Jeez, thanks Iron and friend! Dont know if we could have made a good go of it w/o your huge effort. I am just torqued today as it was.
What a climb.
Photo: courtesy of "Iron and friend" , pitch 3
The plan was so last minute, but the weather screamed for it. I managed to hook up a car pool partnership for the drive from Pullman. We were both not excited about our 3rd drive from there in the last few weekends. The pull of the plan was very compelling though. Beaus team was going after Colonial, and Rolf I and I were headed to Pyramid. Their Trip turned out pretty nice .
Rolfs plan was to go up a ways to the right of a route that I had always hoped to repeat some day. I wasnt expecting something so steep as this however. the intimidation factor was enhanced by the fact that we left a little too early and in the dark the steepness was terrifiying. Did not see much ice either. the first pitch was looking to be near vert the whole way, and to play beyond leaving a back off peice needed to be discussed. After seeing it in daylight however, it looked more doable. I took a whack at it knowing the second pitch was riddled with a couple of overhangs. (evillaugh)
The 2 start pitches set the tone for a heck of a ride as the 4th was a crazy vertical smear of thin ice and snow over rock. Rolf had a great lead on that pitch too. I moved the belay and got the dibbs on the crux icicles. They were undercut by small roofs and filled in with pillow snow. After excavating them away, It was pure campus up to the spot in between the icicles where I didnt have room to swing. I got real pumped after 15 attempted swings . once I pulled around to the first foothold, my arms were done. I remembered an clever trick Tim showed me that involved pulling your rope over the top of your axe to tension into a rest. I used it to place a screw and rest the rubber that had replaced my arms. .
Another stretch of steeps and Rolf got the last real lead to get to the deep snow simo-wallow the the summit. A truly incredible view from that peak for sure. A truly amazing route as well. Sorry no pics from me, but maybe Iron will help out with that.
Edit note... It is cool to come full circle. In feb-'03 David and I were coming down from Colonial, just as Bobs team was coming down from Pyramid. Now I helped a party hook up to do Colonial as we are doing Pyramid 7 years later.