyclops Eye). Unknown climbers are on pitch 1 of Tiny Tim (5.10c; Aug. 2011).
Starting up pitch 1 of The Mutt And Jeff, 5.7 cracks to a low 5th class leftward traverse to the belay ledge (Aug. 2011).
Blondie spewing beta for pitch 1 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Pitch 1 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Shirley nearing the top of pitch 1 of The Mutt And Jeff - a nice traverse on City Of Rocks like dishes (Aug. 2011).
Shirley leading the super fun pitch 2 of The Mutt And Jeff (5.8)...best pitch of the day IMHO (Aug. 2011).
Shirley passing the second roof on pitch 2 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Shirley leading pitch 2 of The Mutt And Jeff (5.8) on The Wedge. This is the final roof of the very fun pitch. Yours truly belaying (Aug. 2011).
Topping out on the spectacular pitch 2 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Shirley at the pitch 2 belay on The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
The wideness of pitch 3 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Shirley on pitch 3 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Shirley starting up the final easy (if a bit chossy) pitch 4 of The Mutt And Jeff (Aug. 2011).
Topping out on pitch 4 of The Mutt And Jeff (5.8) on The Wedge (Aug. 2011).
Looking back at Shirley from the summit ridge hike on The Wedge (Aug. 2011).
Shirley hiking the summit ridge of The Wedge to the rap anchors (Aug. 2011).
The rap anchors at the end of the summit ridge traverse on The Wedge (Aug. 2011).