Climb: Whitechuck-NW ridge
Date of Climb: 2/10/2005
Trip Report:
Had an awesome day out yesterday. Felt really good to finally take advantage of another amazing weather window during this rather strange winter (winter?). Conditions are more like fall after the first few snows...
Drove up road 2435 to about 3270' by my altimeter. Left the car about 9:20am and made it onto the ridge top via the road about an hour later. I walked up some ruts left by a bigger truck for awhile and then donned snowshoes for pretty much the rest of the approach. I was kicking and laughing at myself in turns for not bringing my skiis. The road would have been an ideal ski approach. It wasn't too bad in snowshoes, just long.
From the road's end, the ridge top hike along the NW ridge from Whitechuck's NW peak was amazing. Beautiful views on a sunny, warm day. I hiked in a wool shortsleeve shirt for much of the day.
Snow conditions were mainly that there of course surprisingly little. Although the basin to the north of the ridge would have made for fine skiing right now. North slopes were half a foot of powder over a harder layer. Southern slopes were crunchy and crusty in the woods and deep and slushy and sticky in full sun.
Once I got into the basin to the SW of the main peak, this made going somewhat more difficult. And once the terrain steepened below the NW ridge proper I found myself putting on crampons for cruxes and taking them off again for deeper snow. Better anti-snowballing plates (than my scuffed Tropicana container cutouts) would have been great!
Topped out on the ridge between the NW peak and the main peak and called it good. Time was 3:15pm, elevation: 6590'. Had a bit of a bite to eat and stretch up on the ridge, tightened the boots, took a few pictures and it was time to head back.
Dealt with some pretty serious cramping on the way down the steep slopes, but stretched it out and I was able to chip away some ice in the sun and refill my water container which helped (and helped with putting down some more food).
Saw a lot of what I think were bobcat tracks on the ridge. Wonderful sunset when I was coming back down the spur ridge. Made one shortcut through the woods on the way back between switchback, but other than that it was the road all the way going out. Back at the car at 7:50pm.
Gear Notes:
snowshoes, ice axe, crampons.
Should have had better anti-snowballing plates..
Approach Notes:
see tr
Previous Topic
Index