Trip Report

Started the morning at the trailhead at 5am for a safety briefing. Asked about medical conditions, injuries or concerns. None were had. Also gave the group a chance to respond to this question via email prior to the trip. We left the trailhead at 5:10 AM and started our hike in the coolness of the morning. The mosquitoes were not as bad as we feared, the cool morning and early hour saved us from these pests. The fire from 2024 left a significant void of any flora on the trail. The monotone of burned trees and upturned roots were patterned across the landscape. We had a easy hike in and were happy to be on the ridge with the breeze. This was a strong group of climbers and we reached chicken out ledge in just over 3 hrs. When we got up to chicken out ledge I performed a lead climb, being belayed by the assistant, and set up a fixed line for the climbers. Three cams with slings were placed along the route. Added our own webbing to the anchor to ensure safety. The assistant (Maryanne Reiter) then ascended the fixed line with a prussik and brought a second rope to the anchor point. While the assistant set up a second rope for rappelling, and a few advanced climbers to ascend, I set a hand line to the summit to ensure safety along the exposed summit. I then waited up top. The group of 10 other climbers were then safety and gear checked by another experience climber, Danni Harris, prior to ascending the rope. One person per section between cams was allowed (no more than 3 people on the rope at a time) to prussik up the rope. There were no other climbers on the mountain while we were there. As the climbers secured their PAS to the hand line and made their way to the summit, and we took pictures. The climbers were rotated on and off the summit pinnacle. Once coming off the summit, the climbers followed the hand line back to the rappel station and began rappeling to chicken out ledge. A very experience climber (Steve Davis) went first and backed up each rappel with a firemen's belay. Up top Maryanne and another experienced climber, Eddy Pszczolkowski made sure everyone hooked up their rappel correctly, while I remained on the summit to take photos and celebrate a beautiful summit with the group. Two climbers down climbed the fixed line with a prussik. I rapped down to join the group. Eddy was placed on belay, released the rappel rope, and then down climbed while cleaning all the gear and anchor. Once on chicken out ledge, we gathered the gear, hydrated, ate and then headed down around 11:30 am. All 12 climbers safely made it back to the cars around 2:10 pm. I then surprised the group with a cold watermelon that we cut up. Dan's birthday was in 2 days and placed a birthday candle in his slice of freshly cut watermelon. This was a very strong group of climbers! Everyone had a great time!