[TR] Chair Peak - North Face 1/14/2007

[scheissami]

Trip: Chair Peak - North Face

 

Date: 1/14/2007

 

Trip Report:

On Sunday, Nick (webnick2007) and I were one of many to hike up to Chair Peak. Neither of us had climbed it before, so we weren't set on either the NE Buttress or the N Face; we figured we'd climb whatever seemed most appealing.

 

The weather was spectacular--it felt downright balmy in the sun. Since I've been slothful lately, it was slow going for me, especially with my ghetto snowshoes. I'd worked up a sweat by the time we reached the base of Chair.

 

 

On the way in, we were passed by a solo climber, who convinced me during our very brief conversation that I need to learn how to ski and ditch the clown-shoes. After cruising by us in his AT setup, he subsequently soloed the NE Buttress; you can see him on the ice step of the first pitch.

 

 

There was quite a queue below the NE Buttress, and since it was already almost 11am, a steady rain of ice was coming down. We opted for the N Face.

 

Nick led up over the moat below the start of the route proper (we couldn't find a good snow bridge) and up the first "crux" pitch. There was ice to be had, though for protection he had to dig through a couple inches of crumbly snow. The conditions made for excellent sticks, though.

 

Lookin down the bottom half of p1

 

Looking up p1

 

After cresting the ice bulge at the top of p1, Nick kept climbing but realized that the crusty layer over unconsolidated sugary shite would not be a good place to set an anchor; we simulclimbed for about 30m to an excellent tree belay. Pro on pitch one: five screws and a shitty picket

 

 

I thought this was clever; here's Nick taking a photo of me taking a photo of him from the top of p1...

 

I took pitch two, which was mostly more crust-covered fluff. I managed to tie off a couple of trees and got one good screw. Towards the top, where it steepened, the sticks were good, which was reassuring for me as I was 25m above a crappy screw. Another tree belay, then Nick scrambled the 15m around the cornice to the summit ridge.

 

By this time, the sun was setting so we quickly made our way down. We descended to the SE, down-climbing a couloir to a col with a fixed anchor in place. By this time it was dark; the rappel is pretty steep, and it was somewhat unnerving to rap into the dark without knowing exactly where we'd end up. Since my headlamp couldn't reach the bottom of the basin, we chose to set another anchor at the bottom of our first 35m rap. After the second rappel, it was quick work to downclimb down the bowl to the large basin below Chair where we had stashed our gear (I think the gully could be downclimbed after the first rap, though I'd hesitate to do it in the dark).

 

Another hour or so later, and we were back at the car and ready for junk food.

 

I definitely would be interested in climbing the NE Buttress; it looks to be in better condition now, likely thanks to the early sun. The N Face hasn't seen enough warm weather to consolidate the upper pitches yet, but it still was great fun and an excellent first winter climb at Snoqualmie. Thanks to Nick for a good time and putting up with my slow ass...

 

Cheers,

 

Gear Notes:

70m rope

screws

nuts (only used one for setting a rappel anchor)

pickets

camalots 1-3 (didn't use)

 

Approach Notes:

I'm too slow, and that's what got us topped out at dark. I'm buying skis this week (snowshoes suck).

[Alpinfox]

Thanks for the pix and conditions report.

 

 

I was curious what the route might be like this weekend.

 

Hopefully we'll get a report from the NE butt too.

[Marko]

The Butt was great ice where it was steep, but thin crust over a foot of loose snow elsewhere. Under the loose snow you'd either find rock or two more layers of rain crust. A little spooky kicking steps into it!

 

(Full disclosure: I self-belayed the last two ropelengths.)

Edited January 17, 2007 by Marko

[scottgg]

I thought that soloist looked familiar! Glad to see you enjoyed the weather Mark!

[Weekend_Climberz]

Good looking photos :tup:

 

Hopefully that lower section of ice stays put for a while this year

[Bug]

Great photos.

Thanks for the office party.

[kevbone]

Wow!

[webnick2007]

Great trip description Erik. Would it be redundant to say the snow was icy and the ice was snowy?! The crescent of an ice ax smacked three times against the snow (-(-(- must be a Japanese symbol for "anchorless!"

 

Nice work dodging all that stuff. Here's a couple more photos...

 

 

 

[letsroll]

instead if listing another TR for Chair north face thought I would just add to this one. Fheimerd and I did it on 1/12/07. It was freaking cold up there. fheimerd and i headed up. We broke trail all the way. It looked like there was two climbers heading up to Da tooth. Looks like we started just a bit to the left of where we should have. It was spicy fun all day. A definite step up for me and it was soooo much fun. I am hooked on steepness!!!! Fheimerd got the ball rolling and did a great job firing off the first pich. All kinds of snow conditions were had on route which added to the fun. First climb like this so we were slow. Have my eye one the NE butt.

Edited January 18, 2007 by letsroll