Goats at sunrise
When we woke up the mama and baby goats were back. Mount Peal can be seen in the background.
A long hike and fun scramble to the highpoint of Montana
When we woke up the mama and baby goats were back. Mount Peal can be seen in the background.
Dwight at our camp on Froze-To-Death Plateau. There were many pre-constructed rock shelters to choose from but camping here was cold and unpleasant. Notice all the goats in the background.
Granite Peak came into view just a short while after leaving camp. The lower part of the route more or less follows the left ridge line.
Dwight and Kevin on the annoying descending traverse across the west slopes of Tempest Mountain. Six hundred feet must be regained on the return trip.
Fun 3rd class scrambling on the lower part of Granite Peak's east ridge.
After the snow bridge (which can be seen at the bottom of the photo), the route leaves the east ridge and climbs steep 4th class rock on the left side of it.
Dwights belays Kevin as he crosses the snow bridge. We could have done this unroped but decided to rope up for added safety since we had it along. The snow was too hard for self belay with an ice axe and we didn't have crampons along.
Dwight crossing the snow bridge. There is a large vertical step at the end.
Kevin gives Dwight a belay as he crosses the snow bridge.
Kevin starting up the first of a series of cool 4th class chimneys after the snow bridge.
Dwight starting up the first chimney. The snow bridge can be seen below.
Dwight climbing in the first chimney.
Kevin climbing the second 4th class chimney. We rappelled all of the chimneys on the descent using existing anchors.
Dwight taking a quick break from the steep scrambling.
Dwight doing some exposed scrambling on the upper portion of the route.
Kevin climbing up another fun 4th class chimney.
Dwight having some chimney-climbing fun.
Dwight and I climbed everything unroped while Kevin preferred to have a belay for two short sections.
Kevin climbing the final 4th class section below the summit.
Me on the summit of Granite Peak. We took a very long, relaxing break up here.
View south from the summit of Granite Peak
Tempest Mountain and Mount Peal as seen from Granite Peak.
Dwight and Kevin on the descent of Granite Peak's south face.
Dwight & Kevin on a ledgy traverse during the descent.
Kevin rappelling some of the steep, tricky terrain. Since there were already good anchors everywhere we chose to rappel everything to speed up the descent. Most of it could have been carefully downclimbed.
A good look at the upper portion of the route on Granite Peak's south face.
Kevin rappels one of the earlier chimneys while Dwight begins to coil one of the ropes so we can move efficiently to the next anchor. Weather is moving in.
Kevin rappelling the first chimney back to the snow bridge.
Kevin descending Granite Peak's east ridge toward Tempest Mountain.