Jumbo Peak, NV
Harlan WS
+ Doug S + Jerry T
March 10-12, 2017
Almost 6 weeks later, I finally get around to processing the
photos for this trip. You may recall a sign in my car window,
"please be quiet for kidney stone patient". The stones were
only a mild bother during this trip, but made themselves known
as I was driving home. After 2 trips to the ER, an operation,
some time with a painful stent... I am trying to fix up loose
ends. This trip was my last significant exercise before
yesterday.
These were my 5th and 6th (and maybe 7th!) trips up
Jumbo. On Saturday March 10, I went with Sue and Vic. I
took the traditional NW chute, and brought enough stuff to
leave a handline, 20m rap rope, 20m rope for the chute, and
webbing anchor for the next group. We then descended around
the east face, and went to the south ridge of Packard Peak, in
search for the fabled Jumbo Springs Wilderness Highpoint. We
then went up and over Packard Peak and back to the cars, where
Vic and Sue headed off toward Reno. I went back to the
pleasant folks waiting at camp, hit the sack by 7PM.
Next day we had a bit of confusion getting started, partly due
to the change to Daylight Savings time. but we all made it
reasonably easily to the starting point, and up to the chute
where we donned our helmets. The rope I had left in the chute
was a bit of a help, and the handline on the NW face was a
comfort; I could have grabbed it as I freed the face, if I so
needed. I then belayed 3 people up the face, and gladly ceded
the belaying task over to Kevin and Jerry. There were
some hiccups on the way down, partly because I descended
quickly to see if the 60 m rope was really touching ground; it
wasn't! In those two days I actually climbed the last
120' several times beside the official ascents! Much
thanks to Kevin and Jerry for extending an aura of calm.
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