Home - Destinations - People - Partners - Forum - Photos - What's New
 ADVANCED
South Mineral Creek
Show routes:
Select route...
Campground Couloir 
Cataract Creek 
Direct North Face 
Snotty Nosed Brat 
Snowblind 
Sundance 

Direct North Face 

WI4-5

   

FA: 
Type: Trad, Ice
Consensus: WI4+ [details]
Length: 1500 feet, Grade IV
Views: 855 page views

Submitted By: eric dixon on Nov 22, 2007


Add Photo  Add Comment 
You and this route  |  Other Opinions (8)
Your todo list:
Your stars:
Your rating: -none- [change]
Your ticklist: [add new tick]
 Printer Friendly View

Lower pitches of DNF. The very bottom pitch is cov...


Description 

The Direct North Face is a Silverton area classic. It climbs a long line up Peak 12,579. The route ascends a series of ramps that lead to steep ice steps. Typically, there are five steps of ice. Descend the route by walking off to the left after any of the steps. The descent will require some short rappels.


Location 

Follow FR 585 for about 4 miles. The Direct North Face is the next route after passing [Cataract Creek]106067379. It should be easy to spot off to the left of the FR 585.


Protection 

A selection of screws and double ropes.



Photos of Direct North Face Slideshow Add Photo
Hardest section of DNF

Hardest section of DNF

Poked a hole in the pirate ship on the Direct North Face on Nov 22nd. This is how warm it was. Photo by Trask Bradbury.

Poked a hole in the pirate ship on the Direct Nort...

The last real pitch of the DNF on Nov. 22nd '08.<br />Photo by Trask Bradbury.

The last real pitch of the DNF on Nov. 22nd '08.
P...

DNF as of Nov 22nd '08. Photo by Trask Bradbury.

DNF as of Nov 22nd '08. Photo by Trask Bradbury.

The top of the first real pitch of steep ice.

The top of the first real pitch of steep ice.


Comments on Direct North Face Add Comment
Show which comments —
By Jason Nelson
From: Ouray, CO
Oct 31, 2008

This is usually one of the first climbs to form up in the Ouray/Silverton area. It's good to do this early season so that you can drive to the base, and hopefully avoid avy danger too. It's never been that fat (as in the photo) when I've done it, and that snow chocked gully below the ice has a couple hundred feet of fun WI2-3 to get you warmed up with.

By Trask
From: colorado springs, co
Nov 5, 2008

Hey there Jason.....so am I correct in assuming that you have already done this route this Oct. and that it IS in???

By Trask
From: colorado springs, co
Nov 24, 2008

Did this climb with my brother Slade on the 22nd of Nov. 08 and man was it warm. A little wet on the last two pitches (come now heir doctor surely you have no objections to and early morning shower) or something like that...after we got off we went and checked out some things in Silverton and Stairway is lean, Whorehouse Hoses is sweet looking. Gully 1 and 2 are really lean, but people were getting a 3 in the afternoon start on it. Sweet.