Route Info: East Ridge of Dorado Needle

The East Ridge of Dorado Needle offers a longer alpine rock route and scramble up sections of decent rock among sections of poor rock. What the route may lack in consistent rock quality it makes up in view, position, and access from the Eldorado Bivy site. While the route is not recommended for novices due to loose rock and ability to bail higher on the route it is a good route for expereinced teams looking to step up their efficiency on a route that is moderate in difficulty 5.7 ydswith non techincal glacier travel in mid summer. 

Approach: We crossed the river directly across from the parking lot on a shallow relatively wide rock bar with water never exceeding the knees. Stash and secure sandals and river shoes here or carry to camp. Animal shoe theft wouldn't be too bad since your right next to the cars. The trail up Eldorado Creek is typical steep and dusty, the boulder field was easy to navigate with cairns and lichen tracking eventually exiting climbers right through tree line. A well worn path leads through alpine slabs up to a left trending ramp to the notch between Rousch and Eldorado creeks. Meandering up glacially carved slabs leads to snow with hollow margins and cracks opening directly adjacent to the Eggplant. 

Camp: Eldorados East Ridge bivy has a decent sized snow patch but had space for almost 15 x 2 person tents. Some better than others and after more melting and drying the sandy bench in the middle of camp could support many more tents. A water source can be easy to find nearby but strongly consider water treatment due to proximity to the East Ridge route and camp. 

Inspiration to McAllister Glacier: The Inspiration to the McAllister Glacier Col has a good view coming out of camp so navigating crevasses is fairly straight forward.  Crossing the col onto the McAllister can be straight forward but keep an eye out for sagging bridges near the top of the McAllister. Otherwise fairly easy travel with visibility.

East Ridge Dorado Needle: Gaining the toe of the East Ridge was easy with no moat issues. From the notch trend up and right to the ridge proper on fairly good rock and moderate climbing. Continue another pitch then exit right below ridge crest to the Cannonball Hole. Once again gain the ridge then down climb into the notch and cross the glacier below the 2 quartz bands. A large crevasse can gradually open and require inspection to find the best crossing to gain the rock at the 2 quartz bands. Another moat crossing back onto rock with rather large gaping maws adjacent to this easy access point. After a couple pitches of easy 5th class climbing loose rock eventually takes over and rock pro for leader and rock fall mitigation is required. Unfortunately available cracks would often dislodge loose rock so site selection took a careful eye. After climbing the face regain the ridge and trend up and right. You'll eventually be faced with a couple options: Continue up towards black rock and the 1st gendarme or a low angle white rock ramp out and right that bypasses the 1st and 2nd gendarmes. Follow easy white rock out right, then up to a notch in the ridge between towers. Climb a short steep step up the ridge crest to an easy down climb. Down climb the notch then lead up to the 3rd gendarme and a rappel anchor. Inspect the multi cord anchor and rappel to the next anchor down and climbers left, anchor is visible from above. A single cord rap anchor and small exposed stance leads down to the notch of the summit needle. Climb up and slightly right making a couple moves into clean golden rock ramps. Build an anchor and belay. Climb another pitch into easing terrain directly below the summit.