Trip: - Chair Peak, NE Buttress

Date: 4/3/2007

Trip Report:
Can hardly believe that it's my first time back in the Alpental Valley this winter! And it's not even winter.

das toof



It felt like winter this morning with lots of wind blowing the snow around and amazing high striated clouds arced with sunbows...Had an awesome climb up the NE Buttress of Chair this morning. This route is still in fine shape with changing, but predominantly thunker neve and the occasional spot of ice where it was most wanted.

I took an *$#%ed skin track up by going too far toward the shoulder above Snow Lake (glad it was not followed by others during the day). Sheesh there's a lot of snow. And new snow at that! The snow--occasionally foot deep powder/windblown--was somewhat iffy in spots, but it would have made a sweet powder run down to source lake. But alas, I wanted to get up on the route while it was still chilly.

Was able to skin way up into the Chair Peak basin (NE basin), leave the skis and get to the base of the buttress by about 9:30am.

Nearly did a recon of the north face route, but thought better about treading off through the deep windblown snow there by myself and for what? Probably wasn't going to hit that one...I bet it's in shape now, though I'd expect some wallowing on the north face route.




Got to the top about 10:30am and back to the skis an hour later. It's a quick, exciting trip, and I am reminded again of what a winter playground this valley is!

I thought I was alone up there, but getting back to the thumbtack (and considerably less cold wind), a couple of dudes were coming down from the ridge. Met Brian M who was making a late training surge up to the Thumbtack after a big night of revelry. Met Barry B and another skier. Glad some other folks were out there picking this cherry cherry early spring day in the Cascades! Yee haw for Daddy daycare!!

Hey, Brian_M said some fellows took some pictures. If you want to share, I'd be psyched to check them out (show 'em to mom).




Gear Notes:
skis, skins, crampons, 2 tools, 50' rope, sunscreen

Nice work The NEB looks fun but I'll probably have to wait till next year...

Question about yer Tooth pic...I presume the NE Slab route is the very difficult to miss slab to the right of the photo--is that correct? Looks like a bunch of rime at the bottom and snow the rest of the way up; is that typically how it's climbed or is there usually (or hopefully) some ice?

Cheers

The start of the NE Slab route on the Tooth is partially hidden in this pic, so it's hard to tell if it's in.
When I climbed it last winter, there was some reasonably good ice (I think) on the first pitch, but the second pitch was about 2 inches of unprotectable, but solid, ice over rock. Anything else, and I don't think it would have been climbable. From what I've heard, that's about as good as it gets on this route.

Third pitch, from what I remember, was mostly snow... but maybe Scott remembers better than I do.

Right on amigo, I'm glad I know somebody that got out today...

Cheers!

It was great to meet you John! The weather was too good to pass up a day off from work. Nice climb.

Nice work, dude. Good to meet you.

I was up there on Friday with Tvash checking out the NE Slabs -- looked really thin, we bailed.

Way to go get it, papa! Looks like there was a lot of snow on that there route. Too bad, this warm weather today and tomorrow should fix that real quick.

Good to see someone was outside instead of rotting in a cube... dumb job...