JasonG

Trip: Ruby - North Slopes Date: 4/8/2011 Trip Report: Powder in April? With a good forecast and reports of prime skiing on north facing slopes, the gang laid plans for a trip to the north side of Ruby. NWAC was being a little pessimistic with their forecast, which I suppose if understandable given the recent accidents and activity, so we all agreed to take it easy and turn around if anything felt off. We started on the Happy Creek trail, following it until skinnable snow was reached (~2800?). We followed the drainage up to about 3400' where we cut hard left with some tricky skinning to gain the NE ridge leading to the summit area. In hindsight, we could have gone straight up the gut, but it is a bit more avi exposed. Popping out on the ridge was pretty glorious, and while tired from the hard work of trailbreaking (thanks to Tim and Scott mostly), we could see the objective still quite a bit above us. We didn't see any signs of recent natural instability, even on very steep and wind loaded terrain. To be safe® we stuck to the mellowest slopes and ribs we could, and all the while the snow seemed well bonded and right side up (at least the most recent layers). It took us about 6.5 hours total to get to the top, and a couple hours back down, including a little extra time spent messing around after I BROKE MY SPLITBOARD. Major bummer, but at least I did it at the end of the good skiing. I was givin' 'er a bit too much and crashed at high speed, breaking the cores of both halves- yikes. I guess nine years is about the life of a splitboard that gets used a good bit. Some careful attention meant I could still use it somewhat, but it was really squirrelly. Oh well, here are some photos of a great day out in the North Cascades. Tricky skinning to gain the ridge: Jack! Ruby, still a long way to go: There is some seriously fine ski terrain on the north side of Ruby, if only I was fitter: There is some pain involved, if the snow is good. Ugh. Logan and Buckner: Snowfield group: Tim dropping in Scott: Kit, enjoying the fruits of our labor: Boot top powder in April for three thousand feet? Yep, we'll take that. We still have a long way to go down from where this photo was taken, even though it is a couple thousand feet below Ruby's summit. The ridge we ascended is visible above the skier. Gear Notes: Any flotation other than snowshoes Approach Notes: After three summits and several attempts of Ruby by different ways, I can honestly say that Happy Creek is the happiest way.

Awesome, thanks for posting! I plan on being there, and made the announcement at the SAC meeting last night....

WOW!!! Kevin put on a stunning show tonight. I am still in awe of the places he has carried his medium format camera, usually solo. I had thought I had been to many areas of the North Cascades, it turns out that I am just a tourist. Thanks again Kevin!

Just a reminder that this is tomorrow night!!! Hope to see many of you there .. .

I can't really compete with some of what has been posted, but here are a couple of less than stellar anchors.... On the probable second ascent of the Firey route on Repulse, Scott pulled this pin (a 40+ year old Cassin) on rappel (yikes!). We then re-placed it in a different crack using a rock, as we didn't have a hammer. Needless to say, we backed it up: A "station" on the EFD of Chimney Rock. One nut wasn't too bad, but the other left a lot to be desired....The webbing tied through the wire added a nice touch.

Hey Mikey- No, it was March of 2000 now that I think back. I can't believe it has been that long! The Slovenian and his partner had gotten trapped up on Fitzroy in a storm and just barely escaped. His black finger tips belied the epic he endured, but he didn't say much. Didn't have to. I like the "Wind of the Devil" descriptor, very fitting.

Thanks for the TR! It gives a weekend warrior dad like myself some hope that I could work up to this . ..Cool!

OK, that was fun .. . . I should have learned by now to never throw the dawg a bone. Now, back on topic. Lowell makes a good point. It is easy to cast stones, but much more productive to get involved (i.e. more than just posting on cc.com), and change things you feel strongly about. It is not too difficult to make a big impact within clubs (especially small ones like the Skagit Alpine Club ), if you invest the time and have a good attitude.

Do you have any other tunes, Dawg? I think I've heard this one before.....

Great TR, beautiful photos, and a FA . .. certainly a cc.com gem! I gotta wonder if those peaks to the west of Cerro Torre ever have a clear day. I think in most of the photos I have seen, they are always shrouded in cloud, even on "climbing" days. I remember when I was hiking around down there a few years ago, I spent several nights hunkered down with the mice and climbers in Campamento Poincenot. I heard a strange low roar/hum one especially blustery evening and asked a Slovenian, drinking coffee with frost nipped fingers, what it was. "That is the wind on Fitzroy" he quietly replied while looking past me with a thousand-yard stare. Correct or not, it left an impression. . . .. Strong work!

I'll add my vote to the spray deletion proposal . . .Thanks to Jon and Co for running a great site!! When I look back on what has happened in the ten years since I registered, it's pretty weird: moved out of ghetto studio next to an I-5 on-ramp, bought house, got married, traveled some, had two kids . . . . and did some climbing here and there. Good thing cc.com isn't as predictable as my trajectory!

Dallas would be stoked, thanks for posting!

Did you climb the complete ridge? I've wondered if it would be better to intersect the ridge 2/3 of the way up at the major notch before the last steep bit to the summit. Early season, it looks like snow all the way up to that notch....

Thanks for the TR, talk about an adventure! The pictures are great . ..If you were going to try and get more moved to digital, Costco scans from slides (and negatives I think) for a very reasonable fee, and does a pretty good job (at least up here in the Skagit Valley). Those are some pretty amazing looking mountains!

Here, Here, that would be pretty fast for a slow poke like myself. I agree that this route is quite good and worth the walk. Solid, fun climbing at a reasonable grade, in a spectacular setting- what more can one ask for? As Nelson has indicated, and you, myself, and others have found, September is a great month to do this route.

True, true. I still think one of the best purchases I ever made was getting a pair of these 10 years ago: http://www.everestgear.com/421100.html. They are worn down quite a bit now, but still work great. I often go on summer outings wearing approach shoes or leather hikers, knowing that my crampons will work on anything. You are right that a good pair of hiking boots will get you up most of the summertime classics, but the prices for a new pair (full retail) aren't much different than lightweight moutaineering boots like the LaSportiva Trango Alp or Kayland MTX. I'd stay away from the Trango S (and ANY boot that uses that kevlar weave stuff)- my pair only lasted 11 months before they blew apart. So far the Alp is much more durable and still climbs really well. One last point on the Kayland's- unless they have changed the interior lining they used about 6+ years ago, I'd steer clear. I had a pair of the Multitractions (http://www.itchyfeet.com/footwear/womens_footwear/boots_womens_107/w_multitraction.htm) that I wore the lining out before they needed a resole. Great boots otherwise, but that is just unacceptable. You should be able to resole a pair of $300+ boots before they wear out, shouldn't you?

Good point Dane, I was trying to hold back a bit. I agree that three pairs of footwear (four, if you include rock shoes) makes the MOST sense. Builder, most lighter weight boots nowadays are designed to accept crampons with a toe clip rather than bail: http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en-us/shop/climb/crampons/sabretooth-crampon The MTX does not accept the old style step ins.....

I think for the summertime both of those boots would be way overkill for anything not on a volcano. Maybe you do a different sort of climbing than I do in the summer, but these look just about right: http://en.kayland.com/details.php?id=38 That is the problem with buying a boot for all seasons around here. With the large swing in conditions between the seasons, two boots really make more sense. I understand it isn't cheap, however.

Rad- Seriously....I wasn't knocking the harness thing, been there. When you are below the tree line with your harness on, you are in the midst of a truly Cascadian experience! De-proaching South Hozomeen (convinced that there just had to be a better way down then the way we went up):

Frost wedging can move large blocks over the course of freeze thaw cycles. It's a pretty safe bet to never say never in terms weathering on cliff faces.

Kevin Thurner's North Cascades The Skagit Alpine Club will host an evening presentation by local mountain photographer Kevin Thurner on Wednesday April 6th. The show will take place at Skagit Valley College, Roberts Hall (T-31 on this map: http://www.skagit.edu/images/color_mvCampus.pdf) and will begin at approximately 7:30pm after the monthly business meeting (7pm). Kevin has been making high resolution images of the North Cascades for more than 20 years. Often sleeping upon summits and high ridgelines for the sunset and sunrise views they afford, his photographs offer a stirring perspective and a clear affection for the fine mountains many of us call home. “Photography has been very important for me and often very intertwined with the adventures I’ve pursued. We all have creative impulses that need expression and this has been a part of my own personal answer.” For this show, Kevin will be sharing a selection of his favorite images taken in the North Cascades. Please join us for what is sure to be an inspiring evening. Don't miss it!! For more on Kevin’s photographs, please visit the following links: Kevin’s website: www.kevinthurner.com Northwest Mountaineering Journal article: www.mountaineers.org/nwmj/10/101_Bivouacs.html Interview of Kevin by noted Colorado based photographer Jack Brauer: www.mountainphotographer.com/interview-with-kevin-thurner/

Just noticed the harnesses on when crossing the creek . . .Classic! On to the Hozomeen traverse!

I'll second that. One of the best TRs I've read in awhile. Thanks!

Thanks! I was looking into it as part of a rambly, scrambly traverse from Webb to Copper, returning to a second car via the Chilliwack. Sounds like it might be worth checking out if you were walking past.... ssssshhhh, don't tell homeland security.

Just wondering if anyone has first or second hand info . ..looks interesting from the short description in Beckey. . ...