OlympicMtnBoy

Thanks Porter, it's kind of cool to see that view. I'm sure I've looked across that way from Constance as well, but I don't think I ever realized I was looking at Destroyer until this trip.

Sounds like a great rainy day outing to me!

Thanks Porter, It was a lot easier to get in there than I thought. Either peak is doable in a day pretty easily. Brendan gets credit for all the good pictures BTW, I took the less cool ones. I think we'll have some more up soon.

Trip: S. Fork of Tunnel Creek - Nun, Destroyer, Enigma Date: 9/12/2009 Trip Report: A month or so ago I was cruising the local Goodwill on a lunch break and I ran across a copy of the 1981 Mountaineer. Flipping through the journal I found an interesting article on Tunnel Creek climbs including the Nun, Destroyer, and Enigma. Being a big fan of the Olympics and not having visited for a while I decided to go check them out. After a Friday lunch meeting I managed to recruit long time climbing partner and veteran of several Olympics trips with me, Brendan, to come along. The forecast was great and it just wasn’t a weekend to stay home and crag. We hit the trail about 9:30 AM, the bushwhack wasn’t too bad for the Olympics, and we made it to camp in a flattish meadow at the head of the S. Fork of Tunnel Creek around 1:00. Along the way we snacked on plentiful huckleberries and found tasty forest treats for dinner. We worried along the way that we wouldn’t have any water after Tunnel Creek disappeared into it’s final tunnel a long ways down the hill, but were lucky to find one small clearish pond still in the meadow. We stashed the bivy gear, hung our food like 30 feet off the ground (Brendan was worried about tall bears), and set off up the hill to the base of the E. Ridge of the Nun. Only a few minutes from camp in the valley and we hit the base and began the mossy 4th class scramble up the ridge. Staying on the ridge proper gave lots of secure“green” belay options, although Brendan opted for the mossy slabs at points. A few old slings were passed in the trees and we soon made it to the base of the summit block. The original route had a long downward traverse around the difficulties, but the summit block direct route looked pretty good and was supposedly only 5.0. I racked up with my meager rack and headed up. The pillow lava on this pitch was actually pretty good and allowed for a couple of small cam placements and a big hex, then the difficulties were over and we were scrambling the ridge over a small false summit to the top. The views were great and we even found an old film canister summit register containing the entries of six other parties including the FA in 1978. After basking in the afternoon sun we headed back down the ridge making one rap on my 67 meter rope (60 would be fine if you go from the right spot) to the base of the summit block, then three more raps down the mossy slabs off of trees. We were soon back at camp cooking dinner with our tasty forest treats. - The East Ridge is the left skyline, although the final pitch is not as steep as it looks from this angle. - After a good sleep and leisurely morning we started up the other side of the valley for Destroyer and Enigma. The hidden rock chute above the boulder field was pretty easy to follow to the upper bench, then a long scree traverse to the base of Destroyer. We had some debate about the proper “ramp” described in the guidebook, but I think our chimney scramble from directly below the summit up and left was correct. Another short steep pitch with some actual cracks and almost decent rock got us to the notch, then another scramble up to the “platform” at the base of the summit pitch. The 1980 piton is still there (as mentioned by Bremerton John), but is of marginal utility. I tied it off and climbed up making a few mid-fifth moves on crappy rock. I had pins and a hammer but I opted for a crappy cam, a decent nut, and a fished through slung hole before reaching the top. Pins would be safer, but the moves were easy. We found the top still slung with a rotting and chewed on red cord and backed it up with another cord. Forgot to bring a summit register, doh! - Destroyer is the obvious pointy thing, Enigma is the unobvious blob just to the left. - - The steep second pitch. - - Brendan enjoys not having led the final pitch. - After enjoying the views and taking pics of Constance (is there an old plane wreck in the canyon there, looked like shredded fiberglass?), we did a single rope rap (60m would be fine) back to the base of the summit tower. We belayed the 4th class move to get around a gendarme to the easy scramble up to the top of Enigma. I guess I didn’t look hard enough, but I didn’t find the summit register there, probably under a rock I didn’t move. We scrambled back down to the Enigma-Destroyer notch and did one more rap to easy ground to the base. The scree was much faster on the way down, and we snacked and packed and booked for the car (not missing bringing a few tasty treats home along the way). Overall another great Olympics rock climbing trip! Maybe not quite as classic (for the Olympics) as Mt. Cruiser or the W. Arete of Mt. Constance, but still a fun trip to a remote spot only a mile or so off the trail (I did hear voices at one point, but never saw anyone else). Thanks to the 1981 Mountaineer and the earlier TR for inspiration. Gear Notes: 4 cams, 5 nuts, 2 hexes, 5 pins, 67 meter rope, lots of slings, string bikini harness. More than enough! Approach Notes: Follow S. Fork of Tunnel creek to just past the Shelter, then follow the creek bed up to campsites at ~4900'. Turn left for the Nun, right for Destroyer.

I just use a drybag like Ivan, I would image a Wag bag or Restop bag would be all the better to toss in the drybag.

I probably won't make it this year since my girlfriend is just getting back to town that weekend and probably won't be excited about going, but I've had lots of fun before so I just wanted to say THANKS PORTER! Thanks for dealing with all this crap on our behalf and organizing us n shit. :-)

Semper Farcisimus!

Yep, it's that time of year again! As summer wanes and fall approaches, come get some extra climbing stoke at what is usually a pretty good show! Thursday, September 17th at the Neptune Theatre 7:00 PM Tickets available at Feathered Friends, 2nd Ascent, and Vertical World (or at the door)

We based that on a wall map back at the chopper base as there was some confusion with the maps Fred was supposed to bring, I thought the Pretender was a tad west of Monarch's summit from the map, but I could well be wrong. BTW, there was the lower half (shaft and spike) of an old wooden ice axe stuck in the summit block of the pretender/serf. I forgot to take a picture and we left it there for posterity. Anyone know if there's a story behind it?

Yeah the rock in the area was highly variable. That pillar high on the N. Face of Monarch looked solid and sweet, getting to the base of it looked much less fun (through long traversing chossy ledges or under the hanging glacier). We could also see a tiny bit of the other side of the Throne that did look better, but no one else seemed motivated to trek around to the other side. Maybe next time.

If you're lucky like me you you can find a nearly new pair of Kaukulators at Second Ascent that fit. Otherwise you've got the Acopa JB (which I also have not been able to try on and thus can't order), the La Sportiva TC Pro which might be easier to find shortly (I think just hit the US recently) but will cost you like $190, or supposedly 5.10 has a new high top coming soon which was spotted at the Summer OR show (check the www.rockclimbing.com posts from the show). I suppose if you're mostly freeing a big wall those'll work, can't say I'd want to aid in any of them though. I use mine for all day alpine and offwidth stuff. I love my high tops!

Anybody happen to see the Nun when you were up there? Anybody been up that way since? I just ran across a 1979 "Mountaineer" that details the Nun FA and was intrigued. Who wants to go for it?

Good job, I thought it was a fun route too!

I think any of those sea stacks that aren't permanently connected to the shore by land are considered both marine bird sanctuaries and tribal sacred locations and are thus strictly off limits to scrambling and climbing. Somebody let me know if I'm wrong. I've also generally encountered very chossy crumbly rock out there anyways although there are a couple of spots where the clams have dug into the rock that are fun to boulder.

Great video, looks like fun!

Hehe, actually I think it was the existence of bumble bee pass I not aware of. I had just remembered walking by Thompson on the PCT a few years earlier and thinking it didn't look hard to get to. After my Stuart climb got canceled earlier that day by a fire and a newly closed trailhead we decided to try Thompson instead of going home, no guidebook or map or anything. Good adventure. I'm glad we're not in conflict for ascent times though.

Nice, even if you didn't get that high!

The Throne did NOT look appealing from our side. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikkbtNPYI/AAAAAAAAEJM/s62iMTLmQcA/s400/IMG_3924.JPG[/img] Note the many scree covered ledges. Perhaps the other side has better rock.

Trip: Mt. Monarch - East Ridge Date: 7/26/2009 Trip Report: Somewhere around a year ago Fred B. started asking me about Mt. Monarch. If you've spent much time with Fred, you know that he doesn't stop asking until he gets the answer he's looking for. Somewhere between selective hearing and years of practice, Fred get's what he wants eventually. I'd already had a busy summer, but I figured I could squeeze in this new adventure. I packed up my Chinook in Yosemite and headed back to WA to catch a board meeting for work and then had one evening to pack and to meet the other six assorted ruffians Fred had assembled (Jim, Doug, Bill, Rob, Jessie, and Theron). Chaos ensued in Fred's driveway as we tried to work out stoves, tents, food, and climbing gear the night before we were supposed to drive north, but somehow most of it made it in our various packs. The next morning found a ragged caravan on the 10-12 hour drive north to White Saddle Air Service at Bluff Lake (aka: the middle of nowhere). [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikO2eLkkI/AAAAAAAAEHI/FaukLMO6WY8/s400/IMG_3869.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikPteb2VI/AAAAAAAAEHM/y0x_bh6QHWc/s400/IMG_3871.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikWq-xhpI/AAAAAAAAEH8/SJC4ffxxD68/s400/IMG_3892.JPG[/img] Jim got us pulled out of line at the border and we all got interrogated, but otherwise the drive was uneventful and after a short hot and buggy night at the airfield we were all piled onto two helicopters at 6 AM and shortly thereafter deposited on the Horseshoe Glacier. Camp was erected and a few of us went up to the east ridge saddle that afternoon to scope the route and scout a high camp to make for a shorter day for Fred and anyone else who likes camping on high ridges. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikhOlhqzI/AAAAAAAAEI0/fZ7S82tz5Do/s400/IMG_3919.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikioM43vI/AAAAAAAAEJA/_FgNQkJQscU/s400/IMG_3921.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikjxnMa1I/AAAAAAAAEJI/c0t5dwEgPTc/s400/IMG_3923.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snikppv_A6I/AAAAAAAAEJs/_NyyNltO0S8/s400/IMG_3942.JPG[/img] Day 2 we had some stunning breakfast burritos with eggs, bacon, peppers, and onions (amazing what excess you get when 8 people all individually pack food AND hit the store with Fred on the way up), and then a hearty group of us set out at a slow pace for the ridge. On the ridge in the afternoon there was some question of snow conditions. Perhaps the weather was too good? Fred decided the ridge was a good high point with great views, Bill and I decided to give it a 3 AM start and see if the snow set up any. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnikrO4BTWI/AAAAAAAAEJ0/jg6ajrahyY4/s400/IMG_3948.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snikty1uyEI/AAAAAAAAEKI/WEbiAs1j40s/s400/IMG_3959.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik1XHCowI/AAAAAAAAEK4/v8HBuWV0-o8/s400/IMG_3978.JPG[/img] The east ridge route varies greatly depending on conditions, but as the original 1936 ascent route on the mountain is steep but not too much so. Good thing because you also have to descend the route. Bill and I figured if the snow was just too bad and stuff was coming down in the wrong places we could always retreat. We made fairly quick time over the already explored 4th class rock step, dinked around with crampons a bit later on the ridge, and then finally scrambled up on top of the second rock step (3rd class). At sunrise we had crossed the first bergschrund on the hanging glacier and were heading up the 40-45 degree ice face. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik2jWfmzI/AAAAAAAAELA/p6iRYbcRzAs/s400/IMG_3981.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik6LlG9jI/AAAAAAAAELc/oUwMzFs_YmU/s400/IMG_3989.JPG[/img] The face was a strange mass of solidified margarita ice, but made for fairly solid footing and we kept an ice screw between us for a running belay. A few rock placements were found in the upper gully, but fairly easy travel continued right of the obvious scoured potions to the notch near the summit. We had one more move of "19th century climbing", as Bill put it, to surmount a large chockstone, and were soon on the fine firm summit snow ridge and then the summit proper (a little less than 5 hours from high camp). [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik7psitXI/AAAAAAAAELk/UHNWQgbO2Mg/s400/IMG_3991.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik9_gKWjI/AAAAAAAAELw/CPssp3YpWA4/s400/IMG_3998.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik8emNCmI/AAAAAAAAELo/3HXQiJZMMaQ/s400/IMG_3992.JPG[/img] After basking in the sun, chowing down on fresh bread, mozzarella, and prosciutto, and shouting to friends farther down the ridge, we began what was to be a fairly arduous descent. After 8 AM or so the north face of the summit block began dumping snow in the gully although we were fortunately able to stay clear on the side. We rigged three 30 meter rappels off horns and one piton which got us down out of the narrower gully and onto the safer face under easterly facing rock which had already melted out and wasn't spitting at us. Careful simul-downclimbing (the margarita ice didn't seem conducive the v-threads at that time) took us back to the lower angle hanging glacier (where most of our ascent steps had already melted away), and then back to the top of the rock step and safer ground. [img:center]http://lh4.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/Snik_QFmq6I/AAAAAAAAEL4/mdno--SHUj4/s400/IMG_4000.JPG[/img] A leisurely pace (and a few of my slips in the soft snow which were fortunately not exposed) brought us back to high camp around 1 PM for congratulations from Fred and Jim who then headed back down to base. A little (or a lot) warmer than desired, but still a great climb. Bill and I decided to spend another night up high and Theron kept us company watching the stars come out and a beautiful sunset from the sun warmed rocks. [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilAzyGsQI/AAAAAAAAEME/_ae0N_VtYTc/s400/IMG_4004.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilCCruW6I/AAAAAAAAEMM/1qiCtRnGzr0/s400/IMG_4006.JPG[/img] The next day I scrambled an hour the other way on the ridge to the summit of the Queen with Doug, soloing on the way up and two short raps to get down (Doug only did one). That afternoon we all headed back to base to take advantage of the ~17 bottles worth of wine we had, and other nice luxuries we hadn't toted up the ridge. I slept well that night. [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilFw8pc7I/AAAAAAAAEMo/Mutl6kRdnXo/s400/IMG_4017.JPG[/img] On our final (5th) day up there Doug, Theron, and I scrambled to the summit of the Serf for some more great pictures and slightly better rock than the Queen, and then made it back down for final celebrations in camp. After some debate Jessie and Rob decided to head back up to the top of the last rock step to see if conditions cooled that night, and the rest of us went to bed. [img:center]http://lh3.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilKYFxUBI/AAAAAAAAENE/DCt8AakeOuM/s400/IMG_4028.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilM7rpFmI/AAAAAAAAENU/TZ2WrHQjL5Q/s400/IMG_4033.JPG[/img] Our early morning helicopter arrive (the other four were heading out the next day) and we piled all our gear in again and sped off. Jessie and Rob had found a low of 52 high on the ridge and were heading back down, just in time for us to buzz by them on the ridge. Soon we were back at the lake and then cruising back down at Doug speed towards Seattle. [img:center]http://lh5.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilUcV7SOI/AAAAAAAAEOI/h-pgR0tdWNU/s400/IMG_4053.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://lh6.ggpht.com/_0naUnf5VDGU/SnilZtfjl6I/AAAAAAAAEOs/i_XSgCJ5-d0/s400/IMG_4072.JPG[/img] I hadn't planned on returning till Sunday night so the Friday night arrival gave me a nice couple of days to catch up before work again on Monday. Overall another great trip to the hills with some great old and new friends. I'm glad Bill and I got on the summit when we did as we were the only ones to do so, but the climb it self was another beautiful line on a beautiful mountain in a range I had never been in. The rest of the pictures are here: http://picasaweb.google.com/matthiesen/MtMonarch# Some of them came out really well, I think my tiny camera liked the extra bright light. Gear Notes: Light alpine rock rack with a few pins, long ice screws, 60m half rope, walking axe and a second tool. Approach Notes: Drive north in B.C. to Williams Lake, turn left towards Bella Coola and head to Tatla Lake, go south to White Saddle. Helicopter approaches are da bomb! Just watch where you pitch your tent if the weather is hot.

Nice, looks like fun, I'll have to get up there some day!

Yeah, some of my favorite routes are up there (mostly for ambiance and such). I wonder what is going on.

Thanks guys! It was a great trip and a really fun line. I felt many of the pitches up there could be classic with a little more traffic and it was amazing how such nice steep cracks were broken up by great belay ledges. For more pictures and Matt's topo check out my picasa web albums. Trip One, cleaning and aiding: http://picasaweb.google.com/matthiesen/ColchuckBalancedRockTheScoop# Trip Two, Cleaning and freeing: http://picasaweb.google.com/matthiesen/ColchuckBalancedRockTheScoop02#

Nice job. Hoe does camping under the peak affect SKT records? I thought that way was especially slow (yet enjoyable). Also does it count if you lose time due to missing bumble bee pass (and trying to approach/climb without any sort of prior knowledge other than rumor of a route)? I look forward to more of this time trend!

Nice Lisa (and Doug)! I've been wanting to do a traverse like that for a while. You guys sure lucked out on the weather too! - S

Nice Andy, I love Olympics ridges! Great weekend for it! Did you stop in the hot springs on the way down from Boulder Lake? Lisa, did you let Doug talk you into something again? ;-)