Three Sierra Ice Climbs
by SCMA Member Alois Smrz

Every year, a few SCMA members and friends impatiently wait for the Sierra ice gullies to attain their perfect consistency. The Sierra ice climbing season is usually very short. In late July, the first ice appears. By mid September, early snow storms cover the couloirs by several inches of snow, and the alpine ice climbing season is over. This year, a combination of late season's heavy snow fall, extremely hot summer temperatures and dry autumn in the Sierra, created unusually long lasting conditions. The first winter storm didn't arrive till October 24th, allowing completion of three good climbs. 

Peak 13,121ft. SE of Mt. Humphreys 
CHECKERED DEMON

On October 9th, we sipped coffee at Erick Klostermann's new home in Bishop. Staring at the early morning Alpenglow on Mt. Humphreys, Eric asked: "Have you ever climbed any of the ice gullies on Humphreys north face?" I haven't.. so another trip was born. Instead of attempting the classic Northeast Couloir, we decided to explore the large alpine cirque South East of the peak. The two ice gullies on neighboring Peak 13,121', looked especially interesting. Eric felt that we could drive his 4x4 up the Buttermilk Road and leave the truck at the end of the road, just east of our destination. From there, we would attempt the gully, described in several of the guidebooks as 800', 50 degrees, central (?) gully called Checkered Demon. After hiking into the cirque left of Mt. Humphreys, we found the two ice gullies on the north side of Peak 13,121'. The left one, about 800 feet long, wide open, low to mid angle (50º), and the far right one, hidden behind a ridge, narrow, steeper and longer gully. After reading the various guidebooks descriptions, we decided to climb the right hand gully. We brought 8.5 mm rope, 6 screws and 5 wires, but decided to simul-solo the gully. It took us 3 hours to climb this surprisingly long (>1400') gully. It forks in the upper part and we took the easier looking, right hand exit.  High above the fork, the gully narrowed to three feet and steepened to 55º. The last 150 feet, involved mixed 4th class climbing on hard water ice and steep rock. The description in the Guidebooks is confusing. If this right hand gully is the Checkered Demon, it's much longer than 800' and steeper than 50º. There is some rock scrambling at the top, made easier this year by the thick ice conditions. If this isn't the Demon, what did we do? The gully is much longer than the Palisades couloirs and it kept our attention. We loved it. In any case, these two gullies, the NE Couloir of Humphreys as well as the North gullies of Mt. Emerson can be easily done in one day round trip from Bishop, provided you have a 4x4.  

Mt. Gilbert.
NORTHWEST COULOIR

The spectacular cirque on the north side of Mt. Gilbert and Mt. Thompson is home to number of fine ice couloirs. Among them is the classic "Gilbert Couloir", first climbed by (Robert Somoano's bivouac partner and fellow RCS member) Al Fowler in September of 1972. I have attempted this couloir several times in the past few years. In 1995, Miguel Carmona and I tried to do it in one day. It was after one of my night shift duties and ran out of steam far from the base. Miguel climbed half way up the gully to check it out, then turned around to help me get back to our car. Last year, Gerry Cox and I tried to climb it only to be stopped by a virus attack. On October 11th, Eric and I decided to get even by climbing the gully in one day round trip from South Lake. To go light and to make it a bit more challenging, we decided to leave rope and ice screws at the car. We left South Lake at 5:00 am and reached the couloir by 9:00 am. While hiking through the woods bellow Treasure Lakes, we ran into Ellen Holden and her partner Steve, who were also on their way to climb the gully. A small world! The climb took 1 hour and 45 minutes from the base. The gully was about 70% hard water ice, with hard styrofoam snow the rest. The upper narrow part is surprisingly steep, every bit the 60-65º described in the Guidebooks. This is very esthetic, MUST DO climb and strenuous, 10 hours round trip from South Lake. The descent is a bit tricky. Don't try to go down the obvious descent gully at the top of the couloir. Go down 40', traverse left 20', climb 4th class ramp that changes into low angle corner. 200' of this get you to the summit of Mt. Gilbert. Follow the left hand (E) dropoff several hundred feet down to a bowl. At the far end of the bowl is a sharp notch with a large sub peak behind it. Downclimb or rap from this notch on 35-40 degree slope (fixed rap stations) back to Treasure Lakes basin. Hike down over slabs and long talus to reach the trail to South Lake. 

Split Mountain.
BILL ST. JEAN GULLY

I climbed this gully on October 24th. Eric Klostermann and I hoped to climb the Classic Northeast Couloir of Split Mountain, but when we reached the base of the climb, we found no ice in it, just dry rock. We decided to attempt this easier gully just right (north) of the Northeast Couloir. As we reached the start of the gully, light snow started to fall and Eric decided to turn back. I continued alone, past the "interesting 'schrund" and easy, but long gully above. There were some 1600' of 45-50 degree alpine ice and four or five steeper, but short steps of thick water ice covering 4th class rock. The gully took about three hours to climb. I hiked another hour to reach the North Summit of Split Mountain at 3:00 pm after starting from Red Lake Trailhead at 5:00 am. The normally easy, but long descent down the North Ridge was made difficult by the worsening storm and wet snow covering the talus. Reaching Red Lake Pass in blizzard conditions, I spent several hours finding my way through the 3rd class cliffs down to Red Lake, where I arrived at 9:00 pm. There I was met by two guys from Berkeley, who were watching my descent (headlamp), and offered me hot tea and shelter of their tent. They were trying to get down to the Trailhead (they told me), but couldn't find the way in the dark and knee deep snow. After spending part of the night in their tent, it took me hours to find my way down to the Trailhead, arriving there at 9:30 am. In hindsight, only really strong hikers should attempt any of the Split Mountain routes as a one day, round trip from the Red Lake Trailhead (even in good weather). The trail is steep, not well maintained and the climbing routes are very long. The three impressive east face arêtes (Climbing California's Fourteeners, page 146, routes 9,10,11) boast some of the longest alpine climbs in the range. But the St. Jean gully provides fairly direct, and possibly the quickest way to the top of Split Mountain in late summer and fall. I'm not sure what the gully might look like in early summer (without the ice), but some 4th class rock climbing will be found there, and rockfall could be a problem.