Alex789 Posted April 11, 2017 Posted April 11, 2017 Trip: Colchuck Peak - NE couloir Date: 4/2/2017 Trip Report: My friend Jesus and I climbed Colchuck Peak NE couloir last weekend. The road to the Stuart Lake trailhead is closed and I expect it to be opened later this season as there is a lot of snow in Mountaineering Creek. We camped at the Colchuck Lake still frozen solid. We left our tent at 4:45. The weather was windy and it snowed. The climbing was straightforward with good snow to kick steps. The bergshrund posed no problems. We climbed unroped and Jesus carried our rope in a pack as an exercise. We took left gully entrance and the climbing steepened. We came to a large overhanging cornice and could not see any logical exit. We carried our avalanche kits with us and Jesus told: "We have shovels, why don't we just punch a hole in it?" So we did. Almost 2 hours of digging and we made a good tunnel to escape on top of the ridge. Proud of our work, we continued to the summit. Currently the cornice is pretty solid, but with warming temperatures in spring it might collapse one day. Gear Notes: 1 60m rope 2 ice tools - each 3 ice screws - not used 3 pickets - used 2 Small rock rack - not used Several slings - used 2 for pickets Avi kits - each, including snow shovels Approach Notes: A lot of snow, flotation is needed Quote
OlympicMtnBoy Posted April 11, 2017 Posted April 11, 2017 Nice work! I love the cornice tunnel exit, looks like you had to dig quite a bit! Quote
bellows Posted April 11, 2017 Posted April 11, 2017 Very cool. Lots of snow! The cornice tunnel looks like hard work, nice job. Quote
John Douglass Posted April 12, 2017 Posted April 12, 2017 Tunneling, snowsuits, eyebrow icicles, summit - this trip report has everything. Well done! Quote
mountainsloth Posted April 16, 2017 Posted April 16, 2017 Thanks for reminding me that it's still winter out there. Quote
ilias Posted April 25, 2017 Posted April 25, 2017 Very cool. Tunneling through that cornice looks a bit terrifying! Quote
JasonG Posted May 1, 2017 Posted May 1, 2017 Damn. That is a fine route, but the exit looks even spicier than normal this year! I once fell un-roped into the 'schrund, but that might not be a big concern this snowy spring. Quote
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