skykilo Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 Climb: Chair Peak-Northeast Buttress Date of Climb: 2/5/2004 Trip Report: Crazy_Jeff and I climbed the Northeast Buttress of Chair Peak. It is in great climbing condition, but not so great skiing condition. There are two sections of nice mixed/ice climbing, and almost all of it has released a huge slab leaving a hard crust. Two tools might be the way to go, but I was able to lead it with a whippet, one tool, and one screw. More screws might have been nice, but what's the point if there's no trustworthy ice? I skied the top pitch, but decided it was stupid icy so we climbed back up and I skied a sweet couloir to the south(east?), which Jeff downclimbed. After many wrong turns and some interesting downclimbing, we were able to reach the valley and climb to Melakwa Pass as daylight waned. The ski down to Snow Lake in the dark was marvellous. Snow conditions on north and east slopes seemed to be hoar frost over some nice powder, simply great skiing. All aspects were good in the Alpental valley due to death fog effects. Other aspects had some degree of wind crust elsewhere. Crossing the lake, we were immersed in the Snoqualmie Pass death fog, but I was able to find the divide without any problems. It felt good to meet Corey at the parking lot for tea after a much-longer-than-expected day. Too bad it was too late to hit the pool and sauna. This was a really fun climb, and the couloir we descended was a spectacular ski. Sorry for all the beta and chestbeating. Thank you for allowing physicist skier to post. Someday a distant website in a galaxy far, far away will have a more thorough trip report with pictures. Gear Notes: Shoulda had brain. Approach Notes: Very easy approach. Do it with skis, foos. Quote
AllYouCanEat Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 What, frankenstein, you should be studying the boron blaster, not skiing electric chair. Nice work... Quote
savaiusini Posted February 6, 2004 Posted February 6, 2004 Nick work...foo' I think I know what couloir you ended up skiing and agree...it IS sweet! Quote
skykilo Posted February 6, 2004 Author Posted February 6, 2004 Here are a few of Jeff's pics: sunrise checking out east face side of NE buttress placing a screw on upper section of NE buttress coming out of a jump turn that helped convince me not to ski the buttress part of that sweet descent gully Quote
Norman_Clyde Posted February 7, 2004 Posted February 7, 2004 Hey Sky. Nice TR. Impressive use of a whippet on the ascent. But didn't the poor animal get cold? They're pretty skinny, after all. In such wintry conditions, isn't a Husky the more practical choice? Quote
cracked Posted February 7, 2004 Posted February 7, 2004 "Now Whippet! Whippet hard!" -Andrew McLean Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 8, 2004 Posted February 8, 2004 Wow, the NE Buttress is in way better condition compared to when Toast and I attempted it last year. Quote
Alpine_Tom Posted February 8, 2004 Posted February 8, 2004 So, like, where'd you park? Sneak into the Alpental lot? Quote
Bug Posted February 9, 2004 Posted February 9, 2004 Would you free solo it? It sounds like you pretty much did anyway. Nice TR. Quote
skykilo Posted February 9, 2004 Author Posted February 9, 2004 Norm: Whippets are faithful and noble beasts, so I take them instead of my whiny red nosed pit. It is easy to jam their pointy faces into holes in the ice for good leverage. They are also good for cuddling for warmth during the emergency bivy. Tom: Jeff parked across the street from one of the upper Alpental lots. I have a season pass there, so I refuse to consider their policies applicable to me. Besides, I was just looking for an interesting line in the Alpental BC. Another day at the resort. Bug: In similar conditions, I would have no qualms at all about free soloing the route, but would take two tools if that was my intent. That's just me, I'm not making any recommendations for anyone else. Great touring today, it feels like spring will be here soon enough... Quote
Juan Posted February 10, 2004 Posted February 10, 2004 My nephew Terry Ahern, Crispin Prahl, and I climbed the N.E. Butt today under beautiful skies. We did what is the left-hand variation in Washington Ice. Another pair was behind us and we saw them topping out. Great conditions. No gear except slings for trees at the top of the first pitch and two screws for the exciting ice bulge pitch. It would have been smart to use a piton or two to set a rock belay to the climber's right of the bulge, but we didn't. In places, pickets would have worked, but those places aren't that steep. It took us five hours car to top. It was warm, but any day this week should be good for any route on Chair. Didn't see any whippets, but saw three fat ravens in the dumpster at the Chevron in the morning. John Sharp Quote
jja Posted February 10, 2004 Posted February 10, 2004 juan, did you need shoes or skis for the approach? thanks. Quote
Juan Posted February 10, 2004 Posted February 10, 2004 Two of us snow shoed and Crispin skied -- off the summit. Juan Quote
skykilo Posted February 10, 2004 Author Posted February 10, 2004 Did you rap at the col below the descent gully? Sweet sweet sweet, glad to hear I'm not the only one getting the goodness on that descent gully. The section below that to the south was good skiing, too. Quite a detour for the extra skiing, but probably not as bad heading back over Pineapple Pass instead of Melakwa like we did. Right on guys. Quote
Juan Posted February 10, 2004 Posted February 10, 2004 We rapped the normal descent back to the basin below the E. Face. It had a huge cornice and about ten ft. of free hanging rappel before you touched snow. Terry went first and the rope cut the cornice but didn't break it off. Then I went, and Crispin asked me to try to bust off the lip so he wouldn't catch his ski tails on the cornice when he went over. I obliged by jumping and walking around on the edge until the whole thing collapsed. It was exciting to fall ten ft. with a refridgerator sized block of snow breaking around me. Other than smooshing my right testicle and getting snow down my neck, no big deal. Kind of comical really. The gully was steeper than Crispin wanted to ski so he rapped before putting the boards back on. It was definitely a great day, and we were impressed by your one tool, one whippet ascent. It's steep in a few places. Good job. John Quote
Dustin_B Posted February 20, 2004 Posted February 20, 2004 Any one been up there since the warm spell last week? What were conditions like? Quote
Jens Posted February 20, 2004 Posted February 20, 2004 Any one been up there since the warm spell last week? What were conditions like? Soloed the chair this morning. Lots of newish snow- Bring gaiters. There is a little bit of slab formation but it should be fairly stable by tomorrow. _____ Source Lake line looked fat! Quote
Gripped Posted February 21, 2004 Posted February 21, 2004 Any one been up there since the warm spell last week? What were conditions like? Soloed the chair this morning. Lots of newish snow- Bring gaiters. There is a little bit of slab formation but it should be fairly stable by tomorrow. _____ Source Lake line looked fat! Jens, What route did you do? How was the snow/ice? Quote
Stephen_Ramsey Posted March 1, 2004 Posted March 1, 2004 To whoever kicked those nice steps all the way up Chair's NE buttress-- thanks. Quote
Bug Posted March 1, 2004 Posted March 1, 2004 Is it easy to get down with one 60m rope? What did you use? Are the rap anchors obvious? I am thinking about soloing it tomorrow AM. Quote
kurthicks Posted March 1, 2004 Posted March 1, 2004 bug, we did the nf on saturday. you can get down with one 60, providing you're comfortable with downclimbing 50+ degree snow below the cornice after the rap. there is a second rap anchor, it's obvious on the left side of the gully. i don't know if one 60 will reach it though. the main rap anchor is totally obvious, lots of red webbing and such. providing it didn't snow anymore up there, you'll be able to follow a staircase all the way. have fun. Quote
Sabertooth Posted March 1, 2004 Posted March 1, 2004 (edited) Here is a photo taken by Gary Yngve last weekend that shows it. The second rap anchor is on the right edge of the large rock buttress in the photo. It is right next to the rope. If you are confident enough to solo the NEB, then this couloir would be an easy downclimb with 2 tools. The only steep part is getting over the cornice, and about 20 to 30 feet past that. After that, it is about 50 degrees at Wazzu indicates. Definately an easy downclimb. Edited March 1, 2004 by Sabertooth Quote
Bug Posted March 1, 2004 Posted March 1, 2004 Thanks guys. Looks fun. Now if I can sqeak out Wed. Tomorrow is already shot with work. Gotta re-adjust priorities..................... Quote
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