"Martha" is the name given to the aesthetic snow and ice filled cleft which splits the south face of Mt. Lady Washington. Only recently has it become a popular mixed route and being south facing, it is one of the rare mid-winter ice routes to stay "in-shape" in the high country of RMNP.
martha
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FA:
Unknown
Type:
Trad multi-pitch mixed
Difficulty:
WI 2+, M1 (5.6)
Length:
5 pitches 750', Grade III
Season:
December through March
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Image courtesy of Brian Kraus
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Description
Martha
is not yet found in the guidebooks and only recently has it been
getting a fair bit of traffic due to it's presence on the web and the
reports of high quality moderate mixed climbing in a spectacular
setting.
Where
most of the best multi-pitch mixed lines in Rocky Mountain National
Park are a bit ephemeral or contain potential avalanche danger for much
of the winter, Martha is configured in a way that minimizes avalanche
risk and with it's due south-facing aspect, it can be a warm place to
climb during the frigid conditions that are common in this alpine
region.
It's south-facing aspect is also conducive
to ice forming
during the mid-winter months which is rare in this region and at this
elevation where most ice routes sublimate and dry-up during the winter.
Martha just seems to keep getting better during this time of the year.
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Avalanche Danger
The
route itself is in very tight terrain and only the bottom slopes and
first pitch have much risk of avalanche danger; usually the
snow here
is firm due to heating or wind hammering. I have climbed this
route
after more than a foot of fresh snow and in temp.'s as low as 0 F and
even in these conditions, with sunshine we found excellent climbing in
this often shoulder-width gash.
That
said, the approach to this climb involves hiking the summertime trail
to Chasm Lake which as one descends to Chasm Lake from the Chasm
Junction, there is a large slope that is crossed which would be the
most likely spot to encounter unstable slabs in the
mid-winter.
Extreme caution should be taken with this slope and potentially on the
descent if there is a lot of new, unstable snow in this cirque.
Hiking
into Martha in early January conditions- 0F and no wind on
this special day.
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Soloing up
the often moderate snow of the first pitch and getting into the narrows
section of the third pitch.
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Route Information
P1-
60m Up WI-1 slabs with maybe an easy
mixed move or two and then climb
the widening couloir on 30-40 degree snow to either a
belay on the left
or right hand sides of the couloir on with a
rock anchor.
P2-
40m Climb up steepening snow (50
degrees) to belay at the left side of the first constriction.
P3-
50m One of the coolest sections of
the climb starts sometimes with a
WI2 move or steep snow into a shoulder-width groove which is usually
firmer snow or WI 1 for 100' then make some thin moves
left on ice and
rock to a nice ledge on top of this first crux. Rock
protection is
available for the anchor and lead with maybe 1- 3 potential screw
placements. (WI2 M1)
P4-
50m Step right across a rock slab out
of the belay or straight-up and
then right on slabby (with big edges) rock or lower angle snow and ice
for much of the way. Belay on the right in rock just below
the obvious
crux pillar. (WI 1 M1)
P5-
50m This is what you came all this way
for: A 7 meter section of thin
ice (WI2+) and rock stemming moves (M1) will
take a screw or small cams
on the left wall to adequately protect this thought-provoking
crux.
Above here the difficulties mellow and a
belay can be set-up under a
sheltered overhang on the left-side wall about 100' above.
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Pitch 3 in pure water ice conditions in
May, 2008.
The final pitch and crux of Martha.
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Descent
Climb
up and around to the left (southwest) above the cliff band
which
defines the climber's left side of the couloir. Traverse due
west
towards the Diamond face of Longs for about 200 yards to reach an
obvious couloir which can be descended on snow or on the rock on it's
skier's left side.
Take this down to Chasm Lake.
(30-45 minutes
total). Otherwise if one summit's Mount Lady Washington,
follow the
east ridge back to Chasm Junction for the direct descent back to the
trail or head north into the Boulderfield for a longer but flatter
return via Granite Pass.
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The
descent route down the Camel Couloir on the southwest end of Mount Lady
Washington.
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Protection
A
standard rock rack along with two to four screws
(some stubby) should
be sufficient along with a couple of knifeblade or arrow
pitons. A
single rack of cams from .3 (C3) to a #2 camalot plus some stoppers
should be
sufficient. Bringing nuts that you don't mind "pick-heading"
might be
nice. Many shoulder-length slings and some doubles
(48") will be
helpful.
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