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1. Cool exposed roots on the trail towards Headlee Basin. 2. Approaching the saddle between Vesper and Sperry Peak to access the ledge on the north face. Later in the summer this approach is snow-free. 3. Our first view of the North Face of Vesper, from the saddle between Vesper and Sperry. The Ragged Edge route begins on the right side of the ledge system that is covered in snow in the photo. Later in the summer this face is devoid of snow, but early season it becomes more of a mixed climbing adventure. 4. Sam entering the ledge system. 5. We took turns kicking steps across the steep snow. The temperatures had been in the 40's at night and 60's in the day with little direct sun, so the snow was soft but not dangerously sloughing. 6. Copper Lake far below. 7. Looking back across the snowfields we had traversed so far. 8. My scars from the last time I had attempted to climb the north side of Vesper... 9. Mid 5th climbing on Pitch 1. This is actually the first pitch of the True Grit route that is just left of the Ragged Edge route, since the early season snow made it difficult to access the start of the first pitch of Ragged Edge. Pitch 2 of Ragged Edge goes over the roof on the right and then back left onto the face above. 10. An old piton on Pitch 3 of the route. This pitch goes up the seam in the photo, and there are enough features to make it 5.7. 11. The zig-zag cracks (5.7) of Pitch 4. 12. Sam at the belay at the top of Pitch 4. Pitch 5 traverses right out to the edge. 13. Sam following the Pitch 5 traverse (5.7) out to the edge of the face. 14. Looking up at the awesomely-exposed ragged edge pitch (Pitch 6) that gives the route it's name. 5.5 climbing to the top. 15. Looking down while leading Pitch 6 along the edge of the north face. The exposure is exhilerating. 16. Sam picking his way up the moss carpet just before the summit. This final section makes you appreciate all of Darin's efforts cleaning the few hundred feet of face below this point. 17. The view from the summit towards the north. The glaciated summit in the distance is Mount Baker, while Three Fingers and Whitehorse are the rockier peaks past Copper Lake in the foreground. 18-19. Looking down at the slab on the right most north side Vesper. The standard North Face route goes up this slab—the route is 5.7 in dry summer conditions, but would be pretty gnarly in these conditions. 20. The quick and easy decent down the east side of Vesper. It took us only a couple of hours to get from the summit back to the car. 21. Descending the trail from Headlee Pass. A day of rugged terrain makes you appreciate the mindlessness of a trail. |