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Diadem Peak | 2011-07-31
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Stats from bivy site to Diadem Peak is on page 8.
Joined CSMC to attempt Mount Woolly and Diadem Peak.
To Bivy Site (Day 1):
We parked our car at an unsigned parking slot at GR775945. The crux of the day was right at the start, fording a big creek. Fortunately the creek was low at the time; it was only bit higher than knee deep. When we came back on the 3rd day after a rainy day, the creek wasn’t much deeper but current was for sure faster. It was little intense fording. In fact we had one casualty.
After this we find a trail all the way up to the bivy site. The trail can be found left (south) of Woolley Creek most of the time. It became hard to follow the trail once we arrived at moraines, but there were cairns in every 30 to 50 m to help us. However on the way up, we lost the trail. Wasn’t paying enough attention… (;^_^ hehehe.
To Diadem Peak (Day 2):
We left the camp around 3:00 am. At the camp it was disappointingly 10 ° and little worried about condition. Our plan was take Woolley-Diadem col route. SE face route which is more direct route to the summit of Diadem described in 11,000ers book wasn’t feasible since there were still big cornices hanging at the summit ridge. We made a mistake about the col route however. I memorized the col route wrong and I guess everyone else too. I have Alzheimer at age of 24. We weren’t supposed to take the second couloir (near the glacier), instead we were supposed to follow the first couloir just like direct route then traverse to the second couloir at some point. The reason for that is because if you take the second couloir from the start of the couloir, you will be right beside seracs where small or big pieces of ice blocks fall every once in a while (see page 8). Judging by new and old debris near the seracs, I could see ice fall doesn’t happen too frequently, but then in evening after we came back to the bivy site, we saw big break off. If we were there at that time, we all could have been killed with that kind of violent force.
Anyhow, in dark we headed out. Lower section of glacier was more of ice with rocks on top. We could easily walk without crampons. Now I know why Calgary city dumps rocks on road in winter time. I thought they are doing this to help out auto business!
Once we reached snow part, we roped up. We stayed close to rockwall on Diadem side pretty much. There were several crevasses on this section.
The second couloir (the wrong route). It was bit steep. Mostly around 35 to 50 degrees but some short sections it was about 60 degrees, and one section it was closer to vertical (page 14, 15, 21). On the way back we had to downclimb the same way. Déjà vu of Lefory. Despite temperature was colder and there was no sun, at higher altitude snow was defiantly got softer as we went up.
At waypoint Cairn 10, we got out of the couloir and walked more gentle terrain to the col (page 17). However at this point, snow was very slushy.
From the col, NW side of mountain was dry and it was nothing but easy scramble. Only the difficulty we had to the summit was once snow was reintroduced, we couldn’t see and tell where we were. It was total whiteout.
To Mount Woolley (Day 2):
REJECTED!! We run out of time and condition was against us anyway. (>_<､) Nooooooooooo!!
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