Weather settled in as the team was moving a load of equipment and supplies from 14 Camp to a cache site on the ridge above camp. The Team departed 14 Camp, hiked up moderate snow slopes for roughly 1200′ before encountering “The Headwall.” Also known as “the fixed lines,” this 600′ stretch of snow and ice is the steepest section on the West Buttress climbing route. Averaging about 40 degrees, it is steeper than that at times. With weather moving in and visibility deteriorating, the team made the decision to turn around and wait for better weather to attempt to cache.
14 Camp with the fixed lines up the Headwall in the background.
Looking up the “headwall” just below the fixed lines.
Nathan called in the team report:
