JoshK Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Ivan and I did this route this weekend. I can certainly see why it's become a popular route. I think I had got myself physced up for something more technically demanding, so I actually found the overall difficulty easier than I was expecting. Regardless, the setting is unbeatable, the views are amazing and it's long and tiring enough to make you earn it. We started up from Colchuck late somewhere around 8:30 or 9:00 (don't remember the exact time)) towards the hidden couloir. In our company were two very nice gents from wenatchee who were just starting up the route as well. After about 50 feet of DEEP postholing it became obvious that a group effort on the route would benifit all. The snow was stable from an avy standpoint, but in the lower angle sections it was still very very deep from last weekend's snowfall. Up we chuged, reaching the hidden couloir in fairly good time. All 4 of us soloed up the hidden coulior, which was more somewhat deep, yet stable snow. It was consolidated enough that support was not an issue. After a while we reached the start of the transition pitches into the next coulior. The two other climbers decided to belay here, so Ivan and I agreed to do the same, and waited our turn. This was, far and away, the most miserable part of the climb for me. Sitting at this belay for what seemed like hours (probably more like 30 or 40 minutes) caused me to lose feeling in my left toes and pretty much both of my hands. This sucked ass, needless to say. After the other climbers were at their belay, I led this pitch up on what was mostly steep and very good quality styrofoam snow/alpine ice. The tools stuck awesome in this stuff. The pro wasn't good, but thankfully the climbing was very secure, so I ran it out to our next belay. It was here where I learned the true origin of the term "the screaming barfies" My hands hurt so @#(* bad that for about 5 minutes I was pretty damn sure I was going to puke. I have never experienced the barfies this bad and hope to never again. Anyway, Ivan followed up and headed off to lead the next pitch. This pitch was slightly sketchier but fairly short. In good time I hear "you're on belay, Josh" and I'm off to find him waiting for me at a tool and ice screw belay below a rather inviting water ice pitch. At this point I realize that fate has smiled upon me and I get to lead this very fun looking pitch. The next 40 feet or so was very fun but moderate water ice, with an ocasional crampon-on-the-rock move. A single green alien (god I love that thing) provided a bomber piece of pro half way up. At the top I set two screws into some solid ice and belay Ivan up. We then simulclimb the second coulior which is about the same as the hidden, perhaps a tad steeper. Snow here is about the same as we experienced lower down: solid yet quite deep. At the top of this coulior we belay our final belayed pitch to get us into the third couloir. The third coulior seems to be a repeat of the first two, but at this point I'm pretty sick of slogging in deep snow, so it seems to be about twice as long At the top of the third coulior, we grab a bite to eat, chat with another team that had gatherd with us on the route and head up to the summit. Here we meet our original team of new friends and exchange pleasentries in the AMAZING FEELING afternoon sun, while taking in the amazing views of stuart, the enchantment plateau and the northcasades. The walk down the snow creek glacier and aasgard pass are as boring and uneventful as every other time I've done it. All and all...a great time, in a great place, with great people. Can't ask for much more, can ya? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 3, 2003 Author Share Posted March 3, 2003 For those of you interesting in pictures: http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=413&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=412&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=411&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/plab/showphoto.php?photo=410&papass=&sort=1&thecat=500 -josh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tomcat Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 That looks sweet! Thanks for the TR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Skisports Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 I wish I could of been there but I had my own fun Dave Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
catbirdseat Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Nice TR. I'm psyched to do that route myself now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bcollins Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Damn, nice report. Hoping to do TC this next weekend but looks like lot's of freshies to really load up the mtn's. Oh well, it'll wait for later........... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 At the top I set two screws into some solid ice and belay Ivan up. Yeah if you can belay off two ice screws it musta been good climbing. We got one tie off last year when we did it. Musta been the season to do it this year. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Odin Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Josh: How was the approach? How far up the road could you drive? Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 JoshK said: I think I had got myself physced up for something more technically demanding, so I actually found the overall difficulty easier than I was expecting. nice! yeah, I think many parties have this experience; everyone I know who has climbed the route (myself included) expected more technical terrain than the route offered. But thats not to say it isnt an awesome, fun route! It really is, one of the best settings to climb in in the Cascades for sure! nice job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Good Job! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TimL Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Good job guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 3, 2003 Author Share Posted March 3, 2003 Odin said: Josh: How was the approach? How far up the road could you drive? Thanks Some guys in a toyota tacoma pickup got about one mile up the road, but you can't go any farther due to a nice mud/snow slide that brougt a tree down across the road. We just parked at the road junction, and to save the 20 minutes or so it takes to walk that mile it probably isn't worth the risk of getting your car stuck. As for the rest of the approach, there is a *nice* packed trail going in there now. The last 2 miles sucked for us, becuase that is where the previously packed trail ended, but after our trampling, and that of the other 2 parties, it is easily walkable without snowshoes now. Of course, new snow could change this quickly... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 Odin said: Josh: How was the approach? How far up the road could you drive? Thanks also, for what it's worth, 2 parties car-to-carred it on saturday, leaving at midnight and 3 a.m. respectively...the wesnatchians who left at midnight didn't sleep after work, and as we were crawling into our blessedly warm tent and bags and boiling up dinner, i think i detected the early stages of insanity setting in on them "i can't move...i think i'm dying" "shut up you fucking pussy, suck it up!" "kill me" "dude, we make it back to my buddy's house and he's got a bong!" "really? okay, let's go" and off they disappeared into the darkness sometime around when they woulda been hitting their car, i was complaining about getting hot in my sleeping bag whilst dreaming of screwing the entire swedish bikini team in a hotel that looked damned similiar to the one in "the shining" ah, life...anyone else totally fucking disinterested in dealing w/ real people today? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
erik Posted March 3, 2003 Share Posted March 3, 2003 ivan said: ah, life...anyone else totally fucking disinterested in dealing w/ real people today? everyday i am at work! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Climzalot Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 Hey Josh and Eric/Ivan. It was nice meeting you guys on the mountain. Beautiful day for a climb eh. Thanks for being cool and I am glad we all had a good time. It sure would have been nice to crash at the lake but it was real nice to get to sleep in my own bed later that night. Made it back to the 'ham by about 1:30. Not too bad considering. Well done guys!! Coley Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 4, 2003 Author Share Posted March 4, 2003 Hey Coley, awesome to meet you as well. It was a great day for a climb indeed. It was cool that everyone got along and we all stayed smart and safe. I do have to say, however, that you missed a highlight of the day when you guys cut across the ridge. The sunshine on the summit was the first time I felt warm (not just sweaty) all day long! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Trav Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 It was great to meet Eric and Josh up at Colchuck. Triple couloirs was a lot of fun even though Dave and I did it as a single day push. Thanks Josh for the bag Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 4, 2003 Author Share Posted March 4, 2003 Not problem at all for the bag, Trav. I'd definitely been in the same situation before, so what goes around comes around, i figure. Glad to see you're home and awake again. I'm sure you had a great sleep after you got back! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 JoshK said: As for the rest of the approach, there is a *nice* packed trail going in there now. The last 2 miles sucked for us, becuase that is where the previously packed trail ended, but after our trampling, and that of the other 2 parties, it is easily walkable without snowshoes now. Of course, new snow could change this quickly... Looks like you guys may have found the "High Point " that GregW, Bronco, my friend Scott and myself reached last week before calling it and turning around... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted March 4, 2003 Author Share Posted March 4, 2003 Yup! We did. I was going to mention you guys by name, but I couldn't remember the entire group. Now that you have, I can certainly give you a hearty thanks. The trail rocked up until that point! Going from a packed trail to nutz deep postholing certainly was a sad moment. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JayB Posted March 4, 2003 Share Posted March 4, 2003 I'm just glad that our sacrifices were not all in vain. I seem to be demonstrating much more natural talent in the realm of trampling down approaches than anything else lately, so maybe I'll just stick to that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 Eric and Ivan, Just want to second what Climzalot said. . . nice to meet you guys and thanks (to everyone) for stomping out the trail. I don't say that sarcastically at all, while we were hiking out we mentioned several times at how lucky we were for having it stepped out. We could not have done it in the time we did without the trail kicked, that's for sure. Also, that was a really nice example of how multiple parties on an alpine climb, though not ideal, can still make for a fun day if everyone is courteous and friendly. It was refreshing to have it that way as opposed to everyone giving each other the evil eye. Bitchin' route by the way. No wonder it's considered a classic. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ivan Posted March 6, 2003 Share Posted March 6, 2003 damn, i really must have a pretty boy face...i was giving everyone, my partner included, the old hairy eyeball apparantly my youthful visage is too often mistaken for that of a well-meaning chump.... yeah, it did all work out well...now why the hell wasn't anybody smoking down on the summit (and did you see how painfully i was needing it?) surprised you weren't mortally offended by me thinking you were a girl for the first 2 pitches. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Tennessee Posted March 10, 2003 Share Posted March 10, 2003 Ivan, I've been called worse, that was actually pretty funny when I heard Climbzalot up at the belay say he was climbing with "Andy" and you said"Did you say Amy? , you've got a girl up here?" That was some funny shit. Yeah, I left my summit smoke back in the car, it keeps me from being tempted on the hike in. I can barely keep up with Hikezalot as it is! But I spent sunday catching up. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckaroo Posted March 18, 2003 Share Posted March 18, 2003 ""This was, far and away, the most miserable part of the climb for me. Sitting at this belay for what seemed like hours (probably more like 30 or 40 minutes) caused me to lose feeling in my left toes and pretty much both of my hands. This sucked ass, needless to say."" ""It was here where I learned the true origin of the term "the screaming barfies" My hands hurt so @#(* bad that for about 5 minutes I was pretty damn sure I was going to puke. I have never experienced the barfies this bad and hope to never again."" You should be very careful and realize what was happening here. You were experiencing the onset of mild hypothermia. When the body becomes too cold it constricts blood flow to the extremities, to keep the core temperatures normal. Consequently the blood in the extremities becomes chilled and acidotic from lack of circulation . When you start moving again the chilled acidotic blood circulates to the core and causes nausea and, in severe hypothermia cases, heart attack. The nausea is the bodies way of saying "stop what your doing". Anytime you stop at a belay when it's very cold you should put on more layers and/or keep up some kind of movement. If your hands are cold flex the muscles or shake your hands and arms. Running in place works to keep the feet warm. Just shaking your legs in general keeps the body warm. That's what shivering is, muscle activity to maintain body warmth. Some kind of physical activity, don't just stand still. Belayed climbing in cold conditions is sort of tricky in that periods of intense warming activity are alternated by inactivity. You have to have a system to maintain warmth at belays. Mark Twight in his book "Extreme Alpinism" recommends wearing your shell jacket when climbing and putting on your pile jacket over the shell at belays. Not the conventional way these items are worn but a real time saver. You don't even want to know about severe hypothermia, it's very hard to treat in a remote situation, the only real treatment is avoidance. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.