[TR] Argonaut Peak - North East Couloir 11/17/2018

[PorterM]

Trip: Argonaut Peak - North East Couloir

Trip Date: 11/17/2018

Trip Report:

 

Yesterday Conrad and I climbed the North East Couloir of Argonaut. We found fun, and challenging conditions. We left Leavenworth around 3:20am and were headed up the trail by 4:00am. We moved quickly along the trail to the spot we had decided we would branch off and cross mountaineers creek. Upon crossing, we filtered more water and started our bushwhack as it became light. After a while in the trees we ended up in a small boulder field and found a string of cairns. Though headed more toward Stuart we opted to follow. This proved to be fruitful as they led us toward the tree finger that allows one to avoid the bushwack from hell in the slide alders. We followed the beta from Jens Holsten posted on a previous TR that said "Here is the beta: After crossing Mountaineers Creek, cross over a wooded rib or two and then head straight south through the woods. DO NOT enter the boulder field until you have literally walked out the end of the woods as far south as the trees extend. At this point you can hook back left on a talus finger that avoids all that nasty bush whacking." Posted on a TR from 2011. This beta proved to be key and accelerated the approach. 

 

We ascended the talus and frozen dirt and caught up to a group of three. We never were close enough to talk as we went futher left to climb some approach ice smears. Approach Ice

Once in the Couloir we soloed up to the first rock step. This had a steep smear of ice and proved to be great fun. The ice filled the crack enough that I had to run it out on the smear but felt pretty secure. 

From here we unroped and continued booting up the snow with a few sections of easy rock mixed in. We passed the alternate route that Jens mentions and opted not to take it due to it appearing to not take any gear. (Thin ice line in right of photo, will definitely take if I climb this again)

Above this there was another steep rock step which we climbed on its right and turned out to be a one move wonder, one hook over the top followed by lots of grunting to pull myself up the to top of it. Following this pitch we unroped and continued all the way to the notch looking south. Should have gone right to gain the snow slopes at some point but we ended up here and wrapped around on to the south face. We found what looked to be our easiest line up from there and Conrad led this feature up mostly rock with a snow dusting to the snow slopes (sorry, no photo, but it was very difficult and pretty heady, glad I didnt lead it). We booted up a nasty breakable crust to the summit ridge. This was exposed but fairly easy and we opted to solo everything. After a summit snack around noon (I think??) we retraced our steps and following one rap on tat we were in the col at the top of the couloir. (Photo climbing on to summit)

Retracing our steps:

We continued down the East ridge another 30ft to another tat anchor and rapped from here into the top of a snow gully leading south.We booted down this to the flatter southern slopes.

We chose to descend the col between dragontail and colchuck peak to colchuck lake so we started our sunny slog to there. 

Once at the col we could tell light was starting to fade and we had long since finished out water so we didn't lollygag. We started down the Colchuck Glacier  and quickly hit the bergshrund. There was a thin snow bridge that we chose not to trust and instead took the leap...

We found lots of steepish exposed glacial ice and spent a lot more time on the front points as we climbed down toward the lake.

Eventually we ran out of snow and ice and switched to approach shoes and started walking down the rocks (now covered in frost).

We made it to the trail right about when we needed our lights and has a nice (read: long and tired) walk out, arriving back at the cars at 7:00. 
For future fall climbers, the thin ice line to the right in the third photo appears that it would be a very fun alternate route. This is a very fun fall alpine route!

GPS Track, (disclaimer, we didn't follow the best route 100% of the time) http://www.movescount.com/moves/move254799988

Gear Notes:
We took 3 screws and never placed one, but would still take one or two because ice was around. A few nuts and a few cams from fingers up to bd #2 proved to be most useful. Had pins but never placed any.

Approach Notes:
Follow the cairns if you find them and take the tree finger up as much of the talus slope as you can (stay further right than you'd expect).

Edited November 19, 2018 by PorterM

[JasonG]

That looks spicy!

[Alisse]

On ‎11‎/‎18‎/‎2018 at 9:55 PM, PorterM said:

There was a thin snow bridge that we chose not to trust and instead took the leap...

Nice shot!

 

[PorterM]

On 11/19/2018 at 6:51 PM, JasonG said:

That looks spicy!

There was a little spice to be had, nothing unreasonable though! 

[G-spotter]

Like Pumpkin Spice spicy? Or Posh Spice spicy?