4th of July Couloir  Easy 5th Steep Snow PG13

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Type:  Trad, Snow, Alpine, Grade III Consensus:  Easy 5th [details] FA:  Unknown Season:  all year Submitted By:  Kurt Prond on Aug 2, 2011 You & This Route  |  Other Opinions (1) Your todo list: Your stars: Your rating: -none- [change] Your ticklist: [add new tick]

Kurt Prond atop one of the spires near the summit....

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Description 

This is the southwest couloir. From Beehive Basin follow a faint trail toward the southeast face. Climb through boulders and/or snow(depending on the time of year)toward the left side of the main wall where there is an wide couloir going straight up. The couloir melts out late, we did it early August and it still had plenty of snow, but on low snow years it would melt out earlier. You will need crampons if there is snow, and an ice axe is recommended. Climb up the couloir toward the obvious notch. Just below the notch there is a big V-shaped chimney heading up to the right. You can rope up here or climb slowly, it is easy 5th class. From the top of the chimney there is another couple hundred feet of 4th class scrambling to the summit.

Descent is possible via either of the two couloir that flank the south east face. There are rappel slings at both, but it is possible without ropes.

Protection 

Light rack, crampons, ice axe. Rope if wanting to rappel.

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Kurt Prond in the couloir	Matt Tyers ascending the southwest couloir	route