I decided to re-post pictures and video from summiting Reynolds last summer with EarMountain
Most of the pictures were posted but hosted from Photobucket. Most of my images on Photobucket are gone or will be. Bad service for the price.
Some of the "helmet cam" video clips have been posted, but some have not.
This video picks up right after the video clip where I dropped my stick.
Most will probably find it "tedious, scary, boring, motion sickening, whatever".
I understand
That's why they have FF and STOP buttons.
That said, if you want to do any "off trail" hiking/scrambling in Glacier Park...
This kind of "rotten rock" terrain, exposure, and goat paths for trails is what you'll find virtually everywhere in GNP.
Lots of fun for those who like this sort of thing.
I didn't edit the helmet cam video that I have much at all because...
Stopping and making video clips from various places, most of them "safe", doesn't give one the perspective and the "feel" for the hike
like an unedited helmet cam video does, e.g.
Poking around with my stick, feeling for hand holds, checking foot placement.
The constant sound of loose scree and rock, the wind, even my breathing which I apologize for. Hiking, and especially climbing makes my nose run
All that contributes to what the "experience" is really like... much more so than scenes panned from a static location---in my opinion of course.
Part 1 is "Dropping my stick"
Part 2 runs 9:45
Part 3 runs 8 8:03
Part 4 runs 6:22
Part 5
Here is a link for the album images on Flickr. Most have a short description if you scroll down.
https://www.flickr.com/photos/98975350@ ... 2959416675
I'm posting these two GoogleEarth images to give some context to the helmet cam video clips.
Reynolds Mt is listed as an "easy or relatively easy and safe" climb in most mountaineering guides I've read.
And now having done Reynolds, I can see where that's true...
But only for the popular Southwest Talus Slope Route, a GMS Class II(3) route with minimal exposure.
The Grand Tour Route has more Class III and a LOT more exposure.
I loved the traverse across the North Face, the one that you see from Logan Pass.
While the trail is narrow in places with great exposure...
I felt a lot more comfortable. The trail was wider--if 2-3 feet seems wide!
And relatively "level", not "sloped", and the rock wasn't quite as "rotten" compared to the East face traverse.
Or it seemed that way to me.
That East face traverse was kinda nerve wracking at times.
Not a trail you want to slip and fall on.
The remaining two routes are Class III, IV, and one has Class V pitches---these two routes are for serious, experienced climbers only.
This is an image from GoogleEarth on which, I have crudely outlined parts of both the Grand Tour and The SW Talus routes.
The Blue route is the SW Talus route.
Climbers follow the mountaineering trail from the Hidden Lake trail to the saddle leading to the Dragon's Tail.
Then climb up to where the Green line, where the Grand Tour route joins it. From that junction the trail Red, is the same for both groups.
Grand Tour climbers leave the mountaineering trail not long after leaving the first saddle on the NW side of Reynolds.
The climb begins there with a scramble up a steep gully which can't be seen in either of the pictures below.
The Green line on the right side of the top image shows the traverse on the east and south faces.
That section is Class III and some pretty serious exposure--imo.
Here is another GoogleEarth image looking at Reynolds from the NE.
The traverse across the North face is just above the red line. I really enjoyed that walk.
The junction of the red and green lines is where we ate lunch Blue Dot. I lost my hiking stick right after starting the green line traverse.[/b]
I'm pretty sure both of these traverses are Class III and this view makes the "exposure" pretty obvious.
Falling here would likely end your day.