Dustin_B Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Has any one climbed the North Face of Big Four in the summer? There is like 2 sentences in the Beckey guide about it. Anyone have any more beta on it? Rock/pro quality, difficulty (Beckey says "class 4"), time, descent? Thanks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sphinx Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 http://www.mountainwerks.org/alexk/climb/TRBigFour0901.htm Tougher than your WR Stuart scramble. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Ack! Doesn't seem like something you'd want to do to yourself. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Much brush. Tom Breit (AlpineTom) had a trip report of it with pictures at one time, but I wasnt able to find it... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coopah Posted September 15, 2003 Share Posted September 15, 2003 Thanks for that tidbit of IMPORTANT info. I am to climb this with Dustin and now will rethink that monkey business. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ncascademtns Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Coopah said: Thanks for that tidbit of IMPORTANT info. I am to climb this with Dustin and now will rethink that monkey business. I'll strangle along if you guys need help finding the route. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coopah Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 ncascademtns said: Coopah said: Thanks for that tidbit of IMPORTANT info. I am to climb this with Dustin and now will rethink that monkey business. I'll strangle along if you guys need help finding the route. Who said anything about needing help finding a route...I remember your descent route finding on Shuksan last year Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
babnik Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Coopah said: ncascademtns said: Coopah said: Thanks for that tidbit of IMPORTANT info. I am to climb this with Dustin and now will rethink that monkey business. I'll strangle along if you guys need help finding the route. Who said anything about needing help finding a route...I remember your descent route finding on Shuksan last year lets get it awn! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dustin_B Posted September 16, 2003 Author Share Posted September 16, 2003 Sphinx said: http://www.mountainwerks.org/alexk/climb/TRBigFour0901.htm Tougher than your WR Stuart scramble. Thanks for the beta. I don't think I want any part of this monkey business either... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 Heh, probably a good choice. I thrashed around where those guys did one fall 20 some years ago, even with the leaves shed it was not a fun time, and we didn't get any farther. Later on, a friend and I made an attempt on the Tower Route, far left side of the face, and petered out in technical brush and soggy rock steps. It was then that I learned to love devils club, because it makes a much more secure handhold than ferns. But still, the damned thing is so big and so right there, maybe its not as bad as I remember, might be worth another look.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mr._Natural Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 OW, could you share anything else about your experience with the tower route? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 16, 2003 Share Posted September 16, 2003 We tried following the description in Beckey, climbed up some gully type feature more or less in line with the buttress. It got steeper, turned into technical munge with small rock ribs & grooves at maybe 70 degrees, all filled with dirt & veg. The only color I remember is green. I think we flaked the rope, but it was pretty much psychological for the leader, maybe possible to excavate a piece here or there, but mostly just pucker and go. We had mountain boots, and they were the right tool for the job. I wasn't joking about the devils club and ferns, when you've got to pull on them you notice the difference in the root structures. At some point we moved right on a ledge system, maybe as the thing we were in petered out. Ledge ended with a 20' dripping overhanging mossy rock step, looked like lots of forest climbing ahead, and we'd just had enough, convinced ourselves we were not on route and turned tail. Definitely rapped the scary grooves, but I can't recall how long that part was, maybe two pitches? We didn't make much of a dent in the thing, its a big piece of adventure for sure. I've probably got some old slides around somewhere but I'm sure they show nothing more than brush and bugged out eyeballs. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpine_Tom Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Alex said: Much brush. Tom Breit (AlpineTom) had a trip report of it with pictures at one time, but I wasnt able to find it... It's here: http://home.comcast.net/~tbreit/big42.htm Ignore the mock-heroic tone of the text, please. I haven't tried it again, but I did go up there with my kid a few weeks ago, and scrambled up the "ramp" most of the way, before coming down. The exposure is pretty heady, it's real "Beckey class 4" stuff, but it did seem feasible. It'd take a long day, though, and a pretty high tolerance for bushwhacking. (Bring long pants, a machete, and a headlamp!) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toast Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Nice pix... looks very much like my adventure up Malachite Peak last Saturday (steep hillsides and thick brush.) It was well worth it though. I like routes with no trails Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Juan Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 You should consider the Dry Creek Route if the goal is to get to the top in a day, especially a short fall day. See my earlier write up (July this summer). It's not bad. Good luck, Sharp Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mattp Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 Toast- Was it the picture in the Beckey book that drew you to Malchite Peak? I hear about periodic attempts on the peak, and I'm guessing that the picture is what does it -- or is there some underground buzz about how it is a good climb? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 The picture of Malachite has made it look attractive to me, looks to be in a great position, and I took the description to suggest it might be an easy early season day... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
klenke Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 No, Matt, you idiot. It's none of those things. There's a hottub full of naked Swedish women at the top waiting for any hardy soul who gives Malachite a go and succeeds. One of the most truly spectacular summits in the Cascades....oops, I shouldn't have said anything...if AlpineK gets wind of this... Nice B4 report, Alex & Tom. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toast Posted September 18, 2003 Share Posted September 18, 2003 mattp said: Toast- Was it the picture in the Beckey book that drew you to Malchite Peak? I hear about periodic attempts on the peak, and I'm guessing that the picture is what does it -- or is there some underground buzz about how it is a good climb? It is a good lookin' peak, but no, it wasn't Beckey's pix that got my goat. A friend suggested it as a good peak to bag when I was in college. Years have gone by and many trips up to the nearby lakes... I finally cracked that nut last year and went back again last weekend. Malachite Peak, for its short distance, is a surprisingly challenging scramble. It's strenuous to get there (almost 5000' of cumulative gain,) there are few if any signs of previous travelers, and only sheer tenacity will get you through the thick brush, steep slopes, tricky route finding and exposure that you'll encounter to get there. No, it's not a class 5 climb, and while there's signs of good rock on the way, I don't think there's a clean line up it coming from the south... could be a different story from Purvis Lake to the north, though. Anyway, it's a very rewarding alpine scramble. The peak itself has a fair amount of prominence and good views all around. Oh yeah, and the topless Swedish chicks in the hot tub up top are easy. Go get some Klenke, I know you want it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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