This year Steve Hamilton, Darryl Seale, and I took a different route to the Charleston summit. As with other years when we've climbed the East Face we went past Big Falls. But then, instead of taking one of the couloirs further to the north, we took this southern gully up to the south ridge.
Steve took this picture of Darryl and I moving up through one of the rock bands.
The upper section of our route.
Darryl "slogging" up one of the snowfields. This year snow conditions were great -- firm enough to stay on top, but soft enough for good footing throught the steeper sections.
Steve has always wanted to ski off the Charleston summit, so this year he packed his skis up. Neither Darryl and I were a bit jealous of him going up, but when he slid off the top both of us
would have liked to join him.
Darryl near treeline and the summit ridge.
The view of the 1955 C-54 airplane crash site near the south summit ridge.
Out of the snow and nearing the summit.
Enjoying a beautiful, although windy, Charleston summit (11,918 feet).
Getting out of the wind behind some of the communications equipment on Charleston.
Another great day on top.
Steve Hamilton.
Steve standing in front of "his mountain" -- Mummy Mountain. He calls it "his mountain" because he's climbed it 60 times, or so. Anyway, here he is all excited to "slide off" the Charleston summit.
Steve took this picture of his exit route. He went down a different way than Darryl and I because he wanted to ski the "hour-glass" -- a gully further to the north. It has a lot more skiable snow than the route we went up.
Taking a break in the bowl above Big Falls.
Darryl taking the easy way down (glissading) the last section.