Climb: Black Pyramid - Temple Ridge - Enchantments-Northwest Face direct

Date of Climb: 7/11/2006

Trip Report:
This is one of those climbs that require a partner willing to put up with dirt, lichen and a good amount of loose blocks. Ross was the perfect candidate. I did a trip last year around Temple Ridge trying to find some really good looking routes to come back and try later on. The route on the Northwest Face of the Black Pyramid was by far one the coolest looking.

Black Pyramid, Professor, Comet and Meteor


We left Seattle around 5am and were hiking by 8am. The trail up Nada Creek was a breeze in the shade with a slight breeze but the mosquitoes were out in full force. They proved to be the crux of our trip and the bane of The Enchantments.


Direct Northwest Face route with the face cracks showing in the sun.


We took a quick break and headed over to the base of the route. The climbing followed a number of finger to hand cracks and Ross decided it was about 5.9. The summit was an awesome boulder move to a very small summit block big enough for one person.

The rappel from the summit sent us down the Southeastern side and we were able to traverse back to the Meteor-Black Pyramid col and descend back to our packs.

The hike out was insanity thanks to the little devils eating us alive. After passing Nada Lake they went away and the wind picked up which made it pleasant the rest of the way out.

Pitches 1 and 2

Pitches 3 and 4 and summit



Gear Notes:
Standard rack

Nice. We were in there a couple weeks ago. The line you did may be the same as or at least share quite a bit of a route done by Dan Capellini and Erik Snyder a couple years ago.

I'm not certain about when exactly it had been previously climbed but Dan and Erik claimed a first ascent on their route. Our climb was not a first and based on the kinds of previously grubbed out places for protection, I believe that the pro was a combination of stoppers and pitons. It is difficult to tell because a few of the placements I used required some gardening but the cracks were also naturally clean in most places. I do remember pulling out some dirt and moss in one place and seeing what looked like a piton scar behind it. Tough to say exactly. I would guess a previous ascent between the 60's and 70's but this is all merely speculation.

I am pretty certain that Dan and Erik did not climb this route based on the topo Erik sent me and the state of the climb. There was also a single stopper on the second pitch that looked very old.

I am fairly sure d&e's route, "deadbaby goat" is moreorless a plumb line to the summit on the N. face.

nice looking route

-

There was an old wire loop in a small crack at the start of p2, above a GIANT freestanding block. p1 was a little ramp and a kind of grubby layback to a flake that led to a cool corner with a thin hand crack. p2 was a nice hand crack up a face that led to blockier terrain above.
Should have some more pics later.

erik and i climbed the box on the north face...it alternates back and forth between the r & l facing corners (l,r,l, 2p 60m each) with a bit of deviation from that theme to regain the feature after crossing the diagonal rubble ramp (look for the nice fingers 30 ft up)..than r,l,r in the box to the crack finishing at the summit block (2p)..one of the best ive done, all but the first pitch contain 10spots...the holds are clean and any easy trundles have been bagged..sorry no fixed gear

That's a great looking line.

the box varies from 10-40 ft across

you can actually see the last two piches from left side of rubble ramp in the photo...

Pitch two looks especially sweet on that NW face. Splitter straight-in hand crack you say?

I definitely wouldn't go that far.
Looking up at the NW Face...sorry about the angle
the line follows the crack





Tony on the 2nd pitch

Do you guys use red Blue Water slings. I found a nice one below the route. Just wondering, thats all.