Scramblegs: Mt. Schäffer

Friday, August 23, 2019

Mt. Schäffer

Southwest Ridge (F 3rd) 2,691m
Lake O'Hara

Another visit to Lake O'Hara (we were here about this time last year - see 15/AUG/2018) and another trip up Mt. Schäffer. This was the inaugural scramble for the Bridge Family (Chris, Sonya, Breagh and Allie)! Although we were familiar with the route from last year we inadvertently got onto a different, easier route from about halfway up the scramble, moving off the ridge West / climber's left into a bit of a gully. This was just as well given the deteriorating weather, and we wasted no time getting up and off again before the rain began in earnest.

Scramblers: Oliver, Eloïse, Allie, Breagh, Lisa, Sonya, Chris and Pip.

Photos Strava

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Subjective rating systems used in blog

Reference: The Mountaineers (2010), Mountaineering: The Freedom of the Hills. 8th Edition (pp. 566-567).

NATIONAL CLIMBING CLASSIFICATION SYSTEM
(overall difficulty; technical / scrambling portion only; see posts for length of our outings).

Grade I: Normally requires several hours; can be of any technical difficulty.

Grade II: Requires half a day; any technical difficulty.

Grade III: Requires a day to do the technical portion; any technical difficulty.

Grade IV: Requires a full day for the technical portion; the hardest pitch is usually no less than 5.7 (YDS; see below).

Grade V: Requires a day and a half; the hardest pitch is at least 5.8.

Grade VI: A multiday excursion with difficult free climbing and/or aid climbing.

YOSEMITE DECIMAL SYSTEM (YDS)
(climbing difficulty)

Class 1. Hiking

Class 2. Simple scrambling, with possible occasional use of the hands.

Class 3. Scrambling; hands are used for balance; a rope might be carried.

Class 4. Simple climbing, often with exposure. A rope is often used. A fall could be fatal. Typically, natural protection can be easily found.

Class 5. Where rock climbing begins in earnest. Climbing involves the use of a rope, belaying, and protection (natural or artificial) to protect the leader from a long fall.

5.0-5.7. Easy for experienced climbers; where most novices begin.

5.8-5.9. Where most weekend climbers become comfortable; employs the specific skills of rock climbing.

5.10-5.11. A committed recreational climber can reach this level.

5.12-5.15. The realm of true experts!

ALPINE GRADES
(Reference: David Jones, Rogers Pass Alpine Guide, p. 28)

F (easy).

PD (little difficulty). 4th and easy 5th class; some exposure.

AD (fairly difficult). Low to mid-5th class and/or steep snow and ice. Mixed terrain. Route finding challenges.

D (Difficult). Mid 5th class and/or very steep snow and ice. Sustained climbing; possibly loose rock; route finding challenges; typically descended via an easier route.

TD (very difficult) and ED (extremely difficult). Not likely to encounter these grades in this blog!