TR: SW Arete, SEWS and Beckey Route on 6/21

[fredrogers]

With the shitty weather forecast, TimL, our friend Fred H and I went east of the crest, hoping to help Fred ease back into the climbing game after a 15 year hiatus. With a sucessful sumitt of the Tooth under his belt 2 weeks ago, Fred was raring to go... as was Tim after spending a week in seminars in Chicago.

 

With sinking hearts we drove over Highway 20 and arrived to cold and snow flurries at the Blue Lake TH. My immediate thought was "This sucks, let's go sport cragging in Mazama", but I was over-ruled and we headed up to "have a look." Given the unsettled weather (and the snow falling) we thought that the SW Arete would be our first objective, because we could climb it in boots and it was easy to bail if the weather shitted out completely. We arrived at the base to see the usual cluster of Mounties crawling their way up the route in boots, carrying full expedition packs on their first alpine climb ever. One of their leaders announced that they were a total of 4 parties of two (or similar numbers) but said we could play through along the way. Which, thanks to TimL's deft passing skills, we did, managing to head them off at the Whaleback. I do have to say that this group of Mounties (Tacoma branch), were perhaps the most easy-going group from the Mounties I have ever met in the Mountains. Very cool about letting us play through on the way up and down with very little delay for either group. We met one other party of three at the top of the 1st pitch who were also accomodating and let us rap through...

 

With the weather looking better and better (not snowing as hard) we decide to go over and check out the Beckey route on Liberty Bell. On the traverse, my trick knee starts acting up and I lag behind Tim and Fred. I arrive shortly after them at the base of the route and we behold something I have never seen in that area before: no one else.

 

We done every scrap of clothing we have with us and our rock shoes. Tim sets off to the first belay, bringing Fred and I up on twin ropes with a reverso (way cool way to climb with 3). From the first belay, the chimney looks icy, and, since I had the pack on, hard. The pin at the base of the chimney has gone missing (or broken off), but some kind soul hase slung a block about 2/3 of the way up with a long blue sling. Tim clips this and works his way up in usual RopeGun style. By the Tim he calls off belay, niether Fred nor I can feel our feet and my hands have gone numb since I forgot my gloves.

 

Fred thrutches his way up the chiney and I follow about 20 feet behind him. With a size 47 jacket shoulders and the pack, not to mention frozen feet and hands, the chimney is cruel. Very cruel. I resolve that this is the third and last time that I carry a pack on that pitch and yard on the sling to get through. I arrive at the belay with clubs for hands and feet, but Fred takes pity on me and loans me his gloves (he did have a down jacket, afterall). Tim sets off again and makes short work of the third pitch. Fred and I follow him into a forest of rimed up trees and the next thing we know we're on the summit, hunkered down, deperately trying to get the feeling back into our feet. it works and we decide that it's time to get back to town- as it's about 7:30PM and getting darker and colder.

 

We get our rope stuck right above the friction slab while rapping off- fuck. Tim solos the slab in his boots and we're back in action. The 2 raps back to the col go smoothly and we're packing up and headed down the snow-filled upper gulley. Both Tim and I slip on the way down, he stops his fall by sliding out onto the rocks at the base of the snow and I self-arrest, setting my knee off in the progress. We limp back down the gulley and follow the trail out, arriving back at the car at 10PM to a couple of nice cold beers and the thought of warm beds and food in Mazama.

 

Given what we heard about conditions in the pass the day before and on Sunday (gleaned cragging in the sun at Fun Rock), we were lucky to have gone for it on Saturday. Super-fun in that kind of "It doesn't have to be fun to be fun" kinda way.

[Dustin_B]

Sweet!! good TR, thanks.

[catbirdseat]

That rap route is a rope eater, especially for double ropes. I swore I'd only do single rope rappels after the last time.

[thelawgoddess]

fredrogers said:

thrutches his way up the chiney

 

cool tr.

 

i too have "thrutched" my way up a couple of climbs [at index] -- one a sorry excuse for a chimney. yet, i cannot find this word in the dictionary ...

[Off_White]

thelawgoddess said:i too have "thrutched" my way up a couple of climbs [at index] -- one a sorry excuse for a chimney. yet, i cannot find this word in the dictionary ...

 

And to think I've used "thrutch" sucessfully in a Scrabble game...

 

Great TR by the way.

[fredrogers]

thelawgoddess said:

fredrogers said:

thrutches his way up the chiney

 

cool tr.

 

i too have "thrutched" my way up a couple of climbs [at index] -- one a sorry excuse for a chimney. yet, i cannot find this word in the dictionary ...

 

I have always defined "thrutch" as a combination of "throw" and "clutch"- resulting in very jerky climbing just on the edge of peeling. Much like obscenity, one does know it when one sees it.

[Off_White]

I believe Thrutch was also an Australian climbing rag.

[Dru]

can you find "manky", "sketchball", "drytool", "gaston", "choss", or "plab" in the dictionary?

 

What about "snafflehound" or "horsecock"?

[jja]

way to go dave

looking forward to "thrutching" up that chimney myself.

 

I have always defined "thrutch" as a combination of "throw" and "clutch"- resulting in very jerky climbing just on the edge of peeling. Much like obscenity, one does know it when one sees it.

 

Are you saying there's a better way to climb? I'll have to figure it out sometime.