DRINNON PEAK 2610m 8563′
Located one km east-southeast of Drinnon Lake.
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Map: 82F/13, Burton
Drive: See Drinnon Lakes post
Route:
1. Northeast Couloir, Southeast Ridge. From near Drinnon Lake, cross through the notch in the north ridge of Drinnon Peak and do a steep sidehill traverse from the notch (there is no need to descend into the valley) on the northeast side. Gain the snow of the wide, long northeast couloir to the col between peak 2580m and Drinnon Peak (west of Valhalla Lake, over the ridge), and climb to the southeast ridge, which is steep and loose talus and scree, straightforward.
It is two hours up if one starts from Valhalla Lake, first scrambling over large talus blocks. (II,3,s).
FRA Brian Berry, Larry Starke, Tim Storvick, August 20, 1972.
Descent by the north ridge.
2. North Ridge. See Route 1. Surprisingly, the north ridge route avoids the huge gendarme visible from the notch (col) to the north. It traverses several gendarmes and gaps and emerges on a subsidiary shoulder of the main summit. (II,5.0)
3. North Couloir, South Slopes. The part of the west ridge under the summit is really southwest.
Contour around the south shore of Drinnon Lake and go up the talus slope, being careful not to climb up too soon, or one will run into cliffs. There are two gullies on the southwest ridge. The upper gully is hidden from view from Drinnon Lake, but it’s the one to use. (The first gully deadends at a cliff.) Do the upper gully when there is much snow because rock, mud and ice later in the season are quite unpleasant. Then contour around the south side of Drinnon to the top, easy scrambling.
Descent was to the south, and down a grassy ledge system of bluffs to the west of the peak toward the end of the road. Ice (II,3,s).
FRA Bob Dean, Janice Isaac, Kim Kratky, Peter Wood, August 18, 1974.
4. Northeast Use directions for Route 1. (However, this is not the big snow couloir of Route 1, but a long snow gully leading directly to the summit). On traversing from the notch in the north ridge, the northeast couloir will be encountered before the big snowfield of Route 1. (II,4,s).
Kim Kratky, Howie Ridge, June 28, 1980.
5. West Ascend the slabs on the right side of the Drinnon Creek headwall, 5 or 6 pitches; the difficult way is low Class 5. Follow the west ridge all the way to the top. There is one steep 10-meter wall (Class 5.6 layback) which can be bypassed by descending to the right. About 4 hours up. (II,5.6).
FRA Steven Horvath, October 1983.
Descent via the west ridge requires two rappels. (PC: Ian Rowe, J. Spencer)