NE Ridge, Mt. St. Nicholas

The NE ridge of Mt. St. Nicholas is one of the most classic multipitch rock routes to a major summit in all of Glacier. The rock quality is excellent for Glacier, and is the same strata that is found on the Little Matterhorn, and in portions of the Sperry basin.

The kicker arrives in the form of a lengthy, brushy, and potentially swampy approach. Whether you go up Coal Cr, Park Cr, or Muir Cr, be prepared to go to war a bit to reach the climbing.

Some parties may elect to pitch out/rappel a number of sections on the ridge approaching the Great Notch. It's worth considering this in your time estimates.

The NE ridge itself is excellent adventure climbing, and can feel bold at times, particularly the first pitch. Easier options will generally be found climber's right, with a variety of solid, short cracks and faces directly on the dead-center of the ridge. Heading climber's left pushes the grade into the 5.9 realm. Most of the current belay stations or rap anchors are either slung blocks on ledges or pitons which trend dead-center or climber's right. 

Pitch 1: Belay from the Great Notch, and kick things off with the hardest, slightly-overhung, 5.8 moves of the route just right of center. You don't get gear until above this section on the right. After, move up and left, and work up the blocks for 80-100ft to an anchor. You could easily link this with the second pitch, but if the wind is blowing, Notch can be a cold, windy spot to sit, and your second may appreciate getting out of there as soon as possible.

Pitch 2: Head up the blocks again, moving up and left through a corner and then back to the right. A rap anchor climber's right appears.

Pitch 3: Move up and then up and right, entering a series of corners, which turns into a short chimney next to a boulder on a ledge. Said slung boulder makes for a decent rap anchor, but small and finger size cams can build a proper anchor above the ledge itself.

Pitch 4/5: Upper crux. Head climber's right up the shelves.. Avoid heading left. This can prove to be two pitches if needed

Pitch 5/6: Many parties unrope and scramble the top section, as the grade drops down and things get flatter. Simuling may also work well. Wander up through blocks and other loose silliness following the most worn way.

Scramble for the summit and do a happy dance.

Getting down:

Rap stations of various quality, distance, and utility can be found center and climber's right of the NE Ridge. While some folks bring two ropes, it's just easier to plan for a couple more rappels and bring a single 60m or 70m, especially given the ledgy nature of the rappeling. Expect to use (and be able to fix up) more old piton stations if bringing less rope.

If you've got two ropes, bring grocery bags or rig saddlebags to avoid punting the rope down all the steps on the ridge.

Take at least 20-40ft of tat to improve anchors you don't like--and please cut off and carry out some of the nasty stuff that's been snaffled.

St. Nick comes at the price of a fairly long approach up Coal Creek, Park Creek, or Muir Creek. Local opinions differ about which is the best; Coal Creek is the most direct to the NE Ridge and has been day tripped in 21 hours (nice job!) The Coal Creek option is at least twelve miles and 5000ft of gain, plus three major creek crossings to where you'd rope up. From Park Creek, expect some fifteen plus miles and nearly the same gain--ascend the drainage directly west from the summit of Church Butte. Muir Cr requires an approach via the Fielding/Coal Creek trail from either Park or Coal, and this trail is not well maintained or fast cruising. The first mile and half of the ascent up Muir Cr is full on bushwhacking with large devil's club and tons of deadfall--it may be easier to go up the creek if that's your choice.

Huckleberries are almost always great along the way.

Backcountry camping in Glacier requires a permit, available at the backcountry permit offices scattered around the park. You'll probably need an undesignated option to bivy high on the ridge north of the peak, or near the lake to the SE of St. Nick. Plan to take care of that the day before you head in. Most parties take three days to make the climb (enter, climb, exit).

The technical climbing on the NE ridge begins at the Great Notch, the deep slot with couloirs descending to N and S along the ridge that runs NE from St. Nick to Battlement Mtn. Depending on the comfort of your group, multiple sections of the approach ridge may want a short rope or short pitch on the up and rappels on the down. Several of the major gendarmes on the ridge can be detoured to the south. 

The first belay is directly in the Great Notch, or perhaps down the couloir to the S, if you'd prefer a 5.6 dihedral to kick things off. The Notch belay can be protected with very small cams. 

J. Gordon Edwards' description for a rack ("two serviceable 100ft climbing ropes, 40ft of sling rope, and four pitons") is a bit bold in the modern day.

Single rack of cams, from micros (very, very helpful!) to a BD #2. Single rack of nuts, and lots of long slings (we took eight 60cm and two more 120cm) to deal with the strangeness and inevitable wandering around. 

Old pins abound. If you are planning to take less rope, a pin hammer/ice tool with the pick removed to check/improve them may be helpful.