Rugged Mountain
Anniversary Climb
On September 16, 1999,
while hunting in the Zeballos area, I decided to try climbing Rugged Mountain
via the Nomash Valley, Nathan Creek route. My father, George Lepore, had first
climbed this mountain in September, 1959, forty years ago.
George on the summit of Rugged
Mtn.
That's Alex's touque he's wearing
I planned it to be a
day hike, so I left the Nomash Main road at first light, 6:30 am, walking up the
abandoned logging road to the highest cut block. At 7:30 I left the logging road
and headed up to the top of the west ridge of Nathan Creek. I followed this
ridge up to the scree basin below the saddle and then went up the scree to the
Nathan Creek col. This was the same spot we had landed with the helicopter. The
sun and snow warranted a photo - here I am at 10:30 am.
A 15 minute break later I
was heading up the snowfield to the little dropped snow face on the final group
of peaks. The climbers we had met on the helicopter visit had turned back at
this point, deciding that it was too technically difficult. I wanted to see for
myself.
Near the top of the icefield the snow got steeper and steeper,
and harder. At first I was able to kick steps into the snow, but near the top I
had to cut each one with the ice-axe. Over the lip, and then cutting steps down
to the rock again. Once on the rock I went up the line between the snow and the
rock, using the ice-axe as an extra hand-hold. It worked pretty good. Here's a
picture looking back down. You can see the snow lip and the col at towards the
left where I took the previous self-photo.
From there I went under
the big hanging boulder and then followed the ridge to the top. Near the top it
got quite steep, but a short chimney helped. And there I was, on top at 11:45.
In the cairn I found a plastic pipe with a notebook in it. Here is the note I
left.
A dream come true