[TR] Alpine Lakes - Outer Space 4/25/2010

[BirdDog]

Trip: Alpine Lakes - Outer Space

 

Date: 4/25/2010

 

Trip Report:

So, the forecast for Vantage was 60 and mostly sunny for this weekend. I spent Thurs. and Friday trying to recruit someone, but no luck. Then I ran into Tom S. on Friday night and said

"Hey Tom, what are doing this weekend."

"Going to L-worth"

"Oh yea, who are you going with?"

"You"

"OK, cool."

Tom swung by my place at 6 with Shawn and Jack; and after a quick visit to Starbucks we heading over Stevens in light snow. This should have been our first clue. Pulled up icicle and stopped at 8-mile to do a first ascent of Classic; someone already on it. Oh well, I guess they get the FA.

 

So, back down Icicle, tom says "Hey let's do Outer Space." So the group dynamic thing takes over, and next thing we're hiking up the creek. Boulder hopped Snow Creek, and trudged up through Tick Ville to the base.

 

Tom does a nice lead up the bottom of the 3rd pitch, and across the "finger tip traverse", which is not only missing places for finger, but deosn't have much for feet either. It is now snowing lightly, and I'm picking ticks off every three seconds and shivering as I belay Jack up the crux. I have long pants in my pack, but it's still sunny and I like to climb in shorts.

 

 

So here we at the Pedestal belay and Tom says, "you lead this one OK" and proceeds to load me up with cams. So, off I go. Get up to Library Ledge and bring up Jack. We spent the next while shivering are asses off waiting for Tom and Shawn to climb and re-supply us with cams. The very buccolic scene of Lower Icicle and L-worth were bathed in soft late afternoon light. The moon rose over the ridge opposite the wall. The cabins of the valley below were glowing with light reminding that some more sane souls were enjoying a nice glass of Cabernet by the fire. Jack I begin calisthenics to warm up.

 

I start up the 6th pitch, my hands numb with cold; scrathing for for chicken heads. Running out of both chicken heads and cams, I had to resort to proper crack climbing techniques, which I have always found rather painful on the toes. Not this time, my feet were numb, so I styled up the crack, placing a my meager supply of correct sized cams, running it out to a dead tree thirty feet from the summit. Topped out as the clouds were turning pink. Since I was done climbing, I put on my long pants.

 

Instead of taking the normal descent route we opted for a shortcut. Yea, drop off the backside to Pearly Gates, and down the trail. After a dark stumble fuck tripping over, crawling under, and smacking into numerous deadfall, we found the rap anchors at the top of Pearly Gates, in the exact spot Tom said they would be.

 

So, it's got to be somewhere close to 10:30 and we're setting up a rap while contending with a pair of goats. The rope toss goes well, and so does the ATC toss; Munter hitch rapel! As the last one down I'm standing in the moon light trying to discern the "off rapel" call; only hearing the clop of goat hooves. I creep close to the edge to test for slack lines, and the goat is right on my ass. I back off, back onto the ledge; remembering the cardinal rules of goat management- never turn your back to a goat. While I wasn't really planning on a moonlight rapel, it was certainly preferable to getting butted off the Pearly Gates. After kicking some small rocks towards the goat I bought enough time to grab the chains and get my rap set up. See you old goat - and off into the darkness.

 

The window glass was still intact in Tom's rig, but Gustav's was closed. Jack's summer sausage was savagely devoured as we headed back over Stevens in snow.

 

Fun times, except for midnight bush wack.

 

 

Gear Notes:

Lot's of 2" cams.

 

Approach Notes:

Trail snow free to base.

[summitchaserCJB]

Second picture...

[keenwesh]

nice guys, way to get after it.

Not trying to hijack your post, but going to anyway, anyone done iconoclast and pumpline? looks cool, what do people think of it?

[keenwesh]

oh, and Hyperspace too, what about that one?

[Tom_Sjolseth]

Nice summary, and great trip, BD.

 

This was the first time I ever led multiple pitches with nothing but cams.

 

Looking forward to the next one.

[mountainsloth]

rock on dudes!

Cheers to the photographer.

[BirdDog]

nice guys, way to get after it.

Not trying to hijack your post, but going to anyway, anyone done iconoclast and pumpline? looks cool, what do people think of it?

 

I don't know anything about pumpline. Iconoclast goes to the left of Outer Space from Library Ledge, where there is a fairly new bomber bolted anchor. Inconoclast route looked like it hadn't seen much traffic lately and definitely had some lichen on it, upping the .10+ rating. Couldn't see hyperspace from our route.

 

The entire wall is dry though, except for one small slimy water streak just below the summit on our route.

[Peter_Puget]

If I remember correctly Iconoclast above Library Ledge goes straight up and is significantly harder than .10+. Also, some of the the bolts are in really bad locations. Iconoclast with a 5.10 rating joins Outspace @ Library ledge. Edge of Space move out left from Library Ledge.

[JBC]

Iconoclast does go straight up at a run out 10b to a bolt ladder (aid) finish. Rumour is that it has been top roped at 12+ but I don't think it has been lead.

 

Edge of space does go left and is rated 11b.

 

Jim Couch

[el jefe]

i believe pumpline is on careno crag, not snow creek wall.

[Peter_Puget]

I didn't find the ladder to be much of a ladder. Did you?

[JBC]

It has been at least 20 years so my memory could well be off. (It was never great anyway!) I seem to remember 2 pitches off of Library ledge with a bit of mixed aid and about 4 or 5 reachy bolts near the top of the second (last) pitch off the ledge.

[keenwesh]

i believe pumpline is on careno crag, not snow creek wall.

that could very well be true, however, in the new leavenworth guide shows a 11a called something with a P and it says it's a fantastic finger crack that replaces the 2nd 5.8 pitch of iconoclast. also, I'm referring to the lower iconoclast route, up to library ledge, exiting out the last OS pitch.

 

would you get busted if you camped below SCW? I figure with the state budget as shitty as it is they can't afford to pay rangers to bust people. can you get a permit to camp legally?

[keenwesh]

Pulled out the guide, it's called Psychopath, 11a, climbed as an alternate to the 3rd pitch of iconoclast.

[BirdDog]

If I remember correctly Iconoclast above Library Ledge goes straight up and is significantly harder than .10+. Also, some of the the bolts are in really bad locations. Iconoclast with a 5.10 rating joins Outspace @ Library ledge. Edge of Space move out left from Library Ledge.

 

You're probably right. Outer Space steps out right from Library Ledge, Edge moves left, and looks wicked.

[BirdDog]

would you get busted if you camped below SCW? I figure with the state budget as shitty as it is they can't afford to pay rangers to bust people. can you get a permit to camp legally?

 

Prolly won't be busted, but not much point in camping out below SCW; we did the approach in under an hour.

[keenwesh]

yeah, it takes about 50 min, but still, it'd be nice if you wanted to do multiple routes in there to not have to do it twice.

[Tod]

Did you get a sense as to how much snow (if any) there might be in the regular descent gully?

[G-spotter]

if you camped below SCW?

 

you'd wake up bloodless and flat in the morning

 

bloodless from the ticks and flattened by the trundling goats

[tazz]

Hey BD, I hear you drove all the sleeping babies home. Pays to have that long haul experience huh?

 

late night heh?

 

Nice report, pics and trip guys!

[BirdDog]

Did you get a sense as to how much snow (if any) there might be in the regular descent gully?

 

Looked as if there was some, but it was kinda dark and hard to tell.

[BirdDog]

Hey BD, I hear you drove all the sleeping babies home. Pays to have that long haul experience huh?

 

late night heh?

 

Nice report, pics and trip guys!

 

...yea, and they snore like a heard of mad hogs!

[Dane]

Pulled out the guide, it's called Psychopath, 11a, climbed as an alternate to the 3rd pitch of iconoclast.

 

Psychopath is the obvious pitch to do while you're there as it looks pretty good. I love finger cracks and found it less than spectacular in the grand scheme of finger cracks. Good pro on a less than vertical slab, crux at the end for me. Add RPM in as well. Iconoclast is really just the approach pitches to Hyperspace. The exit on to the Shield and the Iconoclast "connect" to OS is easily to identify when you are there. I thought Hyperspace a good climb and especially liked the stellar hand cracks high up in the corner. Although the thorny under growth was annoying at times. Those hand cracks made the effort worthwhile. The Pressure Chamber? Not so enjoyable but nice line.

[keenwesh]

is the pressure chamber easy to aid with smallish gear? like just french free through it? I hate offwidths/chimneys. (maybe I should do more? the final moves on the first pitch of midway really blow for example)

[Peter_Puget]

For my money the best pitch on Iconoclast is the pitch up to Library Ledge. Fun climbing up knobs to a short handcrack. I think a couple of the knobs can be tied off, so bring some thin slings. The part above LL is dirty and the bolts were in goofy places. The odd thing is it looks as if some of the bolts were placed at different times. Perhaps the newer ones filled existing holes but I kinda doubt it. I thought the bolts were kinda far apart on the ladder. Haven't been on it in many years so my memory could be off. I think someone should replace the bolts where you'd want them for free climbing and the route would be much improved.

Edited April 27, 2010 by Peter_Puget