Grant789

Not much new to say that hasn't been said about this classic route so made two versions. Short version: We ended up doing the left-side variation on the fin, per Blake Herrington's guide. It was a fun long day and a #6 and 70 m were great. Long version: I was intimidated by this route given the large number of reported epics and accidents, but it has been on my list of bigger Washington classic alpine climbs to attempt for a while. But after getting out of shape finishing up grad school while working full time for the past two years, it sat on the shelf. Well after graduating and having a summer returning to alpine shape repeating some familiar classics in the wind river range and washington, I was finally feeling fit and confident once again to give the route a go. Kurt to go by agreeing to climb the offwidth if he climbed the final fin/slab pitch. Kurt and I packed more layers, food, and water than we normally would just in case of an epic. But we were feeling good, and set off with our heavy packs at 5:00 am from the trailhead, jaunting past large early morning through hiker groups hoping to peep early season larches. We filtered some water at Colchuck Lake and made it to the base of the climb by 8:00 am. Luckily and sadly the snow and glacier have receded to the point where we could walk straight to the start of the initial scramble. Looking at the tree'd scramble and the OW above: Jolly at the start: Scrambling far left and then then up and right, Kurt set off from the base of pitch 1 at 9:00. The first 4 pitches were pretty straightforward using the beta from mountain project and blake herrington. Leading the offwidth pitch was easier, more secure, and more fun than I anticipated. It helped that I hauled my bag and having the #6 made it stress free. The 4th pitch was also super fun! A short 0.3 finger crack into a wide crack, then a thin step over to wild slabby layback. OW: From there the rock quality and navigation got worse. We looked for a downclimb described in Blake's book and a large ledge in mountain project, but everything looked like it would go. So Kurt ventured off trying to find a way to go and ultimately went up and left until finding the obvious saddle. I think for this section, its easy enough terrain that anything goes and just moving up and left on whatever looks fun and solid is the move. We moved across the saddle and up the large ramp/chimney to just below the twin cracks on the left side of the fin. I couldn't distinguish what cracks were the twin cracks as all the cracks on the left looked shallow and dirty, so ended up going to the high point on the ledge and climbing some 5.6/5.7 crack/face on poor rock to the next ledge, then moving back down and left. Looking down the top-out of what I guessed was the twin cracks was full of lose rock that would have been hard not to tumble, but maybe I am off? Kurt then led the right-facing corner to a ledge then a thin and tricky crack/corner back to the face of the fin, which was awesome and had a hero jug! At this point we had been in the shade most of the day getting blasted by wind. I was up next, but was smoked from carrying a heavy bag on this climb, so through less than honorable intentions I attempted to convince Kurt to stick to our original agreement and lead the final fin pitch. He was reluctant at first, but I finally wore him down with a bonus fruit leather offering. I followed and it reminded me of the no hands traverse pitch of thin air at Cathedral Ledge, but doubled! However, when I got to the belay, Kurt was less stoked on it from the less than stellar rock we were promised and not having the 4 to protect the final section of no hands traverse (he used it in the anchor). Kurt questing into the fin: Classic fin shot: Kurt on top of the fin: We finished by traversing over and then stupidly heading up on the south side of the ridge via the triple couloirs bowling alley. It took 40 minutes to move 60 m of 5.0 because the rock quality was so atrociously bad. Every other step and every other hold would pop off or crumble... we should have stayed on the north side climbing the ridge proper. We made it to the summit at 6 pm and after a quick selfie, we did 4 rappels off the back side to make our way down Asgard in the dark. This was the second time I descended Aasgard in the dark this season and I am still surprised by how much longer and worse it feels hiking Colchuck/Aasgard out in the dark than up in the dark! We made it to the car by 11 pm for a solid 18 hour day, so were feeling stoked to have been quicker than 20 hours! Though the last 30 minutes out I was starting to feel a bit loopy either from the exhaustion or caffeine pills, which was new... Overall I thought this was a fun route with some less than classic rock quality. It's a long day for sure, but less challenging than I anticipated (or maybe I'm getting better?). It's less travelled so it was harder to read the route and its lose, so slower going. I think the key for routefinding is to avoid overthinking in the middle-section and just keep moving up and left. It felt somewhat similar to the lower half of the direct north ridge of Stuart in nature, but with less solid rock (a few key pitches, but otherwise make your own way). Gear A 70 m and a #6 was clutch! We would have ran out of rope on the last fin pitch with a 60 m. I also tried out a new to me mountain hardwear scrambler 35L for the first time. It's a bit stiffer than I usually like to climb with, but performed great! The double handles on top were awesome for hauling. The normal sized brain was great and could be easily folded into the main pouch. The many strap on points was helpful for the approach and being able to clip the 6 to. Slightly less mobile, but much more effective than my old ascensionist 35.

Trip: Sahale - Quien Sabe to Sahale Arm Trip Date: 07/04/2023 Trip Report: After a winter full of beer and ice cream, our expectations of maintained climbing strength and plans to climb Cathedral over the long weekend got brutally smacked down by a humbling attempt of Outer Space a few weeks back. We then settled on an easier one day pursuit of going up the Quien Sabe on Sahale and down cascade pass on the 4th of July to get us into the alpine and hopefully motivate us to get our butts back into alpine shape. Slept at the El Dorado trailhead. Our friends left Seattle at 1am and picked us up at 4am to begin the day. We left the Boston basin trailhead around 4:20 and got a fresh cup of alder to the face to wake us up. We got to the lower camp at 6:20 (thank goodness for that toilet) and the base of the glacier shortly before 8. Started moving on the Quien Sabe around 8:20 in a team of 3 and a team of 2. The glacier was well filled in and snow was perfect (not too firm and not too soft) making navigation and travel a breeze. I personally don't like steeper snow so threw in a picket on the steepest part of the glacier above some larger crevasses as mental pro, but everyone else was super comfortable. Got to the ridge around 10:20 for some lunch, quick scrambling, a small snow patch, then scramble to the summit at 11:30. While we saw no one on the boston basin side, but from the summit we could see bunch of folks coming up and along Sahale arm. A quick rappel down and some loose rock down-climbing to get to the sahale glacier where we boot skied down with joy. Took a leisurely pace down to cascade pass and back to the boston basin parking lot by 4. Had beers, pickles and fresh salmon berries in the creek by eldo trailhead with a lovely visit from a bear foraging berries as well. Overall great leisurely day in a beautiful location to get us back into the alpine kick. Photos: Crossing streams up to boston basin: Roped up on the glacier: Summit ridge (don't need a rope, but we couldn't tell from the other side): Summit scramble (we threw in a hand line because a fall would have been catastrophic) Summit selfie: Sahale glacier snowball fight: Sahale arm goatfest: Eldo bear: Gear Notes: Crampons, Ice Axe, Picket, 40 and 60 m half ropes Approach Notes: Up boston basin and down cascade pass

Wow!! Awesome work!

Is there any info on those climbs out there?

The feedback on the stove technique is awesome and very appreciated. Ill have to try the MSR mix and love how voile straps can be used for anything! My partner just swapped out one of our jetboils for a windburner at wonderland gear exchange, so interested to give that a go next time and see how it compares.

Trip: El Dorado - NW Couloir (Attempt) Trip Date: 11/21/2021 Trip Report: With the recent warming then cooling, Chris and I tried making a weekend attempt of the NW Couloir after getting inspired from a mountaineers trip posting. Intended to get to the toe of the east ridge on saturday, climb the couloir and get out sunday. We didn't realize how difficult a dumping of 10 inches of snow on Thursday would make that. Left the TH Saturday morning at 8am and took the standard approach up to El Dorado. The mountaineers left slightly before us and we took their path through the boulders, which had just enough snow to hide all the holes, but not enough to support a step (post hole leg breakers galor). Ran into the mountaineers at the end of the boulders and started breaking trail. It was difficult and slow plunge snow shoeing on 10-12 inches of powder. We were quite exhausted and running out of daylight, so we made camp at around 6,400 feet. We were naive and thought the jetboil would be a good stove choice, but it didn't work that well in the cold up there (maybe there is a trick to that?). Woke up the next day and started plunge snowshoeing up to the Inspiration Glacier, but we were smoked and it was slow progress. We discussed that we'd either have to stay for a 3rd day on limited food or be crossing the boulders late at night so decided to turn around after getting onto the Inspiration Glacier at 7,500 for some great views of forbidden et al. Ran into the mountaineers group on the way down, who also decided to turn around given the slow travel. The way down was perhaps more brutal than the way up. The boulders were slicker and trickier to go down trusting a higher force step would hold and you would break your leg. The trees after was a navigation of slick steep roots that chris fell 6 times and broke his poles. TLDR: my quads are burning today. Great views and sufferfest abound. If your eyeing to get it soon and snow holds off there is a nice track for you. Notes: we underestimated how much 10-12 inches of recent snow would slow us down in travel time and added gear weight (snow shoes and avy gear). Having extra food and a better stove system would have gotten us a third day up there. Maybe I need to hit the stairmaster hard for winter mountaineering. Avoiding the climb and doing a ski ascent would have been rad because there was hero pow up there. On the boulders Dropping into the basin with the mountaineers group Tent view El Dorado Glacier to the Inspiration Glacier Gear Notes: Light Rack, Ice Screws, Avy Gear, Picket Approach Notes: Standard approach.

Thanks! We left Leavenworth at 7pm and got no traffic on the way back west.

That headwall crack looks awesome! Way to get it!

Trip: Yellowjacket Tower - Standard - East Trip Date: 09/12/2021 Trip Report: After getting rained out beginning our approach to half moon crags in the morning after bailing on attempting ragged edge, K and I shot for Leavenworth for some surely dry times and granite with our sights on something alpiney. We settled on yellowjacket tower because it been on our to-do list of easy climbs. We also wanted to tick it off after bailing last year because a third member did not like the scramble up high given an overfriendly mountain goat. We left the car around 12 and stashed some beers in the river below the bridge crossing. Steep and sandy approach was a bit more effort than anticipated and higher up had to be more careful with sliding and kicking stuff down. We skirted around the chockstone on some scrambling that took a bit of thought with the ample sand then continued the approach to the base of the route on very loose sand, rock, and wood. For the first scramble we solo'd to the anchors at the beginning. Easy climbing with some spaced gear led to the top of P1. Kurt let the pitch to the summit, nice little step up (protectable with a purple tri-cam). On the second rap down, the rope wrapped around the upside down hanging tree and we redid the P1. Followed a bunch of tree raps down to avoid loose stuff, which was appreciated. Then thigh burner hike down to the river for cool beers by 5:30 followed by tipsy climbing on alphabet rock. Aint much, but its honest work. Fun day with a bit of everything. Has me stoked to get better to exploratory climb the Icicle/Enchantments High Country! P1 (has anyone done that roof?!) Gear Notes: singles 0.3-3, nuts, and purple tri-cam (prob don't need half of that) Approach Notes: Up the steep sandy slope, lots of loose bits higher up

Hell yeah!!

Trip: Lundin Peak - West Ridge Trip Date: 10/27/2020 Trip Report: Went up to check out a climb that I've heard is pretty mellow in the summer. Thought I would share conditions as things begin to change. Went up the Snoqualmie Mtn and the trail itself had some packed snow/ice where microspikes may have been helpful, but you could do without. Rather than split off on the cave ridge trail (which we missed) we decided to continue up Snoqualmie Mtn trail because it was decently defined and then broke off at about ~6,000 feet traversing south of Snoqualmie Mtn to make our way off-trail to the base of the Lundin West Ridge. There was decent enough snow for walking on the approach, but not enough for skiing/snowshoes and not enough to completely diminish some ankle breakers out there in the larger rocks. We got to the west ridge and had fun scrambling along the lightly exposed flat spine/ride to the west of it before heading up the steeper ridge, rather than go down and climb up to the ledge from below. Went up the steeper ridge for a pitch or two and there were few fun moves on clean rock. Avoided the slabby downclimb into the notch by taking the "dirt ledge" on the north. The cracks to get to the slabby downclimb were filled with ice/snow and the slab was a little wet so avoided that. The dirt ledge on the north had calf deep snow, which sucked in rock shoes, but was doable. Got to the notch and was looking up at this section (https://www.mountainproject.com/photo/110422389), but the cracks had snow/ice and was brushing off a little snow on the slabby bits where I could potentially put my feet. Wasn't feeling the wetness/snow on footholds after slipping a few times and lack of cracks so bailed at the notch. For the descent we went back down the cave ridge trail and definitely glad we didnt go up that way because the trail was hard to follow and lots of off-trail fun. Overall, the west ridge still had snow/ice on it, but not enough to make it a complete snow climb, but too much to do in just rock shoes. Some snow/ice in the cracks prevented gear placement/movement in some areas. We could have probably gone more to the north with boots, but naively going with rock shoes hurt us. Maybe better in a few days if it melts a bit more, but unsure with the aspect. Have never done mixed climbing, but bet you could get a few tools in those ice cracks. Gear Notes: Helmet, ice axe and crampons (unneeded) , single set cams 0.4-3, set of nuts, 5 draws (could use a few more) Approach Notes: Snoqualmie Mtn Trail Going off trail on the approach: Looking down at Lundin on the approach: Climbing up the ridge. Went north here into lots of snow to get to the notch: Looking back on the flat spine. Super fun scramble with a bit of exposure: Retreating on the flat spine. Looking back at the climb: The snow was slippery on the descent Cave ridge trail:

Went up there yesterday. Great climb and thanks to the developers. Some thoughts: Very well bolted and not as dirty as I expected. 5.9 felt like an appropriate grade. The approach in the early season was a bitch interesting. Jump down into the moat between the snow and rock and scramble over to the start. Pitch 2: Took a second to figure out where it was going after shifting left to get on the top of the face. Keep gaining the ledges, going east along the top of the face, cant see some of the bolts while climbing below, but they are there. Pitch 3: is missing a hanger on the second bolt, felt like 5.7 with some lichen. Pitch 5: A loose block to gain the first roof. Pitch 7: Took some searching to find the single bolt. Look to the right for a left facing dihedral/block that goes up to the summit. Couldn't find anchors/chains on the summit for the life of me, but it is relatively easy to downclimb/scramble. I used a #0.4 and #0.5 C4 and slung a rock to make an anchor. Great views all around, good holds, fun climb.