Forum Index > Trip Reports > Red Mtn–Ragged Ridge Traverse July28-Aug.4, 2012 Route Notes
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DIYSteve
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Joined: 06 Mar 2007
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DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostSun Dec 02, 2012 6:11 pm 
Fourth of July Pass to Easy Pass via N side of Red Mountain and (mostly) N flank of Ragged Ridge.
RRR3D
RRR3D
Started at Colonial Creek CG/Thunder Creek TH and hiked trail to NCNP camps WNW of Fourth of July Pass. Left trail near Fourth of July Pass to gain N toe of Red Mountain’s NW ridge. Ascended on or near crest of toe in open montane forest with occasional steep step via easy scrambling on ramps.
02 starting up the toe of Red Mountain
02 starting up the toe of Red Mountain
At c. 5150’, travel on the crest of the NW ridge of Red Mountain became easy in open subalpine terrain with nice views.
04 day 2 on Red Mountain
04 day 2 on Red Mountain
At c. 5850’ traversed down a bit to the NE then contoured to camp at a lovely larch-rimmed tarn at c. 6240’.
05 working across to camp2
05 working across to camp2
06 camp 2 at larch rimmed tarn
06 camp 2 at larch rimmed tarn
From camp at the larch tarn, ascended over a minor spur to easy snow bench travel at c. 6500’ on the NE side of Red, traversing southeasterly to a key notch (6530’) on a spur running NE from Pt. 7598 marked “Ragged” on USGS 7.5’ map.
From the notch descended easily a couple hundred verts to resume easy snow bench travel between 6350’ and 6700’, occasionally working around a terrain feature. Travel here might be much more tedious with less snow.
010 nice traversing terrain on N side of Red Mtn.
010 nice traversing terrain on N side of Red Mtn.
013 N side of Red
013 N side of Red
From the snow basin roughly 0.5km NW of Pt. 7533, ascended southeasterly up an ice remnant, moderately steep towards the top, to a scenic ridge top camp. Our designated steep snow man, Ted, led the final steep pitch.
015 Kevin at ridge top camp 3
015 Kevin at ridge top camp 3
018 looking back at route from ridge top camp 3
018 looking back at route from ridge top camp 3
From the ridge top camp hiked and scrambled over Pt. 7533 and down to the col 0.7km to E, and continued towards out objective for the night, Cosho Col, located closely SSE of Cosho Peak (aka Ragged End). From the col, we traveled along the ridge top for a short stretch and then followed benches at c. 7200’ on the S side of the ridge.
019 working E from Pt. 7533
019 working E from Pt. 7533
The travel was reasonable for awhile, but led to death-by-cheesegrater steep sidehilling.
022 southsideshit
022 southsideshit
023 southsideshit
023 southsideshit
Descended several hundred feet, nervous at times, then contoured via unpleasant terrain easterly to a rib system. We ascended the rib system, then a dirty talus couloir to Cosho Col.
025 cosho col camp
025 cosho col camp
After a quick morning scramble of Cosho Peak, we had the option of staying high on the Kimtah Glacier, staying closely N of Kimtah Peak, or descending the glacier to its toe then traversing to the large basin 0.8km NNW of Kimtah Peak. We chose the latter. The terrain is complex here due to the recent retreat of the Kimtah Glacier.
029 working around toe of Kimtah Glacier
029 working around toe of Kimtah Glacier
From just below the glacier to, we chose to do a short rappel down steep polished slabs to reach the low angle basin. From the basin, ascended easterly to the steep rocky SE-NW trending ridge c. 0.7km N of Kimtah Peak. Andy led the final 100’ pitch of 4th class rock and fixed a rope. [Details of Ted’s alternate route omitted.] Andy and I located a spectacular camp on an exposed promontory at c. 6930’, which we named Camp Wow!
032 Camp Wow
032 Camp Wow
033 Camp Wow
033 Camp Wow
034 Shawn
034 Shawn
From Camp Wow! traveled southeasterly to a notch on the ridge extending NE from Kimtah Peak and descended into the basin at the headwaters of Panther Creek.
036 working down to Mesachie Glacier cirque
036 working down to Mesachie Glacier cirque
From teh basin, climbed to the Mesachie Glacier to Mesachie Col, then traversed easterly round the S side of Kitling Peak high on S-aspect slopes to final camp at the ridge top E of Honeymoon Hump. As has been reported on other TRs, after the snow melts off the travel on this stretch involves some loose and unpleasant sidehilling. From camp we walked down easily to Easy Pass and the first other party of humans being we had seen in a week. A bit o' history: The Red-Ragged Traverse was first done by the Fireys in 1971. My research suggests that the Fireys traveled the N-side benches, as we did. Some parties, e.g., Gallagher aka tvashtar and Klenke/Feller, stick closer to the ridge top. Lowell and Carl Skoog did the traverse on skis in 1991. The Red-Ragged ridge allows numerous route variations, and I doubt any two parties have repeated the same route. The E half (Easy Pass to Cosho aka Ragged End) of the ridge sees substantially more traffic from peakbaggers than the complete Red-Ragged traverse. The N side of Red Mountain has oodles of non-technical, albeit rugged and remote, terrain and seldom visited tarns for experienced and fit cross-country hikers. Thanks to my Alpencorp buds – Andy, Brad, Kevin, Shawn and Ted – for another fantastic high route. Thanks to tvashtar for routefinding info, little of which we used, but thanks anyway. wink.gif

Now I Fly
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iron
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iron
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PostSun Dec 02, 2012 6:21 pm 
BigSteve wrote:
02 starting up the toe of Red Mountain
02 starting up the toe of Red Mountain
^ looks like the ultralight crew arrived smile.gif
Quote:
Thanks to tvashtar for routefinding info, little of which we used, but thanks anyway. wink.gif
nice jab! smile.gif

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DIYSteve
seeking hygge



Joined: 06 Mar 2007
Posts: 12655 | TRs | Pics
Location: here now
DIYSteve
seeking hygge
PostSun Dec 02, 2012 6:24 pm 
Heh. Hey, those packs have 8 days of food and booze and glacier gear! Andy (center of photo) always carries too much. Brad and I finished with <30 lb. packs, with ropes, hard hats, ice screws, etc. Pat was generous with his info, but we went a different way, traveling the N-side benches of Red and going down and around the toe of the Kimtah Glacier.

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iron
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iron
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PostSun Dec 02, 2012 6:29 pm 
BigSteve wrote:
Hey, those packs have 8 days of food and booze and ...
how much booze? huh.gif

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raising3hikers
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PostMon Dec 03, 2012 5:48 pm 
I remember running into you guys at Easy Pass, looks like you guys had a good time on a traverse that very few do. Thanks for writing a report on your trip

Eric Eames
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SergioNapelo
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PostMon Dec 03, 2012 8:26 pm 
Thank you for report Steve, I really enjoy your amazing trips. Hope to see more of them in TR form, not just read bits of it in posts... up.gif

"I will lift up my eyes to the mountains. From where shall my help come. My help comes from the LORD, who made heaven and earth!" - David, King of Israel 1,000 BC
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Randy
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PostMon Dec 03, 2012 10:31 pm 
Way cool! up.gif

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