Stanley Burgner or Burgner Stanley Route - Prusik Peak

Trip Report

As with anyone who goes into the Enchantments, I got inspired to climb Prussik after doing a ski traverse back in April this year. With cooler temperatures and no bugs, Kyle and I went for a single day push of Stanley Burgner route on Prusik this Saturday. 

Even with a 4:30 am start, the Snow Lakes Trailhead was bustling with various thru-hikers setting up their car shuttle. However no one was going up the Snow Lakes trail and we only ran into one group of hikers who got benighted and were apparently 24 hrs into their hike. The hike in was straighforward and it was nice to compare and contrast my time in April versus my time now. Whereas in April I could skin directly above Snow Lakes, I had to go the long way this time.

We crushed the approach. Getting to the base of Prussik in 4.5 hrs.  Luckily there was only one party way up on the route and another party getting on Der Sportsman.

The initial wide portion of the 5.8 start was a bit confusing but Kyle crushed it and linked pitches 1 and 2. He continued leading the 5.8 knobby climbing. 

From there I took on the lead to take the "5.10b" alternate route. It felt like an Index 5.9- and it was quite the splitter crack. The hardest thing about the alternate route was that getting back on route was a bit challenging but Kyle found an easier beta of stepping down into the stem box.

Squeezing into the chockstone was also quite fun and enjoyable. Just make sure to have a runner attached to your backpack so you can sling it from your belay loop. 

I continued the lead with the 5.9 flared chimney. Just as any chimney, progress is a bit slower as you carefully inch your way up. This was definitely harder than the chimney's on Epinephrine. As Kyle said, this was the "Alpine Buttlips Chimney" referring to the Buttlips crack(5.8) of Aries at Index.  As with any chimney, be cognisant of which side you want to have your pro as well as removing anything on the back of your harness. I kinda cheated and used the back of the crack for fist jamming, I guess I need to go back to the columns to practice my chimney technique.  

From there and to the summit is separated by one more 5.9+ pitch. I was deceived as it was quite longer than it looked and also quite wider than it looked. A lot of it was a fist crack but I utilized off width techniques like heel toe camming  and occasional bicep jams.  

From there we enjoyed views of the backside of Prusik, which I always wanted to see and most of the core zone. Kyle noted the Flagpole on the backside of Annapurna with it's 50+ year old aid line as well as the gnome tarn. The descent was straightforward; around 4 raps down and then traverse around to the base of the climb. 

From there reverse the route. By this time there were throngs of thru hikers. Kyle and I made a bingo of the 50+ hikers we passed on the way down. Definitely a night and day difference. Made it to the cars at 7pm and enjoyed some good food at Heidl Burgers. 

Thanks to Kyle for being a strong partner and letting me led the fun chimney and the final pitch. I was glad to have climbed Prusik via a very clean and aesthetic line.  

Stats:  14.5 hrs, ~20 miles, 7500 ft gain

• TH: 4:30am, 
• Base of Climb: 9am, 4.5 hrs
• Top of Prussik:  1:30pm, 9 hrs
• Base of Climb: 3:00pm, 10.5 hrs
• Back to TH: 7:00pm, 14.5 hrs

Map