Mummy Nose/Forehead in "Conditions"

A combination of rain, wet rock, lightning, and strong wind caused us to escape down Deer Creek… but it was quite a trip. This was the first time I’ve taken this route, where everyone made it over the hardest stretches without any handlines or assists.

pics by Harlan W. S.
August 22, 2009

This is the easiest and least complicated way up “The Nose”. The route meets the Dr EF/Branch Whitney route about 200 meters below the top.		View N at main decision point. The normal route (EF/BW) continues S on W side of ridge. One can go a ways up the E side of the ridge, then climb a class 4 wall to regain the normal herdpath.
The “Forehead” to SW. From most viewpoints, the sharp peak of the Forehead actually looks like a nose, and the west side of the mountain looks like a forehead.		View S toward entire range.
3^rd class descent on S side of Nose.		Valley between Nose an Forehead. One “bail route” is to the left (E).
We’ve just gone up the “class 4” wall.
	Skies are getting dark.	Nose in view to N.
		Charleston, Lee Peak, and Ski area to S. Within 30 m, Charleston was obscured by rain.
To the S, the Tummy is in Sun!		View NNW as we head over chossy ridge. Big exposure to L and R.
		We started to see lightning, so made a hasty retreat to saddle. The rock started to hold the rain.
		We descended ENE down the dryfalls from the saddle, toward the North Fork of Deer Creek. With rain, the polished rock was quite slippery.
But it was beautiful.