Alex789

Trip: Dragontail Peak - NE couloir Date: 3/1/2015 Trip Report: We decided to climb Dragontail North East couloir on a weekend February 28th – March 1st 2015. My friend Gerry had hiked over Asgard Pass 2 weeks before and made some pictures. Both of us already have climbed Triple Couloir and we wanted to try nearby North East couloir described in Fred Beckey book. We started our approach on Saturday at 11am from 8 mile parking lot. Gerry hiked with his snowshoes on and I left mine at home expecting snowpack to be thin. It could be my mistake, because it snowed last days and there was a fresh layer of snow on a trail. Luckily for me many climbers trod a good boot pack to Colchuck Lake. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/04_Trail_to_Colchuck_Lake.JPG[/img] We camped at the south side of solid frozen Colchuck Lake. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/07_Dragontail_peak_and_Colchuck_peak.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/10_Camp.jpg[/img] Next day we started around 5.30am. The start of North East couloir is about half way towards Asgard Pass. We decided to take a straight line in the direction of the pass through the bushes. Maybe we should keep to the right closer to Dragontail Peak walls. Our way was not pleasant bushwhacking and snow covered boulder hopping. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/12_Colchucl_Lake_in_the_morning.JPG[/img] Near the couloir entrance the snow became deep; probably there were some slides recently. We stopped to look at our way and discuss the potential avalanche danger. From our spot we could clearly see the mixed pitch at the top. The rock slopes on the sides of the couloir looked more or less clean and it was not much avalanche danger from there. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/14_NE_couloir.JPG[/img] We decided to enter the couloir and evaluate the snow cover. In the beginning the snow was hard and we decided to go on unroped. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/15_Entering_couloir.JPG[/img] After one pitch distance or so the angle lowered and the snow became deep again. We started sinking to our knees, then to our hips, then to our waists. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/17_Deep_snow.jpg[/img] We moved on breaking trail in turns. The progress was very slow. We tried to take path to the left close to the rock wall. That helped, the snow cover was shallower near the rock and we moved faster. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/18.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/19_Sasha_following.jpg[/img] At 10am we came to the mixed pitch. We roped up and I started climbing the gully. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/24_Beginning_of_the_mixed_pitch.JPG[/img] The climbing itself was not so bad – thin ice, rock and some snow. The protection however was marginal. The rock on the sides was pretty loose and held no features, just some thin cracks. I managed to put 2 pins and one short screw only to the half. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/27.JPG[/img] I climbed to the broken corner with a slab on a right which had to be a crux of the route. I put one yellow tcu in a questionably looking crack and gave it a try. The rock was horribly loose in the corner - what looked like holds crumbled in my hands when I tried to grab them. I detached several rocks and one laptop-size block. I howled “rock” - luckily Gerry belayed from a well-protected spot. I made several attempts, but always stopped, being afraid to commit without handholds and with the runout and the danger of bad fall. Then I tried to use thin verglass of ice in the inner part of the corner. It was probably less than an inch, but enough for my tools to make a purchase and hold my weight. I committed and made a belay on a ridge. Gerry climbed the pitch quickly... [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/27_Corner.jpg[/img] and continued on a snow ramp. I followed him on a fun traverse and took a lead again before the notch. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/32.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/33_The_notch.JPG[/img] [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/34.JPG[/img] Some drytooling moves brought us to the notch. From the notch we observed the North East ridge. It looked like 5-ish grade rock at the beginning, but we didn’t know what we would have further. It was already 1:30pm and we decided that we don’t have enough time to climb the ridge to the summit and go all the way back to the car. We lost too much time wallowing in the snow and climbing the mixed pitch. 2 half-rope rappels brought us to the snow slopes. We didn’t find good stations and made our own. [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/35_Rappel.JPG[/img] Descend to Asgard pass and to the Colchuck lake was straightforward. We came back to our camp at 4pm and to the car at 8:30pm. Another good weekend in Cascades! [img:center]http://www.gorobets.com/Images/2015_Albums/2015_02_28_Dragontail_NE_couloir/38_NE_couloir_line.jpg[/img] Gear Notes: 1 rope 2 ice tools each 5 ice screws – used 1 2 pickets – didn’t use Rock gear up to #1 – used yellow tcu and Camalot# 1 5 pitons – used 2 Webbing and rappel rings to make rappel stations Approach Notes: Snowshoes might be helpful

Hi, I think I left my chalk bag on a road shoulder on the other side of the road across the main parking lot which is near the toilet. My wedding ring was in the pocket of the chalkbag. If somebody found it, please text me at 425-691-9793 Thanks, Alex

Hi, Probably a little bit long shot. I signed up for mixed climbing clinic at Bozeman Ice Festival on December 14. I would like to make my trip more productive and looking for someone who wants to go to Montana to do ice climbing at those days. I am flexible for time, but I need to be in Bozeman in the evening on December 13th and I have full day clinic in Hyalite Canyon on December 14th. I have ropes, ice screws and even a spare pair of ice tools if someone needs. I can either fly or we can drive at night if there are at least 3 drivers. If anyone interested, send me an EMail on alexander@gorobets.com Cheers, Alex

Also, correction. The rappel after pitch 5 is IN Nelson's guidebook, but not in the description, but on topo. My bad, need to read route description more carefully

Yep, I read your report before the climb

No, this is all about East Side descend. There is a rib on East side about 100 feet to the left of the descend line. There are also rappel slings on it, but you don't need to go there. The right rappel line goes down. That's what I meant.

Yes, no problem with it. Grade 3-4 scramble.

This guy is me

Trip: Forbidden Peak - East Ridge Date: 9/20/2014 Trip Report: We decided to climb Forbidden Peak East Ridge on the weekend of September 20-21 2014. The forecast for North Cascade was very good. We originally wanted to approach to Boston Basin on Saturday and climb the mountain on Sunday. Our friend could not leave on Friday night and we started on Saturday at 4:45am from Redmond in order to get to Marblemount at 7 to try to get a permit. We got to the ranger station at 7 as planned only to discover that all of the available permits were taken on Friday. We quickly discussed our options and decided to try to climb the route in a day. We got to Boston Basin trailhead at 8:15 and started hiking at 8:30. As the start was late we needed to be fast. My friends ran ahead and I tried to catch up with them heavily puffing. On a grassy moraine we somehow lost the trail and traversed directly through alpine vegetation to the beginning of the slabs. We scrambled on the slabs heading to the unnamed glacier mentioned in the Nelson’s guidebook. Crossing several snow patches, we got closer to the ridge keeping right from the heavily broken glacier tongue. There we looked at the gullies and discussed which one to take to gain the ridge. Finally we decided to take the rightmost wide gully. The snow in the gully was firm, but not steep. My friends climbed in boots and I put my crampons on. After the snow, an easy scramble led us to the broad col on a ridge before the first gendarme. It was 12:30. We looked at the gully on the right side which we should climb from East Ledges on a way back. We left our crampons and boots, roped up and started climbing at 1:00. The climbing was airy and exposed, but not hard. We climbed in 2 roped teams, simul-climbing most of the time. We did not bypass any of the gendarmes, but climbed them straight. 5.7 crack and flake section brought us on top of “pitch 5” gendarme. Next was a short rappel about 20 feet which is not mentioned in Nelson guidebook. Leading the 5.8 section I climbed over the flake to the left and found an awkward unprotected slab below the roof. John led the second rope and climbed straight up the slightly overhanging, but protected roof. We arrived at the summit at 4:00 climbed the ridge in 3 hours. The views of the North Cascades were stunning. There was not a single cloud in the sky. Though we had 2 ropes, we decided to rappel on a single rope to avoid rope drag. There were rappel stations on every half rope. We almost missed the 4th station, it was behind a rock. The rappel line goes almost vertically down. There were some slings on a small ridge on a climber’s left, but you don’t need to go there, just keep rappelling down looking for the stations. After the 5th rappel we reached East Ledges. We traversed the ledges counting 5 ridges and correctly found our ascend gully. We were back at the col at 5:50. At 6:10 we started downclimbing the gullies, then the slabs. There were several parties camping in Boston Basin. We hit the main stream crossing during dusk at 7:50. Hiking in the dark with headlamps we arrived at the trailhead at 9:15. 12 hours and 45 minutes car to car – not a bad time. Fantastic day! Forbidden Peak East Ridge Heading to the unnamed glacier View on East Ridge Glacier tongue Approach gully on a right In the gully Coming to the col At the col Rappel before 5.8 gendarme 5.8 section Beginning of the rappels On East Ledges Climbing a gully back to the col Descend Gear Notes: Standard rack up to 2 inches. Set of nuts. Several slings.

Hi Kristian, No, I did not because I haven't found partners and my regular climbing buddy is doing other things at the moment. I ended up going to Camp Muir instead. My friends climbed Zipper about 3 weeks ago and there was enough snow at that time. I looked at it from Paradise road last weekend - there is snow, but hard to tell how much. I noticed that the route is in the shade in the first part of the day so the snow should be hard. Alex

Hi, This is probably a very short notice, but does anybody want to climb Lane Peak Zipper this weekend? I have a car, all gear and can lead. If interested PM, E-Mail, call or text me. E-mail: alexander@gorobets.com Phone: 425-691-9793 Alex

We climbed Chockstone falls today. The upper pillar is pretty much wet.

Hi, I think I want to climb this route sooner or later. Let me know if you are interested.

Hi Al filo, I recently moved to Bellevue too and looking for partners too. I like mountaineering, alpine climbing, rock climbing and also pretty much open to everything outdoors. I usually upload pictures from my trips to my web-site: www.gorobets.com. Sorry, comments are in Russian yet. I have weekends free, except when I am doing downhill skiing with my family. It would be interesting to climb something together one day. If you have something in mind, E-Mail me or PM. Alex