sdizzle25

yeah i have that exact same picture. the proper North face is seen only a little bit as the snow slope on the right. thanks though

Anybody have a good photo of the proper N Face of Colchuck Peak in Winter/Spring Conditions? My old man lives vicariously through me, and wants a photo of the face, and i unfortunately never got a good one

get the boise climbing guide from idaho mountain touring or the benchmark. considering drive times are under 15 minutes from down town and approach times are about 5 minutes, boise has some fantastic climbing, and i honestly believe the moderate climbing in the black canyon is some of the best basalt climbing out there. http://www.mountaingear.com/pages/product/product.asp/CMP/KNC-97950/cmpn/97950/store/MG/item/505094/N/0

In Idaho we use grizzly pelts for toilet paper. Could be interesting if an actual population gets going in such a crowded area!

just FYI, this is the perfect conditions/time of year to become crevasse food.

incredible. how did winter treat the cam? still climbing on it?

Thats the DC on Rainier right? what guiding outfit did you use?

Humor/Superalpine:shiver bivy on Colchuck Lake

How was the approach? I did the route about a calendar year ago and didnt really need flotation on the approach much. what did you find? Thanks a bunch

JasonG- I was looking at the face and thinking exactly that, NEC it looks fun as hell. like the rest of the range, is it mainly "in" in proper winter conditions?

Definitely climbed the NBC then- the one in the photo. sorry for the confusion, not super familiar with the area, which was refreshing in and of itself

based on my limited experience: absolutely. I was just looking at a geographical topo with a buddy of mine, and it does seem kind of hard to pinpoint the N Face route on Colchuck, but yes, we intersected it much lower (at the obvious bottom of the face), and based on the climb we did, found it at least as fun as the NBC, perhaps not quite as steep at points, but definitely more of a big mountain feel. havent climbed this mountain enough to make definitive statements, but in the conditions we had found the north face more enjoyable. As I mentioned however, we found the NBC in fantastically different shape than the guidebook said (as mountains are want to do) so I couldnt say if the climb would be worth it in more legitimate winter or summer conditions

Anyone been up to Mount Jefferson lately? Whats it looking like? I would assume like the rest of the cascades its primarily in winterish snowpack conditions. Summit pinnacle rimed over nicely?

Trip: Colchuck Peak - North Face Date: 6/9/2011 Trip Report: Didnt plan on posting a TR, but there are now incentives? Will TR for $ (or the chance of to win money). Camped on Colchuck Lake with the intention of warming up on Colchuck NE Buttress Couloir, then hopping on Triple Couloirs. Too warm for Triple Couloirs for our tastes, as the ice we found in the area was all delaminated, and the hidden couloir looked like the garbage dump for the entire north face. Instead we did the proper North Face of Colchuck as well as the NEB Couloir. North Face was spectacular, with completely sustained snow around 50 degrees. Mixed in some real easy mixed climbing as to spice things up a bit. Gained the face by running up a couloir down the ridge from the NEB Couloir and then traversed to the bottom of the face, and ran straight up. Found awesome Neve-ish on the NEB Couloir, on frontpoints the entire time, real steep at points (round 65 degrees? . Funny to look in the guide book and see a picture of the route in proper summer conditions being climbed with a piolet and no crampons NEB Couloir,fog over the lake Ascend the obvious gully Fantastic Glissade Tom Loving some delaminated ice Roughing it in the super-alpine Colchuck N Face Wishing I was bouldering at the gym

I sometimes judge people with bright, shiny gear... hahaha. I have been climbing less than 2 years and just got done with a brief stint with REI in which I pro-dealed a rock and ice rack i am using a couple times a week. Sorry you can still see the color of my cam lobes and I am still on the first pair of picks for my tools? my ropes legit though. I bought it from a crackhead who spilled gasoline all over it, so i definately dont look like a NOOB judge away brother....ill be climbing

I never hear of anybody climbing this face. not saying i got the FA by any means, but didnt see any TRs from CC or summitpost, doesnt make it into any guidebooks. Juan nailed it, you cross the ridge at a little gulleyish thing with trees on top, and then traverse over to the bottom of the face. wish i had a good picture of the thing, it looks as awesome as it climbs

Climbed Colchuck Peak N Buttress Couloir and the proper N Face itself last weekend, the North face being the entire face from the bottom, not just the part you climb after the NBC. North face was awesome, exposed and sustained, with the face being at least 50 degree snow and neve being split by easy rock and ice smears the entire way (admittedly one could probably miss most of the ones we hit, but why would you?) Why dont more people climb this? I would say as fun as the NBC, less prone to rockfall too

going to drive over there later today. How was the approach to culchuck? floatation required?

Not going to try and spray or badmouth Holk's TR because talking shit on the internet is idiotic, but if I recall correctly the avy conditions for everywhere where awful that weekend, plus it seems like he had a pretty late start. With the winter we had I personally would still consider Luetholds and the Reid Headwall reasonable objectives, (i will probably give the Reid a go later this week). That being said summer alpine starts will be absolutely necessary, and I will be out of the areas most prone to rockfall well before the sun hits them, before the sun has fully risen to be honest. This time of year rockfall will be an issue no matter where you go, as I am sure you know. I have personally never done the spur, but hear it is a fantastic route, and in my limited experience every single time I have done something other than the S. side on Hood I have been completely alone, so enjoy!

wow, i feel like every time I am on the West Face i get touched by winds in ways i dont like.....lucky you

pull ups are a good way to build pull strength, but wont necessarily help you climb. i bet there are non-climbers out there who can do 50 pull ups who cant climb 5.10. if you cant actually climb, get a hang board, it will help build climbing strength. metolius has good workouts on their website, though beginners probably wont be able to complete them all the way. as for ice climbing workouts, try and find a gym that will let you tool around on their campus board or something

where are you in Oregon? Im a college student at U of O in Eugene. Agree with all the above threads, especially moving to Montana. Dont get much Water Ice in Oregon, and you better be damn sure the conditions in Washington are good to drive your ass up there. If you are looking just for roadside ice climbing there isnt much for you here, what does form usually isnt easy or consistent enough to really learn the ropes. If you like the idea get into alpine climbing, move up to the intermediate routes around here. a route like the reid or sandy headwall on hood can get pretty damn icey in the right conditions, and 1000+ vert feet of ice will teach you how to move on the stuff. keep in mind that ice climbing is not like rock climbing, ie falling is a very very bad idea. while people walk away from falls all the time, broken femurs, ankles and ice tools through the face etc are very real possibilites. alpine climbing will also help you learn to asses and manage the risk of such silly adventures. PS-its also RIDICULOUSLY FUN, let me know how you progress as it always helps to have more partners

i agree. i understand carhartts are acceptable substitutes for helmets.

in that case get ready to share a bivy tent with a young man denied the peanut butter couloir for too long

So i cant get on hood until June 11th? damn. where you not aware cascade rock is too soft to cause injuries? I suppose a mazama falling on you would hurt pretty bad though.......