Kiener's/Long's Weather Forecast Woes

[atalarico]

So, we're making an attempt on Kiener's tomorrow morning (read: TH by 1am). I just read the updated forecast for Long's from NOAA and it's not looking pretty.

"A slight chance of showers and thunderstorms before 7am, then a slight chance of showers between 7am and 1pm, then a chance of showers and thunderstorms after 1pm. Partly sunny, with a high near 61. Southwest wind 7 to 11 mph, with gusts as high as 17 mph. Chance of precipitation is 50%."

Not just the typical afternoon storms, but morning storms!? We're still going to get up and go, but I don't like the sound of the before noon storms. I can deal with a chance of storms after 1pm because I'm off the summit by then, but between 7am and 1pm!? =(

Oh, also, does anyone have any advice on climbing the Glacier Rib next to Lamb's Slide? I'm taking a lot of photo copies of literature and pictures, and Gillett's book shows and describes the route in a rather tertiary manner. Is that because it's just straightforward 3rd class stuff? Hurry up because I'm going to bed soon. =p

[Dan_Suitor]

I attempted, and aborted, Kiener’s a few years back due to weather. Quite the hike up to the Lamb’s Slide from the trail head with ropes and gear. Can’t quite remember the Glacier Rib, but the black ice on the Lamb Slide is slick as hell. Have sharp crampons and rope in. Be careful with the weather. The day we were there it was coming in from opposite side of the mountain, so we could not see what was heading our way till it got there. Be safe and get some sleep.

[atalarico]

I attempted, and aborted, Kiener’s a few years back due to weather. Quite the hike up to the Lamb’s Slide from the trail head with ropes and gear. Can’t quite remember the Glacier Rib, but the black ice on the Lamb Slide is slick as hell. Have sharp crampons and rope in. Be careful with the weather. The day we were there it was coming in from opposite side of the mountain, so we could not see what was heading our way till it got there. Be safe and get some sleep.

Yeah, I'm aware that Lamb's Slide is pretty much all AI2-3 right now. I'm bringing tools and a few screws. As for the weather, it usually comes from the West, which makes any ascent from the east dangerous. When we finally completed the Casual Route last year, my roommate was hiking Keyhole the same day. We took 2-way radios to get good weather observations from him, which really helped. I won't have that luxury this time around.

The Glacer Rib is the southern/looker's left boundary of Lambs Slide. It's apparently a 3rd class scramble and then just a 200' traverse to Broadway. I just wanted to see if anyone had any better beta on it. =)

[Monster5]

There is significant rockfall in Lambslide and it's basically pure ice. I had a stinger and a large rock thudded into an outcrop behind us yesterday. Due to this, we gained Glacier Ridge via a dry gully about 50 ft to the left/east of the lower ice. The ridge itself went at 3/4 with some exposure and we stayed mostly to the right or proper, favoring rock over soft, wet scree closer to the ice. It is fairly straight forward. Near the Broadway crossing, the ridge gets spicier and you're forced right to some looser, narrower stuff next to the ice. Good spot to assess things.

Two options for the crossing onto Broadway:

-Continue climbing up about 40', cross Lambslide on loose, dry stuff above the ice, and descend the right side 40' until the Broadway exit. Looked manageable, but tedious. This point can also be reached by dropping in from the Loft. I'd bring a tool for security on the right side descent. Some rockfall sourcing from a notch above this point too.

-Cross the ice directly. The rock near the crossing doesn't take pro easily (though lower does), but the ice is solid enough to take screws or set up a V. I'd recommend at least two axes/tools. Whichever combo is lightest and sticks in ice. You could split this section up by angling for a boulder outcrop in the center, but you might as well go around on dry in that case.

Broadway and Kiener's were free of snow, though seepage and wet rock is common after a rainfall.

A note on the weather: you can't see it coming as you're below the East Face. We bailed to other routes yesterday due to fast-moving dark clouds (that naturally didn't do anything, but they looked fore-boding from our limited view). It is a committing approach and probably should only be done with a good weather forecast (weather after noon).

Edit - your partner/radio/keyhole thing is a VERY good idea. Had we had that, we would have continued. The lingering dark clouds were visible and intimidating on the E side, but it was pretty clear on the W side.

[atalarico]

There is significant rockfall in Lambslide and it's basically pure ice. I had a stinger and a large rock thudded into an outcrop behind us yesterday. Due to this, we gained Glacier Ridge via a dry gully about 50 ft to the left/east of the lower ice. The ridge itself went at 3/4 with some exposure and we stayed mostly to the right or proper, favoring rock over soft, wet scree closer to the ice. It is fairly straight forward. Near the Broadway crossing, the ridge gets spicier and you're forced right to some looser, narrower stuff next to the ice. Good spot to assess things.

Two options for the crossing onto Broadway:

-Continue climbing up about 40', cross Lambslide on loose, dry stuff above the ice, and descend the right side 40' until the Broadway exit. Looked manageable, but tedious. This point can also be reached by dropping in from the Loft. I'd bring a tool for security on the right side descent. Some rockfall sourcing from a notch above this point too.

-Cross the ice directly. The rock near the crossing doesn't take pro easily (though lower does), but the ice is solid enough to take screws or set up a V. I'd recommend at least two axes/tools. Whichever combo is lightest and sticks in ice. You could split this section up by angling for a boulder outcrop in the center, but you might as well go around on dry in that case.

Broadway and Kiener's were free of snow, though seepage and wet rock is common after a rainfall.

A note on the weather: you can't see it coming as you're below the East Face. We bailed to other routes yesterday due to fast-moving dark clouds (that naturally didn't do anything, but they looked fore-boding from our limited view). It is a committing approach and probably should only be done with a good weather forecast (weather after noon).

Edit - your partner/radio/keyhole thing is a VERY good idea. Had we had that, we would have continued. The lingering dark clouds were visible and intimidating on the E side, but it was pretty clear on the W side.

Thanks for the info! That helps for sure. I was noticing/thinking about the scree above Lambs Slide, thanks for the tip on that. Definitely going to bring the tools and screws! Good to hear that it'll at least take screws and maybe a thread.

[TomPierce]

I've done the section above Lamb's Slide to the top of Glacier Rib both ascending and descending (to Eagle's Nest), and have done the direct scoot across to Broadway from the Rib. All options are definitely do-able as an alternative to a standard Lamb's Slide ascent. But under any option I would NOT do them without crampons and pro. The transition from gravel to ice probably isn't going to be readily visible, esp trying to see black ice in the dark. Popping off there would be a challenging self-arrest. If you hug the rock wall when descending to Broadway (looking down to climber's left) I suspect there will be opportunities to place rock pro, but I never needed to do so, speculation on my part.

I hope you can assess weather before committing to the alpine ice section, if you needed to bail it'd be a pain to exit that way in foul weather. Good luck.
-Tom