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2003
Mugs Stump Award Winners:
Isaac/Semple—West Face of North Howser Tower
Sean
Isaac & Scott Semple
Dear
Mugs Stump Award Committee,
 The
ephemeral ice and mixed line on the 3000 ft west face of
North Howser Tower in the Bugaboos that we had hoped to climb
was not even close to being formed this year. Instead, we
flew to the 2000 ft east face of Snowpatch Spire on April
12 to try a rarely formed ice route that just happened to
be "in" this
year. Eamonn Walsh joined Scott Semple and myself (Sean Isaac)
at the last minute for this trip.
Our first attempt saw us only one pitch up before bailing
in heavy spindrift conditions brought on by a sudden storm.
Two days later, we headed back up to try again. I turned
around at the base due to stomach illness while Scott and
Eamonn continued on with bivy gear, this time planning on two days. The climbing
proved to be very involved after the first two ice pitches. Scott battled an
ungradeable off-width then a straight forward aid pitch. They bivied four pitches
up on a snow mushroom but dropped the sleeping bags which were together in one
compression sack. After a frigid night out, they spent 5 hours the next morning
watching heavy spindrift avalanches frequently pour over them before deciding
to throw the towel in. Scott and Eamonn were only two pitches from the ice field
for which Snowpatch gets its name. From here it would have been a day of climbing
up the southeast ridge (5.6) to the summit. After their cold open bivy, they
were not motivated for another attempt so we flew out a week after arriving,
a couple days ahead of plan.
  Thank
you very much for supporting our expedition. It wouldn't
have been possible without the financial support of the
Mugs Stump Award as well as the sponsorship of Black Diamond,
Arc’Teryx, Clif Bar, Kayland and Sterling Rope.
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