[TR] Buck- Southeast Route 7/15/2006

[Alex]

Climb: Buck-Southeast Route

 

Date of Climb: 7/15/2006

 

Trip Report:

Firstly, you will notice that this is not a trip report of the North ridge of Buck. But it was an attempt, nonetheless. Gene Pires and I left Seattle Friday morning with 3 days for an attempt at this prominent line on Buck, that neither of us had seen up close in person.

 

The approach for any bid to the North ridge begins with an approach to King Lake. I had bushwacked around the Entiat range last year a little, so was not particularly frightened by the Beckey Guide description of the approach to King Lake - a bushwack straight up a hillside for 3000 feet! Somehow I convinced Gene that it wouldn't be so bad. We left Trinity at a reasonable hour and the first miles of trail go by quickly, despite the bloodthirsty bugs. After the footbridge, you leave the trail, ford the Chiwawa river, and begin the ...march...up...hill.

 

 

The Northeast basin of Buck from King Lake, with the East ridge on the left, prominent North ridge on the right, and true summit in the center.

 

Many hours later we emerged at King Lake, which was still frozen, and the alpine spectacle of the Northeast face of Buck. The true summit and the Buck Horn tower high above. Gene took a nap and I took a walk. When we first saw the North ridge we had already decided it looked a bit too burley for soft old farts like us, but I wanted a much closer look. I spent the next hour lounging below the ridge, more happy about our decision not to engage the mountain on its terms. The Northeast Face looks fairly burly as well, with a long steep snow approach to some pitches on junky looking rock.

 

The next morning we decided to make the best of it and try the "East Ridge", which is (accurlately) decribed as the Southeast route in Beckey Guide. At the time we didn't have any of the guidebook descriptions with us, so it seemed like just like the right thing to do. We approached up the central gully between two "Tooth"-like towers at the base of the East ridge. At the top of this gully are 30 feet of fourth class climbing, to gain the ridge.

 

The route begins up the central gully that splits "the Buck Teeth".

 

From the notch, you traverse very steep heather, hugging the base of the cliff around the south Bucktooth. The south notch of the south tower is gained, and the terrain opens up rapidly into the steep and open terrain that defines the upper reaches of Alpine creek.

 

The route traverses below the crest of the East ridge, along steep heather.

 

The route traverses along the south side of the East ridge. From camp we had thought that we might actually be able to do a long ridge run, climbing the East ridge directly. But from the South side the ridge is not well defined until a prominent tower higher up, which ascends to a col between the West summit and main summits. But the ridge is very long, contrived as a route, and the rock pretty manky: the day is also short so we decided to continue on to the summit via the alpine plateau.

 

Gene Pires traverses towards the summit plateau.

 

After more traversing a 45 degree snow slope leads to a notch at the South side of the West summit. In earlier season one could also perhaps go to the North side, but it was not continuous snow. Here, a short fourth or low fifth class downclimb leads to the summit plateau. From here its a short saunter to the true summit, however at first we were confused as to which summit was the true summit so we walked across the plateau to a prominent point atop the great North face. From there we could see that the area we had just left was indeed the summit, so after gaping at the jaw-dropping North face and the disgusting looking top out to the North ridge, we backtracked and hiked to the top.

 

From the South notch below the West summit, the route gains the summit plateau.

 

Iced over King Lake is ice free for only a few months a year.

 

Back at camp we decided to stay another night, as the accomodations were really pretty nice (and no bugs!!) and we were not looking forward to reversing the bushwack anytime soon. In the morning we busted a move back down the hill, this time staying a bit closer to the drainage and finding the going on the way down MUCH easier than on the way up. We left the North ridge for another time.

 

The North Ridge of Buck from King Lake.

 

 

Gear Notes:

crampons, axe

 

Approach Notes:

not exactly the most easy approach

[tytyler]

Was the gate opened on the Chiwawa River road near the Atkinson Flat Campground or did you walk the road??

Nice pics.

[Weekend_Climberz]

 

Is that my picture of the N. Face you were going to get me?

 

Nice TR, that place looks awesome.

 

I'm glad I chose not to bushwack up to that lake with my friend over 4th of July weekend. He has a broken collar bone and would not have been pleased.

[Alex]

ty, the gate was open. The road is open all the way to Trinity, and also to Phelps Creek TH.

 

Scott, actually no. That's the North ridge. Ironically you cannot (easily) get a view of the North face, let alone get to the base if it, using any easy route. Its difficult enough getting to the base of the North ridge from the lake. I did take a shot of the face looking straight down from the overhanging tower at its very summit, which we climbed when we didnt quite know which the true summit was, and it was pretty gut-wrenching. I can show you the rest of the shots offline.

[Weekend_Climberz]

Ooooohhh! Guess what I found in an old box of photos today...

 

 

The wall to the right is the same in the scurlock photo http://www.pbase.com/nolock/image/53643353