[TR] The Tooth - Standard 06/04/2020

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: The Tooth - Standard

Trip Date: 06/04/2020

Trip Report:

 

I've been teaching my kid technical rock climbing skills this spring, and he has been itching to hit an alpine route.  With two back-to-back "meh" weekend forecasts we opted for the Tooth midweek on a day advertised as "mostly sunny" on weather.gov.

The TH lot has been open for business for over a week now, and we parked at the Alpental/Snow Lake TH lot.  Much of lower alpental is melted out and rather than risk some possible schwacking we took the standard trail up to Source Lake.  We hit patchy snow a few hundred feet below the turnoff and almost 100% snow from there to the based of the climb.  The route itself is completely snow-free.

We opted for a leisurely start  leaving the parking lot around 7:40.   We could see a party on the summit as we rounded Source Lake, and another in the basin.  As we ascended, a party of two (also father and son) passed us by.  So much for nobody on the Tooth (as turned out 4 more parties followed us that day).  And of course it started drizzling rain after the second pitch.  I opted for the Catwalk nevertheless as it is ledgy.

There were some delays rappeling, but it was not too bad.  It's the Tooth, after all.

"Mostly Sunny" approach to basin:

Yours truly below Pineapple Pass:

Summit views with my son:

Classic view up P1 on rappel:

Victory toast.  Now onto bigger and better trips....

Gear Notes:
Standard small alpine rack

Approach Notes:
Patchy snow from 3500'; continuous from Source Lake turnoff; minimal moat issue at notch S of Pineapple Pass

Edited June 7, 2020 by KaskadskyjKozak

[mrice1225]

Nice, did this two Fridays ago, I thought the moat thing where you have to walk under the huge block of snow guarding the notch was interesting, and might get spicier as it melts out more. 

Edited June 7, 2020 by mrice1225
typo

[KaskadskyjKozak]

1 hour ago, mrice1225 said:

Nice, did this two Fridays ago, I thought the moat thing where you have to walk under the huge block of snow guarding the notch was interesting, and might get spicier as it melts out more. 

yeah, that block just sitting there was "interesting".  I've been there though where the upper snow ramp is mostly melted with a bad runout to climber's right.  At the moment that's not there at all (as you know)