Trip: Lane Peak - Lovers Lane

Date: 2/11/2012

Trip Report:
Wanted to get out this weekend, so I convinced Alicia, Matt, and Kevin to go climb Lane Peak. After seeing pictures of some friends wallowing up The Zipper last weekend, we decided the steeper Lovers Lane might be fun and not quite as snowy.


Lane Peak

Snow conditions were a breakable rain crust that made it nice to have snowshoes on the approach. The weather was a mix of sun, snow, and climbing in a cloud.

The snow in the route was deep, but wasn't so deep we couldn't climb.


Start of Lovers Lane

Alicia had never led steep snow, so she wanted to give it a try. There were even a couple short ice sections for her.

Matt led the second rope up Lovers Lane with Kevin in tow. Kevin had never climbed steep snow, so this was new for him.


Matt with Kevin coming over the first ice step.


Alicia getting ready to lead the second ice step around to the right of the rock.

At the top of Lovers Lane we found the rappel tree to get into The Zipper. We were able to get down using a single 60m rope.


Alicia coming down the rappel into The Zipper.

Thanks to some others that kicked steps up The Zipper and to the summit looking for somewhere to ski, the rest of the climb was easy and unroped.


Kevin and Matt finishing up The Zipper.


Matt and Alicia on the summit.


The 4 of us on the summit.

There was another group of 2 behind us in Lovers Lane that dropped a picket. If anyone is up there and finds it and is feeling nice, I know the owner and I'm sure he'd appreciate its return.

Gear Notes:
Few pickets, few nuts, 60m rope.

Approach Notes:
Snowshoes were nice. Having your girlfriend lead the whole thing and kick all the steps makes for an easy climb.

Yer GF's helmet topper is kewl.

Good work guys (and girl)!!! You can thank Luke and Scott for those nice steps to the summit

looks nice!
did you happen to glance at denman on your approach (the peak on your left right before lane)? if so, how did the ice look?

There was quite a bit of ice on Denman. Didn't get close enough to get a good look at any of it, but here's a pic taken from the way in to Lane.

thanks!

What is the secret to getting down the rap with a single 60m? Stretchy rope? Make sure there is a lot of snow in the zipper?

Probably a bit of both. There is a ton of snow in the Zipper right now. We had a 60m half rope we rapped down, so that stretches a lot too. We had a second rope from the other team if one rope didn't reach.


Here's a pic of one of our party at the end of the rap.

Nice job guys. I didn't realize that was Matt for a while in that green jacket and thought some random was just climbing with you.
Looked like a good day out! Much better than a day spent nursing a hangover from a liter of whisky.

Went back up this route again this last weekend. It was super full of snow and a walkup. Used and axe, and didn't use the rope until the top to get out to the tree and for the rappel. 60m would reach for the rappel just fine right now.

Here's a couple pics:

Matt getting close to the top of Lovers Lane.


Tim traversing out to the rappel tree.