[TR] Guye Peak - South Rib 05/25/2021

[underscore_child]

Trip: Guye Peak - South Rib

Trip Date: 05/25/2021

Trip Report:

Yeah we climbed it in the rain. Why? Who knows. Something something 'save the real routes for sunshine' lol. I won't be doing that again.

Guye has been on my summit list for a while, but I was thinking it would be a hike/scramble to bag it, until the right partner came along. Zach wants to hit the Improbable Traverse; I am skeptical of hoe much fun that would be. Instead (since it's raining) we decided on the south rib, listed as a 'practice climb' in big brown beckey. That means it can't be too good, as we discovered.

Weather forecast slowly got worse as we drove out. It was rather foggy arriving at the Sahale ski club, where I obtrusively stuck my beat to hell truck on the road. Immediately I wished for microspikes on the snow. The schwack was nothin' doin', a few feet of slide alder and a talus field. We found that random sport route on the side of Guye too. Hardware looked incredible. 

We pitched out the first 4th class bit cause the rock was soaked. I led too far up onto a big slab running out of rope with no pro. Note to self, return those approach shoes, they can't smear on wet slabs! I found one miniature .75 placement and told Zach not to fall. This is not as dramatic as it sounds.

Zach led a simul block up around bulges on the slab and into a gully. Patiently awaiting his maneuvers below I almost got domed by a toaster block or three. Guye's rock fractures just like the worst basalt at Vantage, it's fucken weird. We took stock of our routefinding at the top of the gully/corner/waterfall.

From there we each made two longer simul blocks up through dirt, trees and a few 3rd class rock steps. Gotta say this was not the most interesting climbing. 250 feet of 3rd and 4th, a chossy death gully, and then a bunch of mossy trees. Oh well. Took a short break for Zach to have a phone interview (don't ask....) and eventually summitted.

Still no views. The north side of each block had a good amount of snow. Foregoing the ice axe was a very poor choice. Thus rappelling into the SE couloir (fairly fresh tat/rings) and kicking mushy steps into a 80 degree snow finger with the whole couloir below us was...sporting.

Descent was uneventful, besides long, slippery, and wet. Clouds cleared up at that point though.

On approach

 

Gear Notes:
Light rack, helmets, should've had ice axe for summit/descent

Approach Notes:
Up the Sahale Ski club thing, snow covered but easy, then right around the base of Guye.

[underscore_child]

 

Not the route

From the base (haha slide alder w/no leaves!)

 

[underscore_child]

Do other people have this problem where no images will load?

[underscore_child]

P1

Side of the rib

Gully

Blood Sport, 5.11b

Dirt climbing

Me below the summit

Zach en route

From the summit

Middle summit

Behind the trees is the Alpental valley

Snoqualmie

Osprey Wall

Bomber

Waterfall

[Rad]

Classic cascades experience. Glad you persisted and came out on top.

Thanks for persevering and posting all the photos too.

 

[JasonG]

This TR wins the blue collar climbing award of the week! 

Love it- the style of the report, the climbing, the photos.... the entire package.     

[underscore_child]

Hey thx guys. more to come soon, as soon as the weather gets better, and I find my ice axe.

I'm just uploading pics to a private album on MP and linking the URL now 

[Trent]

Looks like a character building experience! Thanks for posting.

[mountainsloth]

Every outing, rain or shine, is an opportunity to learn about climbing and yourself. Keep at it! I love the youthful energy. Something this site has lacked for a while. Keep bringing the stoke, dude!

 

Edited June 2, 2021 by mountainsloth