[TR] Kulshan - Boulder 05/16/2021

[JasonG]

Trip: Kulshan - Boulder

Trip Date: 05/16/2021

Trip Report:

Reports from this past Sunday on the Coleman sounded.... uh..... busy.  On the flip side of the mountain we camped and skied alone (though three parties skied it Saturday and one party ascended to ski a different line Sunday). Those willing to endure a few shenanigans can still escape the masses, I guess. 

Nevertheless, @cfire @Trent and @Kit were skeptical that I could find the mountain without a beat in cattle trail. But find it we did, and it ain't getting any easier.  That is the funny thing about climbing as you age, it is painfully obvious that while the mountains don't change all that much over the decades, we certainly do. Though a young guy on the summit (Ingmar, ripping skier) told me that I was in my "prime years", I don't think any of us felt that way on the slog up.  I know I certainly felt a bit different than I did when I first ascended the route in the 90's!  Still, I think it was about 5.5 hours up to the summit from our camp at 4700', so I guess we aren't doing too terrible.  Compared to the 8ish hour round trip (from the car!) of the three young dudes we ran into Saturday, however, it certainly isn't anything to brag about.

But, sitting on the snow couch, sipping whiskey, chatting, and admiring the setting, it is hard to complain about a few creaky joints.  We have a beautiful backyard, and that hasn't changed.

Gear Notes:
skis, ski crampons, boot crampons, helmet, axe, glacier gear

Approach Notes:
snow blocked road about a mile below TH. Snow patchy to about 3400' where it is more or less continuous to the summit. There are a few suspect snow bridges above the cleaver (9000+), everything well filled and easy below.

[olyclimber]

Yes brudda.  Love it.

[genepires]

sre you rockin on hardboots on your split?  which boot/binding combo?

as usual, great photos and chris must have hid whenever you pulled camera out.

[DPS]

We are all getting older but at least the mountains aren't getting any easier.

[genepires]

6 minutes ago, DPS said:

We are all getting older but at least the mountains aren't getting any easier.

As I get older my mountain choices get easier.  to the point that most of my climbing I approach 2 minutes and  I click into a auto belay.

 

[JasonG]

2 hours ago, genepires said:

you rockin on hardboots on your split?  which boot/binding combo?

After using some beat up Scarpa Matrix and Voile mountain plates for the past 15 years, I finally upgraded this season.  Atomic Backland Pros (heel hold isn't fantastic with the BOA system) with Phantom Link Levers (these are really great), Phantom Toe pieces/ski crampons, and Spark Dyno DH bindings.  Pretty sweet set up, especially for the up!  It still isn't perfect for down, but getting there.  I wish someone would make a ground-up splitboard boot.  I tried the Phantom slippers but sent them back- not really close to ideal in my book.

[lunger]

Sweet photos, as always Jason. Love that ski, recall doing it on Halloween one year -- I think your timing was better.

How did the Park Headwall look? Any shots that direction?

[JasonG]

1 hour ago, lunger said:

How did the Park Headwall look? Any shots that direction?

We couldn't quite see around the corner so I don't have anything to report.  Sorry! 

We may have hit it better than your Halloween ski, but I have to say that your idea for last weekend was perhaps a bit better.  I plan to copy you (maybe not the exact lines, however) in the next couple of years!

[JasonG]

12 hours ago, DPS said:

We are all getting older but at least the mountains aren't getting any easier.

So true.  The climbing is easier but at least I am working harder than ever.

[Kameron]

Well I've skied with Ingmar and he's certainly a crusher/sandbagger. Don't go with him if you want to feel "in your prime" ;-)

Rope scramble shenanigans look ok. Nice and short. Anybody got an old static line for me to hike in there and replace the deteriorating fixed line with? From your photo of the lower glacier, conditions actually look good for the direct approach up the valley, gaining the ridge higher up.

Nice one!

 

Edited May 23, 2021 by Kameron

[JasonG]

7 hours ago, Kameron said:

Don't go with him if you want to feel "in your prime" ;-

I gathered that.  We were chatting for a bit since he was lapping the upper part of the Boulder route (above the crater) while waiting for the Coleman to soften.  He was telling us that he had done the Nooksack traverse (in a day) a couple days prior .  His advice on how to get as fast as him?  ...."volume".  Ummmmm, yes.

7 hours ago, Kameron said:

conditions actually look good for the direct approach up the valley, gaining the ridge higher up.

I think so! Though we didn't look closely....  We were doing a leisurely 2 day trip so it was nice to camp low on the ridge above the fixed line.  It actually looked to be in fine shape, at least the part above the snow.  Worked great as a handline, but you could have easily put a prussik on it if we had dug our harnesses out.  There are many rings to rap off of using a rando rope on the way down, if you are so inclined.

[Kameron]

Later in the season when the snow melts the scramble gets a lot longer, nearly a full 30 m. I need to get up there and camp on that ridge again, when it isn't raining!

[Trent]

Great photos as usual! I always enjoy the Boulder!