A very interesting outing! For a peak that see, maybe, seven ascents in a year, we managed to have seven people vying for the summit on the same day! If it weren't for Richard "The Rope Gun" Baranow, I know I probably would not have made it.
Tony and I started out Friday after school, camped at Heritage Falls, then climbed up to the base of Polar Bear on Saturday morning (we got up at about 4:30am). There we came across a tent and a mega-mid with some folks in it making breakfast. Just as I was about to charge in (thinking it was Billy, Yvonne, and Steve who we knew were also going to be up there) we saw three bodies up on the hill above us. Obviously, the folks in the tent were someone else.
We climbed up to Billy and crew and found out that it was Richard and Matt Lee - also hoping to climb (and ski) Polar Bear.
The climb up to the summit block was pretty uneventful - Tony led through the steep traverse and the base setting a great set of tracks for us to follow - then came the crux. I tried to head up one gully system unsuccessfully then headed over to the standard route (with Richard shouting at us from below directions to the proper gully system). I was not comfortable leading it, though, and was ready to head back down (plus the weather was not exactly ideal - snowing and about 100' of visibility). Richard came up, though, as Tony and I were contemplating heading down and offered to lead the pitch and then fix a line for us to follow. After some contemplation, we agreed, and watched Richard waltz through the ice that I did not want to lead.
Sometime later, all seven of us were standing on the summit of Polar Bear, thanks to Richard's great attitude, willingness to share the mountain and the route, and his obvious excellent climbing abilities.
On the way down, we actually had some clearing and were able to get some limited views. Richard and Matt stayed in to climb for a few more days; Billy, Yvonne, and Steve stayed one more night in the upper valley; Tony and I headed back to the ERNC, driving off at about 10:30pm (a bit longer than we had anticipated ... such is the Chugach!).
This is the "lightweight" set-up of the Nallo 2GT (read: "J.T. forgot the poles")
4:30am:
Following Matt and Richard's ski tracks from the day before (May 11th, by the way):
Richard and Matt's camp:
Both camps:
Sighting of Billy, Yvonne, and Steve:
Tony leading a steep traverse:
View of the summit block!
The roped climbing begins (I began by heading up the gully on the left with the sling in it ... wrong-o):
Looking down at Richard and Matt who were heading up:
Tony on top:
Matt, Tony, and Richard:
Billy being very serious:
Steve heading to the top:
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Yvonne rapping Sessara's chimney:
Looking back up at the summit block (while everyone comes down ... my butt-slide track is on the right!):
Richard and Matt getting a run in:
