Summit_Rolos

Trip: Dragontail Peak - Serpentine Arete Date: 7/9/2011 Trip Report: Keith, Mario, Sandy, and I climbed Serpentine Arete on Dragontail this past weekend. First gear issue about 2 miles in -- complete blowout of Keith's hip belt. Uh Oh! Return Every Item! Second gear issue when we arrived at our camp at Colchuck Lake -- one tent was missing in action. No worries, the weather was good. From our camp in the boulders and larches at the end of the lake, the route looked to be in good shape: And the goats were in good shape too... well, maybe a little mangy: Hyperactive mice running around our heads led to a fitful night. In the morning, we all managed to sleep through our alarms. Better late than never, we put on crampons and hiked up to the base of the route. Here is Keith leading off. We probably didn't take the easiest start, but after a few pitches we were definitely on route per Beckey. Here is Sandy coming up onto the ledge with the big pillar: Chillin at a belay: Here is Keith starting the crux pitch beside the pillar. Really nice climbing on this pitch. Sandy following up the upper (hand crack) part of this pitch Now starting up the next pitch, another really nice one After one futher pitch, with the hardest bits done, we stopped for lunch in the sun (ahh, sun!). Roughly 1000 feet of climbing down, 1000 to go. We simul-ed the rest of the climb. There were patches of snow, but we were able to keep completely dry. I had to back up and try again a couple times on routefinding on this upper section, but generally it was pretty clear where to go. Some loose bits here, definitely want to be alert. Here are a few shots along the way: Final moves to the summit: And on the top: The hike down was more Draggin-Tail than Dragontail... happy to crash at Colchuck Lake for a second night. Very civilized. A great climb -- thanks guys! Note to self: make sure beer left in creek by the trailhead is well anchored. The bottles are probably floating down the Columbia by now...

Great trip report, thanks for sharing it. Brings back fond Pickets memories! That traverse of the East Towers to the East Ridge of Inspiration is definitely spectacular.

Great climbing with you guys again... fantatic trip!! and thanks for the fine writeup Keith.

Ben and Tim, nice to run into you up there! Heinrich, we'll get a TR on the Mac Spires traverse and the rest of our trip up here soon.

Nice work Tom and Wayne!

Scramblin' Jim, i just got to look through your climbing partner Ethan's photos from your trip, very nice images ! (and looks like a great trip too) I agree there are more good lines to be had out there on the "backside" of the Northern Pickets!

That is a SWEET photo of us on top! We saw you guys traversing on the Challenger glacier, was wondering who it was out there...

Dox, sadly we brought no hexes! As for the traverse around Whatcom, it was mostly on slabs and talus. On the way in we got up on the glacier, which was icy and broken. On the way back we skirted below it on slabs, which was quicker. I think the whole thing would be easier earlier season with a bunch of snow to kick steps in over the slabs and talus.

Trip: Northern Pickets - FAs on Middle Challenger and West Challenger Date: 8/5/2009 Trip Report: Mario, Sandy, Keith, and I (Seth) spent the first week of August in the Northern Pickets. We climbed two new routes: * Middle Challenger, South Ridge, 1100', 5.7, 5 pitches plus 3rd/4th class terrain (August 5 2009) * West Challenger, Birthday Route (aka East Ridge), 5.9, 6 pitches (August 6 2009) On our Pickets traverse last year, we had some killer views of the West side of the Northern Pickets, which left us salivating about new route possibilities. In particular, a photo i'd taken of the South Ridge of Middle Challenger presented an obvious and appealing route. 1100' of vertical from toe to top in a wild alpine setting. A winter of staring at that picture, plus a little encouragement from Wayne (thanks Wayne!) got us motivated to head back in with some rock gear this year. photo from July 2008 (note that by August the snow band has melted out) We had more than the usual amount of pre-trip hand-wringing, with injuries, illnesses, family matters, road closures, and forecasts of thunderstorms all weighing us down. But on August 4th we were camped up at Middle Challenger col. The next day we descended the col to the base of the ridge. The climb began at the toe with fun scrambling on the ridge crest. Several steps down low presented climbing to 5.7 on cracks and ramps. Here is Keith belaying at the top of one step. We drifted left of the crest as the climb became steeper, first scrambling 4th class terrain, then pitching out 3 pitches of fun mid-fifth class climbing back onto and up the crest. Soon we were on top, enjoying the thrill of a vision becoming reality. Mario (aka "Papa Pickets" on top) Our attention turned to West Challenger the next day. From our col camp, the East ridge and Southeast face presents a compelling view, with steep slabs split by cracks, amoung outrageous scenery. Would it go for us? We debated back and forth. We decided to give it a go and find out. I led a first 5.7 pitch on blocks and slabs to the notch at the base of the ridge. After some discussion at the base, Mario and Sandy decided to let Keith and I have a crack at it with the group's two light rock racks combined into one more sizable rack (thanks guys!). The slab above looked inviting, like Castle Rock set in the Pickets. I led the pitch, following perfect hand and finger cracks with occasional face moves. Higher and higher, wondering if the route would blank out. But it just kept going. A final fingertip traverse led to a belay on the ridge crest. Wow! I whooped with excitement. This 5.9 pitch would be three stars at any crag, before even factoring in the scenery. Keith followed it, and then basked at the belay notch. Keith led an airy traverse on the crest, followed by another airy traverse left by me. Here is a photo by Keith of me starting that fourth pitch. And Keith following it. Keith led up a clean gully, setting me up for a 5.9 sequence out of an alcove, and then up blocks to the summit ridge. With our lazy mid-day start, we were now running low on time. Our turn-around time was 6pm, and it was... 5:55pm. We tagged the summit at 6. Here is a picture by Keith of me at the summit. We set a rappel route down the East face. Three double-rope rappels took us back to our boots and our good friends. It was quite a way to spend my birthday. And as such, we named it the Birthday Route. A great team, and a great time. And finally Miller Time at the Little Beaver dock. Gear Notes: Gear to 3". Light rack for the South Ridge of Middle Challenger; Medium rack for the Birthday Route on West Challenger. Approach Notes: Approached via Little Beaver and the Whatcom Peak traverse. Got quite a smoke show from the Brush Creek fire just West of Whatcom Pass.

Yes, i've been lurking! Glad you liked my website Wayne. I can't wait to see you give a slideshow from this climb. And here is the image i posted before, this time inline in the post:

Nice work Wayne! Here is a photo of the Pickets at sunrise on the morning you were finishing the ridge, taken from Luna. Great to run into you on the way out.

Great, thanks all.

Does anyone know if there are bivy sites on the ridge that will accomodate 4 climbers (particularly the "good bivy" Nelson/Potterfield mentions)? Also, is there still some snow for water at the bivy sites this time of year? Thanks!

How many inches of new snow did you see up there? Our current plan to head up there tomorrow and camp, and then climb the North Ridge monday, conditions permitting (after a day of warmth tomorrow to help the new snow slide or consolidate). But a lot of new snow could be a problem...