Jon from Bozeman came down a week ago, and we decided to go up the CMC route on Mt Moran with Jason. Jay had the canoe and had done the route a few different times, including a car to car group solo a few years ago, pretty impressive. We shoved off from string lake around 3:30 am, and canoed across both lakes on glass smooth water. We stashed gear and beer at the base and started the grunt up the falling ice glacier drainage. It’s 3000 vert to the CMC camp, and then the scrambling begins.
We then arrived at the top of the drizzlepuss where it really begins. I’m sure this is the point where many have turned around. It overhangs slightly off the top, and your looking straight down into the exposure. Take heart, it ‘s actually pretty easy with huge jugs in small chimneys linking ledges together, then to a rap down to the notch. The climbing was a little traversey at first, then you begin going up on solid slabs and small chimneys and ledges. We did a combination of soloing, simul climbing, and a belayed climbing. Great summit view with the always impressive Hidden Couloir on Thor Peak. I would say the real business of the route is downclimbing the slabs at the very bottom of the CMC face, which I rapped, and back up the drizzlepuss, which I wanted the rope for.
We waited out a 30 min hail storm under a large boulder at the CMC camp, and made our way back to the gear and beer stash. As Jon said ” I’m out of food, I’m heading for beer”. We canoed across both lakes and were greeted with some amazing late light. Huge 17 hour day car to car, my descending muscles in the thighs were blown for 2 days. HERE IS THE SLIDE SHOW MT MORAN CMC SLIDE SHOW
Nice slide show
Nice photos and Cool rainbow
16:26 colors fly- Providence. Calla was here! Nice worl old boy. very entertaining pics. glad 2 c you and the boys are riding bad. checkpoint Alpha beta gamma t minus 24 hours.
Have you seen the double rainbow youtube vid, it’s amazing.
yeah Nuge, glad to hear from ya, hows the rush, just got back from the beartooths, climbed a great route on Mt Cowen. Saw Stu and Klepetar in Bozeman, remember that dude!
Great stuff Mike. Stumbled onto your blog. I’ll have to keep it bookmarked. Be well.
–PD
Thanks Pete!