skibum1087

For those interested we went up there on friday night. Baker Lake road is clear, on road 1152 we removed a bunch of branches in the first mile, and then at the 1.2 mile mark we high centered a subaru in deep snow on the road, it was soft and a couple of feet deep. Around the next corner was also snowed in, still needs some time

Does anybody have any info on the condition of the shannon creek road? We're hoping to ski the sulphide friday night and were wondering how much road we need to skin. Thanks for any info Spencer

Thanks everyone for all the info, it was more than I could have hoped for. Sounds like theres no good reason not to go for it, hopefully one of these upcoming weekends. -Spencer

As the weather rapidly turns cold I am looking to get on these two climbs before it is to late as they were two of my goals for the summer. I am quite intimidated by both of them so I wanted to clear up a few questions, and was hoping the people on this board would help me out. To approach the split pillar from merci me, once you break off the second pitch and do the "exposed 5.10 move" to reach the split pillar belay does the climb still warrent the ghost symbol or R rating that the first two pitches have. Runout 5.8 is ok with me, but not runout 5.10. Also, at the top of the split pillar when it says save some medium to wide protetction in the book, does that mean about number 2 or number 3 camalots? Basically I am looking to sew it up and will carry two 3's if it will take them, but I do not know if they are nessecary. My question about prussik is pretty much the same, I know I can climb it but am willing to lug a slightly larger rack to make myself feel better. In the flaring chimney pitch would it be advantagous to bring two 3's and a 4, or does it protect with smaller sizes? The hardest climbs I've led are A little testis at murrin park, seasoned in the sun, and the exasperator, and the hardest wide crack ive led is the offwidth on the north ridge of stuart. They all went ok, but anything much harder than a little testis would be getting in over my head a little, any opinons on weather these climbs are a bad idea for me, or mabey i am just freaking out over nothing? Thanks a lot for any input. Spencer

Skied it last week right before the rain, you could not ski to hannegan camp directly but you could ski a great chute all the way to the valley floor that took you lower in elevation than hannegan camp. Then it was just a matter of bushwhacking back to the trail, well worth it though, 2200 feet of vert from the summit to the end of the snow.

wayne- we did not get back to the north side of the mountain until about noon on friday, and then hiked out not on any path. It would have been cool to run into you, it was the #4 camalot that you sold me that got us up the genderarme.

Thanks for the good words guys. Spotly- I carried 8 singles and 3 doubles for the climb. It seemed to work well, although mabey excessive. If anything I would bring one more double and one less single. As for the rack I used all of it and really enjoyed having all of it with me. It allowed us to make our simuling blocks very long without running out of gear, and bringing the 3 and the 4 allowed me to sew up the offwidth. That being said, if 5.9 is no big deal for you than you could get away with singles in everything and no number 3. -spencer

Trip: Mt stuart - Upper north ridge Date: 7/14/2007 Trip Report: 2 weeks ago we looked across at the north ridge of stuart from the top of dragontail and decided it looked to long to hard and to scary. On wendsday I had forgotten how big it looked from up there, and convinced my friend Wyatt once more to go out for a climb. We approached via Mountaineers creek, and immedietly found the approach confusing. We left the trail at the switchback, but were confused by "cross the creek immedietly, as the creek was still a good ways through the woods. We found our way across it, and after seeing no signs on any path started plowing our way through the brush, reorienting ourselves whenever stuart peaked through the treetops. Eventually we ended up in boulder fields following carins that led to nowhere, more sections of bushwhacking eventually led us to camp. Bodies were tiring, but our spirits were not yet dampened. We set camp near the creek below the ice cliff glacier. Stuart loomed above. The second we stopped moving the mosquitos engulfed us, and we are not talking about the average docile northwestern mosquitos here. These were the bloodthirsty little buggers that I am more familiar with seeing back home in Maine, I was less than impressed (note, Cutter advanced with "new active ingredient" is the most uselss bug spray of all time) As I lay in my bivi sack, discovering that if the mesh is up against your face bugs can actually bite through it, with a pounding headache setting in I thought this is the kind of stuff a true alpinist would revel in, I then began to think that mabey I was not cut out to be a true alpinist. Only time could tell. We left camp and were treated to a fantastic sunrise at the edge of the stuart glacier. Our first obstacle was gaining the gulley to the notch. I had never heard anybody say anything about the glacier being much of an issue, and I am begining to think that most people go around to the right of it and come in similar to if you did the south approach from goat pass? We shot directly up the left side of it, to the left of the main broken part on a steep snow ramp. The climbing was not hard but once we finished the ramp we traversed above a gaping crevasse, slightly taken aback by the "you fall you die" climbing so early in the morning we were excited finally to be working our way up the gulley looking down on the glacier. Within 10 minuites of going up the gulley we witnessed a massive icefall go down the glacier. It broke off where the glacier meets the cliffs and broke from where it meets the north ridge on the left, all the way across through the shrund at the bottom of the SGC (part of which broke) the cracking sound echoed across the valley and we sat there shocked that we had already just nearly cheated death so early on in our climb. We nervously finished the scramble to the notch. Where we were treated with great views. We pitched out the first 3 pitches until we became more comfortable with the sharp knife edges and extreme posistioning and then began to simul climb. Plenty has been said about the route already but for those who have not done it, the pictures do not do it justice. The climbing is rediculous, unlike anything I could have ever imagined. Hanging from the hand traverses, feet dangling down over the ice cliff below, I was in awe. One long pitch brought us into view of the slab below the generarme. The whole climb I had some anxiety in me, knowing that the bypass was snowed in and that up and over was the only way to get home safely. The pitches are rated 5.9, but I many trip reports describe them as being pretty stiffly rated, and I had already found out on my last leavenworth alpine trip that 5.9 up in the mountains is harder than 5.10 at the smoke bluffs. As we appraoched the generarme loomed menacingly above. I started up the lieback pitch, heart pounding. I put in my first piece, clipped the fixed nut, looked down and realized the pitch was already halfway over. The climbing on this pitch is never that hard just extremly fun, I was stoked to have led this pitch clean and without major delay. The belay on top was great. We moved into the offwidth which was harder, but nowhere near as bad as I had feared, I actually thought that the crux of the route was the last 5.9 crack up near the summit block. Wyatt tastes the exposure on the offwidth... After this pitch we had some confusion again. We had read something about an exposed 5.5 traverse from the belway alcove, but we did not see anything of the sort. We went up and left on steep flakes and cracks, traversed right to avoid going over the top of the generarme, and then downclimbed a bit to a fixed belay around a block. We could see the final 5.9 crack but had no way to get to it. After a few dead ends that had me traversing on steep lichen with no pro we finally decided to climb stragiht up to the top of another tower, rap down, and then scramble a little bit to the base of the crack. Any thoughts on how this section is supposed to go? Up the crack to a small water drip that was much needed, and then it was one long simul pitch to the summit, where oddly enough there was a giant swarm of butterflys hovering just off the rock, it was an actual cloud of them. The climb was getting more and more outragous every second. They soon flew to slightly lower pastures upon our arrival. looking back down the route From the summit we were faced with decisions. We origionally wanted to descend the sherpa back to camp, but had heard several large booms that sounded like they were coming from further away than the ice cliff while on route, and logic told us that the sherpa was spitting ice and rock as well. Also the day was warm and we were worried about the wet snow sliding. Down the cascadian it was. We followed it down with the occasional carin until it reached the low pines. Here there was a piece of flagging on a tree and then no signs on a path. After much debate we went straight down the gulley with the stream, doing some 3rd and 4th class scrambling down wet rock with a rattlesnake sighting thrown in for good measure. Were we supposed to go right? Many hours later we hit the ingalls creek trail and started heading towards the junction for stuart pass. Everything was taking way longer than antisipated at this point, and night was closing in. Man this mountain is huge. At nightfall we hit the junction and unsure of exactly where goat pass lay on the ridge above us in the dark we settled in for a chilly night. We had not planned on a night out, and especially after the rock climb went so well we thought it was all under control, but no such luck. Our extra clothes were limited and we climbed into our backpacks for warmth. We were pretty much out of food and were not looking forward to the long hike in the morning with nothing to eat. The next day, we got over the passes and were in the boulder between the stuart glacier and the camps when the thunderstorm came. Lightning struck at rapid intervals and we climbed under a boulder for shelter wondering if after 18 pitches of rock climbing and circumnavigating a mountain we would finally die from a lightning strike. We didn't and once it passed we packed up camp and took off. We followed the trail along the river on the way out... until it completly dissipeared about an hour later. This time the bushwhack was worse than on the way in, and we fought our way through the chest deep brush for what seemed like an eternity until we hit the stuart lake trail, finally safely off the mountain faced with nothing but a stroll back to the car. It was an amazing trip that really tested everything that I have ever had to use in the mountains. Navigational skill (mabey these need to be improved) rock climbing, snow travel, and an open bivi thrown in. My hat is off to all the crazy bastards who do this route car to car, hopefully I will get a chance to try the complete later this summer. Thanks a bunch to everyone who helped provide info before this trip, especially John Frieh who gaved extremly detailed answers to all of the questions I had asked. -Spencer Gear Notes: doubles from .5-2 camelot, a 3, a 4, and a red and blue zero, crampons, ice axe. Approach Notes: Woods and boulders and bugs, who wants to tell me the secret of the right way to get in and out of there?

Wow thanks a lot for the responses John and Matt, I appreciate it. Everything sounds about like I expected it, my last question I forgot is would I be able to expect running water at the notch, or no water until after the summit? Thanks again Spencer

We are planning on heading up there this week to do the upper north ridge, and I have a few questions. I checked other trip reports but could not quite find the specific answers I was looking for. We are going in via the north. For the descent down the cascadian this is what I gathered from the map, take it all the way down to Ingalls lake trail, and then back up to stuart pass? From stuart pass do you descend and then go back up and over goat pass? Goat pass is not on the map, well at least the green trails enchantments one, so mabey a new map is in order. If this is the case, what is the terrain like between the two, and does this make it feesible to get back to a bivi site down low where the approach hits the lower north ridge/ ice cliff glacier? I know that the answer to this is lurking somewhere, but everyone seems to talk about how miserble the walk back around the mountain is, not actually how to do it. Secondly, what sizes protect the lieback pitch on the genderarme, I am just trying to make sure I have adequete gear for the two 5.9 pitches, it sounds like a 3 and a 4 will easily well protect the second offwidth pitch, even if it is a lot to carry. And lastly, from other trip reports I did gather that nobody actually ropes up or brings glacier gear for the approach up the stuart glacier, I am just checking people do not just always neglect to mention this and crevasse hazard on that part of the glacier is actually minimal. Thanks a lot for any input. Spencer

I currently have a Gregory Robson Pro pack that I am not really using. It is the same series as the Denali Pro, same frame system ect... only it is slightly smaller. Here is a picture and some specs on it, I can get a picture of my actual pack up here as well upon request. I am asking 150 for it, but am also potentially open to negotiating/ trades. It is a size medium. I also have a brand new jansport whittaker with the tags on it that I am considering parting with, if interested make an offer. My email address is goldfis@cc.wwu.edu, but I will be checking in with this thread and PM's as well. Thanks -Spencer

Trip: Dragontail - Serpentine Ridge Date: 6/29/2007 Trip Report: This past tuesday my friend Wyatt and I climbed Serpentine ridge. We left the car at 3:30 and encountered very few people along the way. The morning light started to illuminate the peaks as we got to Colchuck Lake. We took a nice long rest at Colchuck hoping that perhaps the rock would warm up a little bit before we set off on route, soon enough we came to our senses and realized that the route would be in the shade deep into the afternoon and started slogging up to the base. We followed the moraine crest heading up towards the colchuck glacier which worked perfectly. The forecast was for bright sun and warm temps, so gambling that the snow filled walk off would be soft by the time we summited to decided to take only one pair of crampons between the two of us. This made the 200 feet that seperated us between moraines end and the routes start quite a gripping adventure. We had heard about all of the loose rock on the upper section of dragontail, but we found the scariest loose rock to be in the initial gully pitches where it was loose and possibly due to route finding issues we were constantly encountering steps of up to 5.8. After we hit the right trending ramp system snow blocked the easy way into the dihedral so a runout and loose leftward variation was taken. The dot on the route overlay marks this spot. Once around the black tower we started up the crux pitches, which we found the lower portion of to be tricky for a 5.8, many of the good jams seemed to be filled with dirt, but it was all worth it to get to the money handcrack section higher up. The next pitch was just as spectacular, tricky climbing in the corner with awesome exposure. From there we belayed a pitch to the crest of the ridge, where once again we did harder than nessecary climbing, solid 5.8 moves through flakey overhangs and chimneys, but on outstanding rock. Colchuck lake grew farther and farther away. The rest of the views were not to bad either We simuled up and up, on the first two pitches of simuling we had to cut short and belay due to more steep steps of 5.8 climbing. Although we took a seemingly harder line than nessecary, we also found ourselves climbing high quality steep rock with huge holds much of the time. The worst looseness was defiently on the easier class 3/4 section where dirt was mixed with rubble. Stuart came into view and our excitment for the summit grew. The higher up we went the easier the climbing became, until suddenly we were under the summit block. Here we were faced with some desisions. Scramble around it? Climb the sweet looking but also very hard looking dihedral straight up the block? We eventually decided to climb it directly but via slightly easier looking cracks and ramps than the dihedral. I would put it at about 5.7+ but with some snow in the cracks to add to the alpine ambiance. The route felt much bigger and longer than we antisipated, but there we were on top. Great views of the enchantments The descent down the snowfield went well, it did soften up considerably so luckily our one crampon a piece system worked fine. Going down asgard is miserble after a long day but I am sure all of you already know that. Looking back we had some great views in the late afternoon light. All in all it was a fantastic climb. For me it was a step up from climbs such as west ridge on prusik and climbs on Liberty Bell. It seemed like a good segway towards bigger climbs such as north ridge of stuart, and it was a great learning experience for that. Simuling together well seems to be an art, and by the top of the climb I already felt like we had improved on it significantly. The view of the fin we got was rediculous, so hopefully backbone will be next on my list. -spencer Gear Notes: Doubles from yellow alien to number 2 camalot. One number 3, one blue zero and a single set of nuts. Two cordellets for sliging large blocks and horns for belay anchors. Doubles in the .5 size seemed to be used quite often, other than that the rack we carried seemed a little excessive in size, but it was a nice comfort to have becasue we really did not know what was coming on this route. Approach Notes: Colchuck lake- Big Moraine Summit post has a great description to find the proper start, but basically go to the highest patch of snow at the end of the moraine, do some face climbing out right and then head left into the left trending gulley which in two leads takes you out onto the ramp towards the black tower.

I see in the forecast that they are calling for showers until monday morning in the Leavenworth area, and then clear during the afternoon and evening. I was wondering how quickly the 5.8 crack pitches are known to dry out on this route, I am planning on climbing it on tuesday, and would rather not wait till wendsday because tuesday has the better forecast. Also, I was planning on bringing my normal rack up to a number three Camalot, anything out of the ordinary I should add? Thanks a lot for any input. -Spencer

How much did you skin? Is it worth bringing them or is it easier just to throw the skis on the pack until the summit?

yah the rock was great, the only snow and wetness we encountered was getting down to the bolted rap station.

Trip: Liberty Bell - Southwest face Date: 5/25/2007 Trip Report: Me and my friend Ben had decided that we had let to many sunny days pass by lately, so I felt the need to extend my three day weekend into a four day one. We went up to Washington Pass with our sights set on some good skiing and a climb of the Beckey route on Liberty bell. We skinned up towards the gulley and then switched to kicking steps. The weather was perfect and the views were great. First pitch Way to soon we found ourselves at the top, I wish the climb was longer becasue every pitch is so fun. Coming out of the chimney and have all the views open up around you on the open slab was defiently the highlight. We did the rappel off the tree near the top, and then had a little bit of trouble locating the bolted anchor. You have to wade through a little bit of snow to get to it, but nothing to terrible. The skiing was exellent. All in all it was an awesome day in the mountains, the route is casual enough to allow for lots of sunbathing and lounging, but the climbing fun enough to be engaging, and add in the skiing, this is a tough combo to beat. Approach Notes: Firm in the gulley in the morning, bring crampons early unless you are wearing ski boots

I am coming from bellingham to missoula this weekend to visit some family. I've never climbed there, but have an open day on friday and the weather looks good. I am interested in anything from sport climbing to multi pitch trad up to 5.9 or 5.10. If anybody is interested let me know. -Spencer

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Thanks for the heads up ketch, I did actually see that report. I figuired that the conditions on a 45 degree couilor would be different than on a steeper rock climb. Perhaps conditions on the becky route would be similar to the south arete on sews? does this make sense based on your experiences or do you think the snow conditions found in the couilor will be similar to on the Beckey route? Either way we're going to head up there and check things out, worse comes to worse we just get in a good day of skiing. I appreciate everyones input. -Spencer

sounds awesome. Yah, our plan is to ski up to the notch, do the climb, and then get to ski until sunset afterwards. The best of both worlds. -Spencer

I am thinking about bailing out of school on Wendsday a little early to go try something at washington pass, probaly the beckey route on liberty bell. Has anyone bene up there recently or have experience this time of year up there. Will the route be climbable or will the low angle pitches just be snowfields? Also will the rap stations be completly snowed in? Thanks a lot -Spencer

I agree the route finding does not seem that complicated, it was not looking at the topo as fender says that got us off route.

Trip: Snow creek wall - not what we planned on Date: 4/21/2007 Trip Report: I got a lot of advise on gear selections and proper descent footwear from people on this site so I figuired I would post my results. I had a really fun day today up on Snow creek wall, it was my first time there. Our plan was to do outerspace with the remorse start. The approach is great, easy log crossing and the rock is dry. We had some ticks but it was not as awful as I was worried about. Now the good stuff. We did not take near enough time looking at the route description and made about every mistake possible. Pitch 1- Instead of 5.0 ramp, it was dihedral to 5.8 friction moves 30 feet above gear, I kept expecting it to get easier but I started 50 feet to far left. I read in the description "start where the climbers trail meets the wall and just took off. It all worked out though and I had a fun time and made the proper belay. Pitch 2- That undercling flake is really cool, moved quickly onto the big ledge. pitch 3- I had read "if rope drag allows continue up onto the big ledge with the big tree and follow thin face cracks up to a gully and two tree ledge." What i remembered was "go to the big tree on the ledge and follow thin face cracks, (5.7)" After departing the tree I started up the thin face crack that seemed awfully stiff for a 5.7. Three lead falls later onto my trusty #7 stopper I was even more convinced. I traversed into a corner to the left and ran it out on the face to a belay. I now realize I was on Pychopath, 11a, not remorse. The description of a thin face crack had me sold that I was on route, next time I should stop and look at the topo. pitch 4- From the belay i entered the gully handcrack, which at first I possibly thought was the gully leading to two tree ledge. The only problem was it seemed a lot harder than 5.0. I reached the roof, looked over the edge, and saw two tree ledge below about 50 feet lower than I was, and 100 feet to the right. At this point we had actually joined up with Iconoclast. Realizing I had gone wrong we ended up retreating on gear back to the big ledge. We considered finishing the climb the proper way but there were nasty clouds threatening, so we rapped back to the ground and spent the rest of the way down at Eight mile rock. Beautiful views and much more challanging climbing than we expected resulted in an all around good experience. We learned some lessons, did our first full blown retreat, and had some good adventure. - Also we ran into a party as we got back to the ledge that is after the remorse traverse who were super freindly and encouraging despite our mistakes, I took a picture of you guys from below on the crux traverse so if you are on here I can send it to you. Gear Notes: rack to number 3 camelot Approach Notes: A little tedious but in great shape.

Thanks a lot for the info guys, I can't wait to get up there tomorrow. -Spencer

Hey all, I am headed to leavenworth tonight to get on outerspace tomrrow for the first time. I had a few questions. First, it seems like it has been dry most all this week, does this route have a reputation for seeping late into the spring or should it be alright. Second, are sneakers needed for the walk off or would it be not to awful in climbing shoes. Lastly, as far as fixing belays goes is it all pretty standard i.e a variety of gear choices are will I be faced with making anchors in a lot of horizontal cracks where I'll have to place all of a certain number of cams in the horizontal leaving me with nothing in that size to lead with? Any input would be great, thanks a lot. -Spencer