Last week of March... where to?

[bedellympian]

Okay, so have some dates off from work and can go play at least 4 days (must be consecutive) between 3/25 and 4/2. I was planning to go to Yosemite and get on the Captain with friends but there is currently a lot of snow in the valley and there will still be snow melting off the top in 3 weeks (barring an act of god). Started look at other options...

I do all the things: ice, mixed, alpine, ski tour, rock, aid, etc, etc, etc. Ideas that popped into my head were: ice routes and alpine cragging in the Candaian Rockies, skiing big lines in the Tetons or Sierra, North Cascades skiing and/or alpine ice, Purcell/Sekkirks ski touring exploring, exploring closer to home in Eastern Oregon.

There is some persistent slab and other problems making things tricky most places in the Rockies, though it could settle significantly in a few weeks, still probably won't get rid of the low probability persistent problem though. Lots of snow everywhere. Dry rock seems far away. Cascades don't have persistent problems by the look of it. Any other problems to consider?

Bottom line, maximum 1 day drive each way and 4 days to play, what are some ideas (specific or not) that are worth my consideration?

[mthorman]

Look into Granite Lake ice climbing in the Cabinets Mts of Montana.  It is a fat year this year and typically the end of March is pretty good in there (baring we don't get a crazy warm up in the next couple weeks).  

[JasonG]

I'd say keep it loose and go where the weather and conditions look good....for whatever.   Seems like the storm track will be north or south but not both.  Please post a TR with whatever you get up to!

That's a great time to up up on the Wapta or Bow-Yoho ski tours...but that might be too pedestrian.

[manninjo]

@bedellympianConsider going for the second (?) ascent of any these routes in the Cascades? Access seems like a pain for most of these (especially without a sled), and obviously conditions are king, but the time of year you're looking at seems about right. 

NW Face of Chiwawa (Intravenous):

Summit Chief North Face:

Any of the lines on Buck Mountain North Face, e.g.:

 

 

[Geoff M]

21 hours ago, mthorman said:

Look into Granite Lake ice climbing in the Cabinets Mts of Montana.  It is a fat year this year and typically the end of March is pretty good in there (baring we don't get a crazy warm up in the next couple weeks).  

+1

This should give you some stoke: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1nu2WVpm0cLpc_YFD82CVZ_CeXZM0A6XA/view

[bedellympian]

On 3/5/2023 at 5:11 PM, mthorman said:

Look into Granite Lake ice climbing in the Cabinets Mts of Montana.  It is a fat year this year and typically the end of March is pretty good in there (baring we don't get a crazy warm up in the next couple weeks).  

@mthorman How's the avy hazard been in there?

On 3/5/2023 at 8:07 PM, JasonG said:

I'd say keep it loose and go where the weather and conditions look good....for whatever.   Seems like the storm track will be north or south but not both.  Please post a TR with whatever you get up to!

That's a great time to up up on the Wapta or Bow-Yoho ski tours...but that might be too pedestrian.

Sounds delightful TBH. Maybe that's what I'll do if nothing else comes up.

On 3/6/2023 at 12:03 PM, manninjo said:

Consider going for the second (?) ascent of any these routes in the Cascades? Access seems like a pain for most of these (especially without a sled), and obviously conditions are king, but the time of year you're looking at seems about right.

Yeah I was looking at Buck and Summit Chief... long approaches indeed. I'll check those other options.

[rat]

Assuming you're somewhere in OR, the Cabinets sound like good adventure. Or there are a couple lines on the NE side of Wheeler Pk in NV.

The NE side of Pyramid Pk. in the N. Cascades also has a couple routes awaiting second ascents. Might be about the same drive/hike as A Pk. but shorter routes. Certainly less of an approach than Buck or Chiwawa unless you want to rent a snow machine. You might be able to drop into the head of Colonial Cr. from the same bivy & climb the west face of Colonial Pk. if time, energy, and travel conditions allow.

 

[mthorman]

10 hours ago, bedellympian said:

@mthorman How's the avy hazard been in there?

Avy hazard is pretty minimal.  There are a couple of avy paths on the approach to the lake that can be avoided if the danger is high.  The approach from the lake to the 3 tiers is no issue and there is no overhead hazard on the 3 Tiers or Thunderdome routes.  The only place around the climbing areas where we have seen any avalanches is in extreme conditions in the main gully between the 3 Tiers and the Thunderdome.  You would need to go a little way up this gully to access routes like Mad Max or Road Warrior.  Also there is good skiing in the bowls around/above the lake but those are definitely in avy terrain.