Anyone ever climb Black Tusk?

[MarkR]

I've never been but I'm heading up tomorrow. Been having trouble finding any detailed information on making it to the summit. Best I can find is that it's do-able but recommended for experienced rock climbers only because there's an excess of loose rock.

So, is it unbelievable choss up there, or is the loose rock more akin to something you'd encounter on the Upper Black Dyke? If the rock is really unstable then I don't see how my rock climbing experience really counts for much more than my luck would.

So, should I leave my shoes at home or is there any modicum of safety for someone comfortable with the grade?

[jefffski]

it is a steep gully with some loose rock. i would not characterize it as a chimney. You may find one or two class 3 moves, the rest are class 2.

[Don]

Unless you want to go for the true summit, in which case you could bring a rope and a couple of pins in order to drop into a gully then climb the never-climbed choss to the top. And if you find good placements for your gear you could even do a tyrolean back to the lower(regular) summit.. i've wanted to try this myself, but haven't gotten around to it.

[Dru]

The true summit is 4th class and you won't find anywhere to use that rope or pins, the rock is too chossy. Mostly people just bust it out ropeless. I did see where one guy built a cairn anchor and rapped off the cairn back to the notch but I would not recommend it...

[RobWall]

I think its dangerous, and best soloed.

see my post at roblog.ioanalytics.net

If you are happy with loose rock and soloing 5.5 chimney then go for it - the climbing is aweful, but its a nice place...

if there is anyone else on the route - forget it!

[scrubber]

We lugged gear and a short rope up there once in hopes of getting over to "the" summit. The true nature of the rock quickly became apparent after we left the main tourist route. It is the loosest pile of semi attached softball size cubes I have ever dared to ponder climbing. We all changed our minds and were happy with the fact that when standing, you're higher than the real summit.

By Dru's standard this may be moderate quality climbing, but he does far more alpine scary looseness than I ever will.

Good luck!

Kris

[jefffski]

there are two gullies. the one to the right is the easier and safer of the two.

[MarkR]

Thanks all for the advice. Yeah, that was much different than I thought it'd be. Very safe, there were three parties who were already on the top when we got there including a 12 year old girl...so safe. I can't imagine going there and not going to the "top". We took the gully on the left, was a breeze.

Somebody had slung a cairn on the true summit, left their slings and two biners. I guess that's cool for some people, but I'll stick to the granite and bomber anchors for now.