Kyle_Flick

It's a good, challenging, fairly clean pitch that in my estimation goes at 5.9+ for a short crux.

The flakes were located at the beginning of the hand traverse.

The loose flakes on the third pitch (hand traverse 5.9) have detached and fallen off. The good news is no one was hurt. The bad news is the pitch may now be upgraded to 5.10. Thus one of the best 5.9 climbs in WA now may be 5.10.

I'd recommend Spontaneity Arete on Petit Cheval near WA Pass before the snow flies. Since it's below 6000' no snow on it currently. Good easy approach trail--45 min. hike to the base of short cliff bands, fixed lines through the bands, 2 hours max to base of climb, 4-6 hours climbing with 1-2 pitches of nothing any harder than 5.7. Rap the route with a single 60m--2 hours and back at the car for a total package under 10 hours.

Michael, 1. We came in from Ingalls. 2. You've nailed the bivy spot. 3. Yes, retraced the route and used the rap stations. 4.Yep, returned the same way we ascended (Variations 1 & 2). If traversing from the summit of Stuart, I would bivy higher, i.e., below the snowfield from the false summit (water and easy traverse over to the base of the route). Have fun and look forward to your TR--with pictures!

Dang, one of these days I'll figure out how to post pix on this forum. Will the pix of the trip that our teammate posted on Facebook suffice?

Trip: Sherpa Peak - West Ridge Date: 9/26/2015 Trip Report: On 9/26/15, Bill, Noelle, Iak and I climbed the west ridge of Sherpa Peak in a couple hours from the base/notch of the route and quickly descended off it in cold, windy conditions with fading light back to our bivy at 7400'. We found water in a rock glacier remnant about 100' west of the large flat bivy rock. We did it in 3 pitches with a scramble along the ledge system to the last pitch. Oddly we found a pair of 5.10 size 12 climbing shoes at the beginning of the ledge traverse. I've considered the best approach for the route is usually with a link up of Mt. Stuart, but otherwise the second best approach is from Ingalls Creek. Gear Notes: Small rack up to 3" Approach Notes: Variation 1 up Mt. Stuart,cross over the ridge to the east at 6000' into Variation 2 below Sherpa works very well. Timed right you can hump your bivy gear up to the high camp at 7400' and run up the mountain the same day. Short work and you're back at camp for dinner.

Dave, I think the #1(red)BD cam and purple linkcam with locker are mine. Thank you for retrieving it. Happy to contribute to your favorite charity. Kyle

Snohomish County Sheriff helicopter winched the climber off of the upper part of Serpentine Arete on Dragontail early Sunday afternoon. Shortly beforehand, four members of Chelan County Mountain Rescue were inserted by Chelan County Sheriff's helicopter at the lake as backup ground crew if the winch operation were unsuccessful. The rescued climber was examined and released. Simultaneously, several members of Chelan County Mountain Rescue were called out to assist another climber who fell on the 3rd pitch of the Regular Route on Careno Crag in Icicle Canyon. Reportedly she fell 25+ feet to the ledge when her BD C3 cam pulled. She was lowered in a litter 275' to the base of the crag. The carryout with 12 volunteers made swift work to get her down to the road and ambulance. The time from call out to loading the patient into the ambulance took less than two hours.

I was just up the N. Buttress Couloir last Sunday, and it's in great condition and should remain so for several more weeks. You can bypass the technical down climb from Pandora's Box on Dragontail by crossing on the rock rib to the left.

Trip: Alpine Lakes - Dragontail Gerber-Sink Date: 5/2/2015 Trip Report: After a couple of false starts earlier this season, it was nice to complete this route before it disappeared for the year. Bryce and I walked in the night before and had doubts if it would still go. The nights have been below freezing and it stays in the shade most of the day. But the days are getting warmer, and no one is walking on Colchuck Lake any longer. We woke to below freezing temps and decided to give it a shot. We were surprised to find the entire route still in great shape. The ice had some hollow and brittle spots, but for the most part it was well adhered and hard. Big toes are out of commission for awhile from all the kicking in front pointing. The alternating ice and neve snow bands of the lower 5 pitches kept the burning calves tolerable. The ice in this section might last another week or two if it doesn't heat up too much. Bryce kept his nerves steady leading up the run-out headwall (left exit) pitch. Bare handed with crampons on dry rock, the feet did not feel secure. After 30' the well adhered moss sticks meant the worst was over. Compared to the traffic from the previous weeks, we didn't see anyone on the route all day. Gear Notes: 6 screws, small rack to 2", 2 pickets Approach Notes: Trail is dry.

Bring a mountain bike & stash it where the snow starts to enjoy coasting down the last two+ miles of the road on the descent. The road adds 8 miles roundtrip to the adventure.

An unplanned bivy is a most apropos topic now that winter is winding down. We were up on the Gerber-Sink route on Dragontail the same night as you. In fact, the night before, I met the partner at Colchuck Lake you were going to climb with from Portland. In any event, my partner and I had completed nearly all of the lower portion of the route (nearly 1/2 of the entire route) when he became extremely ill unable to proceed any further. We then descended with three v-thread rappels and two full length (2 60m 1/2 ropes) raps from trees before darkness prevented us from completing two more rappels down the lower buttress at the toe of Dragontail back to the glacier. So we tied in on a steep snow ledge and sat on our packs (which had closed cell pads)for the night. Hand warmers, dry gloves, extra socks, puffy, extra balaclava, food, water and stove all made for a tolerable bivy. We were surprised the next morning, when we rapped to the glacier, to be face to face with a hovering helicopter. I figured my wife called for a rescue (given the warm temps in Cashmere--she thought the worst had happened--avalanche)since I was now overdue, but the word I got when I came down was the sheriff was looking for a "lost hiker"--on Colchuck. Based on the recent rescue off of Ice Cliff Glacier, she insists that I invest in a Spot or PLD pronto. Good comments from everyone about preparedness to bivy without adding significant weight.

Your persistence paid off --nice work on your early season alpine adventure! Looks cold, brr.

My Suunto watch was accidentally left at Sunshine Wall. If found let me know, and I'll owe you beer.