EISPIRATEN

Thanks for the report, and nice to hear that the snow was pretty consolidated. Spring in the Sierra - a wonderful time of the year.

Great job and I'm glad the excursion to Irvine worked out for you.

I keep thinking that I'm going to try McAdie from Crabtree Pass instead of Arc Pass, but I haven't done it yet.

excellent trip report! love the pics and your adventurous spirit!

You are one crazy guy! Glad you did not die The snow conditions don't look like they have changed that much since I was up there in March. I've got my eyes set on the East Arete of Irvine Peak this summer an often unclimbed Grade 3 or 4 5.10! Super psyched. What kind of tent did you use for your trip?

Kathy - If you end up making that trek, take good notes on getting around on the three mini-peaks that make up McAdie. You thinking a snow climb or waiting for some warmth?

Zach - You are!

Rokclimbr - Good luck on that Irvine approach, there seems to be so many ways up that mountain. Below is a pic of my tent, the Dragontail. I love it, except it has a big footprint and requires good placement of the guylines in high winds. Lots of interior room, though.

Burchey wrote: ↑Kathy - If you end up making that trek, take good notes on getting around on the three mini-peaks that make up McAdie. You thinking a snow climb or waiting for some warmth?

For McAdie, I want to do a nice summer backpacking trip into Miter Basin where I'll camp and head up to Crabtree Pass and McAdie. I did Irvine that way - backpacked to Sky Blue Lake and then did a day trip up to Arc Pass and Irvine - that was a really nice early August trip. When I did Mallory, I did it as a day trip via the Meysan Lake trail in the month of September - I found out those chutes above Meysan Lake are loose steep crap without snow - it was awful. I think you were smart to go up that way while there's snow.

My first spring Sierra trip for this year is this coming weekend - a day climb of Mount Silliman. Lodgepole campground is still snowed in; so we should be on snow all day and I'm hoping it is nicely consolidated.

Burchey's gettin' after it!

I once read that the majority of mountaineering accidents occur during the learning curve. Glad to hear you didn't fall down that curve this weekend!

Kathy, I doubt I try those chutes with no snow. Warm weather + loose rocks on a steep incline = sweatathon = no thanks. I think I'm going to be bored once most of the snow is gone.

Sam, I think you're right about the curve. I've still got lots to learn - glad I didn't learn it at the bottom of a small cliff. To be honest, remove the snow/ice, give me bare hands and approach or climbing shoes, and that iceaxe-crack-fest would be no sweat. What made it tough was everything was slopey/covered in snow and ice and I had those boots ( which are awesome but not my cobras) and numb fabric covered hands. It's just not the same. In addition, there was another 20 feet or so of penalty fall beyond that section, which was easier to manage but if I'm already falling there ain't no stopping. Learning curve.

Excellent report. Glad to see it have a happy ending. Call me Cinderella, but i like happy endings!

I'm heading up there in a couple weeks for a Mall/Irv weekend too. I think we might tweak your traverse route a bit since i'm only bringing one pair of underware.

Last April i did LeConte and snowshoes were necessary to the LeConte/Mallory saddle. It was a very sunny and warm weekend. I forgot mine but traveled with 4 men that didn't. Ask me how much fun that was trying to keep up with them sans 'shoes! Doesn't sound like you used them. Is that possible? Is the snow that consolidated? Were you postholing??

Dude, that looks awesome, but BE CAREFUL!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Hi Burchey,
Thank you for sharing your real adventure with us. I really enjoyed it.

My friend, Richard P. and I went up Mt. Irvine from Irvine/Canddlelight saddle and went down to the Bowl hiked around Mt. Mallory at 13200 feet to the Mallory and LaConte saddle and took Green pass down to Miter basin and down to Crabtree.

I remember that the rout you came down is very steep rock cliff and all boulders are very big at lower elevation around 13500 feet. It is very intimidating even summer time. It is a good idea to save Mt. McAdie for next time. Mt. McAdie looks very steep a view from Mt. Irvine.


You have a nerve of steel to climb alone in middle of nowhere in winter.

Good luck on next adventure.

Shin

Norma - Good luck on your trip, I had great luck with the snow. With boots and warm clothes on I'm 195ish lbs, and then my pack was 48 pounds...heavy dude. I didn't posthole once that I can remember, except approaching a large boulder or something where the snow has melted away a bit from the heat. I carried snowshoes on my back the whole way to camp at 11,500. THey make great snow anchors for the tent, that's for sure. I do love an early start, but even at lower elevations during the day I had no issues. When I did punch through while walking, it was only for a few inches. I hope you find the same thing.

Taco - Careful...check!

Shin - Your hike with Richard sounds like a blast, but I bet all the loose rocks made it a tough one. I don't know if it's nerves of steel or just bad judgement, but I'm glad I made it back.

Hi Burchey,
This is the summer,September of 2010, view of Mt. Mallory. You took the most direct rout to the Bowl of Mt. Mollory and Mt. Irvine.


This is the summer view of Mt. McAdie from Mt. Irvine summit. It is a super steep mountain. Glad you save this one for next time.

snmtbaldy wrote: ↑Hi Burchey,
This is the summer,September of 2010, view of Mt. Mallory. You took the most direct rout to the Bowl of Mt. Mollory and Mt. Irvine.

Shin! Great shots, thanks. I get a little sick to my stomach when I think about climbing down that stuff. If I had been on a rope, it would have been no big deal - it's just the foolishness of doing it without protection.

Burchey!!! You've outdone yourself this time! Sure am glad you survived to post this most excellent TR. I guess when summer rolls around you'll be solo up on Denali with the Grizzley bears?

Sh*t burchey... awesome hike... like that...Nice trip, thanks for the pictures.........crazy dude...

wanna do Whitney next month? and not the friggen face

mark

Tracie I'm supposed to crank down the poor judgment, remember? And besides, if there are Grizzlies there, I won't be solo. Right? Right.

Mark What route are you thinking on Whitney? Did you already snag a permit? I know it's not hard to get a walk-up one if you get there early enough, which is my specialty.

Burchey wrote: ↑I know it's not hard to get a walk-up one if you get there early enough, which is my specialty.

if you are there on a popular day or weekend (doesn't have to be a holiday) there could be 50 others that show up for the day ahead (walk-in) lottery. happened to me and i pulled #30-something. i got nothin'. but every other time i have done it i have been lucky and snagged a permit. just don't count on it as a 100% possibility.

norma r wrote: ↑if you are there on a popular day or weekend (doesn't have to be a holiday) there could be 50 others that show up for the day ahead (walk-in) lottery. happened to me and i pulled #30-something. i got nothin'. but every other time i have done it i have been lucky and snagged a permit. just don't count on it as a 100% possibility.

Thanks Norma, I won't. I sat in on a Whitney talk at A-16 or whatever it's called given by Ken - I think he said there were only a couple days last year that there were no permits left. Hopefully we wouldn't land on that day.

If we did catch some bad luck, there's always Mt McAdie by the Meysan Lake Trail. I have a funny feeling we'd get a permit for that no problem.

Looks like an Adventure.Also mountain house lasagna is good:)

I'll pm you, May 21 or 28 MR route....plan B main trail...

mark

Great TR and pics, Burchey. Nice downclimb on Mallory, glad it worked out!

I was on the MR on Friday and it's was a quiet climb, as all the other climbers were camping.

Mark - Sounds good

Giga - Glad you got a little peace up there, as you know there are pros and cons to a high-traffic route

Awesome report! I'm jealous and probably too fucking old to do the stuff you're doing! Keep it up young man.

spotfin wrote: ↑Awesome report! I'm jealous and probably too fucking old to do the stuff you're doing! Keep it up young man.

Thanks! I think the only way age would have played into it is: you would probably have wisely went back down the way you came up Mallory.