bellows Posted October 4, 2016 Posted October 4, 2016 Trip: Slippery Slab Tower - Northeast Face Date: 10/1/2016 Trip Report: Slippery Slab Tower near Stevens Pass is a good destination if you're looking for a long hike capped with a short rock climb on an appealing alpine tower. Overall it's about 12 miles round trip with half a pitch of low-fifth rock. The hiking along the PCT is certainly the highlight of the day. Saturday's weather was just good enough for my wife and I to squeeze it in for one last climb to cap off our summer. Fall colors in full effect: Progressively closer views of Slippery Slab Tower along the approach: At the base of the climb we scrambled the obvious 4th class gully up to a big ledge with trees. From there I led a single pitch ~50' up a slabby dihedral, made appropriately slippery with a small squall of snow flurries and my trail runners. I took the single lead all the way to the summit block and belayed by wife up. From there we down climbed to a boulder with sling and rapped the route and gully. Action shots: About an hour later we were back at our packs where Mac was waiting patiently for us. Alpine crag dog: Overall is was just over 8 hours c2c via the Tunnel Creek approach. We were slowed down by plentiful blueberries still in season along the trail: Gear Notes: Small alpine rack. There's a stuck 0.3 (not mine) crammed way in a crack in the dihedral that you might be able to booty with a coat hanger, a flash light, and a patient belayer. Approach Notes: Savor the approach. Quote
JasonG Posted October 4, 2016 Posted October 4, 2016 Cool, I'd forgotten about that one. Thanks for the reminder to put it back on the list! Quote
Pete_H Posted October 4, 2016 Posted October 4, 2016 Nice. Not often can you bring your dog on an alpiny climb! Quote
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