[TR] Colchuck NE Couloir 5/29/2004

[Bug]

Climb: Colchuck NE Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 5/29/2004

 

Trip Report:

Prequill:Greg_W & Bronco

Climb: Colchuck Peak-N. E. Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 5/22/2004

 

Trip Report:

Bronco and I headed out to L-worth Friday night and crashed at the trailhead for about 4 hours. We were headed up the trail by 4:00a.m. and reached the lake around 6. After a snack and a fillup on water, we headed up to the base of the couloir. Despite all the weather reports, the skies were looking fine; a few snowflakes fell on occasion, no big deal (yet).

 

We geared up on the moraine and discussed our plan. This is when I realized that I had forgotten sunglasses - the ultimate gaper move. True to my gape-ology, I was forced to wear Bronco's goggles; luckily nobody saw me all day.

 

I led up and over the 'schrund and into the couloir. The 'schrund crossing won't be long for this world; however, there is a bypass via the rock on the left that could go. We simul-climbed about five ropelengths, finding sparse pro exactly where we needed it. I finally set up a belay to take a breather and Bronco joined me. To this point, the snow had been pretty good, with some hard sections that took good tool sticks.

 

Bronco headed out, traversing across the avalanche chute and up into crusty, shitty snow. He was getting good pro and we headed up a left fork off the main couloir (a soon-to-be-discovered error). Eventually, the rope stopped and Bronco had a belay set up. It started snowing after a bit and soon I could no longer see the lake below. The couloir narrowed down and I climbed a few rock moves through sugary snow to a stance that Bronco had stomped out by a slung block. After some discussion, I led out, up and left, looking for a way up and off. So, far we had been making good time, but above me it looked hard. I placed some gear and made a few rock moves and got up into a small pod. The way above looked kind of nasty: slightly blocky and overhanging, beyond my level. I soon realized that we were actually on the Northeast Buttress. I saw another potential way to traverse to the Buttress crest, but it had started snowing like a sumbitch. Given the weather, and our inability to move up, I climbed back to the belay and we decided to bail. That left a bitter taste, as we new we were close to the summit. Two rappels down the steeper stuff, we started downclimbing...and downclimbing...and downclimbing...I stuck to the avy chute as much as I could since the snow was firmer and nothing was coming down. Finally we got to the 'schrund and belayed each other jumping across. A few glissades, displaying prowess in missing rocks and trees, and we were at the lake. Ran into Jens, who had just soloed NBC, stashed our soaked stuff and beat feet down.

 

Good times!

 

Gear Notes:

two pins, 6 slings, biners, few medium nuts, 3 medium hexes, 4 screws (used two), two pickets (used 'em), ice tools, and standard gear.

 

Approach Notes:

trail snow-free for about 3-3.5 miles. Heading out, the snow was real heavy down to the lake.

 

Attempt 2 (Greg_W & Bug).

 

Tyler_151 posted a plea last winter for help getting up Rainier this spring. I wanted to go up the South Tahoma route and it is an easier climb so I volunteered to take him with. BillyGoat, Pandora and Greg_W wanted to go also so we became a party of five. Tyler_151 broke some bones playing hockey, BillyGoat had family issues (the wife said “NO!”), and Pandora said I was too weird. Apparently, she has had trouble in the past with CC.COMers wearing leathers and boozing it up. I denied all accurate accusations of past behaviors but she still refused. So it was down to Greg_W and Bug. Shit. No girls again.

Since it had been snowing on Rainier with no significant consolidation periods, we decided to redeem Greg on the NE Coulior.

I packed my pack with the usual gear and tried to pry it off the garage floor. No go. I started stripping everything that was not crucial for survival. I even left my Cobras behind in favor of my aluminum Cassin and a North Wall hammer. We had our packs a little extra light since we had a grand plan of climbing the coulior, walking up Dragontail, and exiting the plateau via Cannon pk’s N gulley.

So here is what really happened.

I put on my leathers and we got up to Colchuck lake in good time Friday afternoon. We set camp in the boulder field at the base of the moraine and broke out the booze. I brought a little scotch and Greg had some bourbon. Yes, these are crucial for survival.

 

Camp

 

Saturday morning we got up about 5:30, ate breakfast and packed. We were off by 6:30. The snow was frozen on the top 2 inches but still soft underneath. The wind was blowing lightly and it was about 35 degrees F. Dragontail and Colchuck were in the clouds. We didn’t ever see them fully exposed. The higher we got, the better the snow got. But once we cleared the lip of the moraine and were walking across the basin out of the wind, we started breaking through again. We still made good time to the base of the coulior and geared up below the alluvial fan. Greg wanted to lead and I was happy to have kicked steps to walk in so off he went. The schrund was easier than the previous week and required only a big step across. (note, the right side looked easy to me for getting around the schrund. Greg thought the left looked easier.) He cruised up the runnel for about a hundred feet then veered right to the rock to get in a pin.

Base of coulior

 

From then on he averaged two pieces a rope (50m) and we sailed up about a thousand feet to where he and Bronco had veered up the left gulley. The runnel was fun climbing with firm snow/ice. Greg ventured out of it to place pro but got back in it in the steep parts. From Greg’s first stance, I lead off right through a small step and over to rock get in a piece. The snow was getting sugary and I was slowing down. After placing two more pieces, I saw a spot right before the traverse up and left that looked like it would have a crack but it was only a seem. I got in a manky kb and a worse screw but I was able to wedge myself in the crack between the rock and snow. The snow was too soft for a bollard. At that point, I noticed my right crampon strap was broken. I lashed it on as best I could. The wind had picked up a little, blowing spendthrift up the couloir and the temperature was down to about 25 degrees F. The snow was now deep sugar with a four inch soft crust. Kicking steps all the way into firm snow took forever. I finally realized that I could weight all three points evenly while pulling up the fourth and not have to kick past the crust. Occasionally, we broke through and would drop a foot or two.

Greg came up and led across the steep left traverse to a rock where he got in a good stopper. From there, he was able to get in a couple more bomber pieces and get into a scoop at the base of the ice gulley. We ate lunch there and took a break while I fixed the rivet on my crampon. Leading up the ice gulley with my aluminum alpine ax and north wall hammer worked out OK but I was thinking about my Cobras back home. I wasn’t feeling too comfortable with my crampon and I hadn’t been on steep ice way off the ground for several years. I thought about the threads here regarding climbing after kids and how that affects attitude at altitude. The pitch took me about 45 minutes.

Greg cruised up with a smile on his face.

 

 

Just past crux.

 

I lead up another short pitch and Greg lead another up around a corner. We were now at the base of the slab that exits to the right. It had sugar snow and partially frozen moss in shallow cracks. It did not look fun. The cornice was big but there was a good ledge underneath it. We could also see old steps going out that way. I went out under the cornice a ways only to get trapped under the cornice by my ski poles sticking up. I set one pole and left my pack there. There was a screw placement a little further on and I got out to where the cornice was not as overhung. But at that point there was a smooth rock to climb. I glanced back to see how the rope was running and saw the entrance to a chimney chopped through the cornice above the screw. I missed it on the way through because it was filled in with spendthrift and the old steps came out to the rock. I backed up to the chimney and chopped through to the top. It was great to see flat ground with a few boulders to sling. Greg came up to my pack and I threw him a rope and tried to haul but it got stuck in the chimney. He didn’t even complain about having to push it up through. In fact he seemed quite happy when he popped up.

 

Pop up.

 

 

 

It is always fun to finish a climb but it is funner to tick a long one after a long hiatis with kids. I have been working hard to get back in shape and get back in form. This was a great checkpoint. Greg is a solid, steady climber but keep your bourbon in your pocket.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

 

4 pins (2 kb, 2 short la. A couple baby angles would have been handy), 8 slings, biners, few medium nuts, 4 medium hexes (I would take red and gold camelots instead of the 2 big hexes.), 1 screw (placed it twice), one picket (could have used another), ice tools, and standard gear.

 

 

Approach Notes:

Dry trail all the way.

Edited June 3, 2004 by gapertimmy

[Bug]

Help with images?

[cracked]

[cracked]

[Szyjakowski]

looks fun up there.

 

[Billygoat]

Right On You Guys! Good Call.

 

 

 

BTW Go to the properties of the photo and copy the url or whatever it is. If you just copy it from the top of your window it will not work.

[Bug]

Right On You Guys! Good Call.

 

 

 

BTW Go to the properties of the photo and copy the url or whatever it is. If you just copy it from the top of your window it will not work.

 

OK. I tried several different combinations and still can't get the damn images to show. The pictures are in the gallery.

[cracked]

Go to yer image. Right click on it, select "image properties". Find the URL that ends in 'jpg'. Copy and paste that url into the '' tags.

[Bug]

I tried that. Or at least tried to try that. Maybe it doesn't work in edit mode. Anyway, I've spent too much time on it already.

[cracked]

How's this?

 

Climb: Colchuck NE Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 5/29/2004

 

Trip Report:

Prequill:Greg_W & Bronco

Climb: Colchuck Peak-N. E. Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 5/22/2004

 

Trip Report:

Bronco and I headed out to L-worth Friday night and crashed at the trailhead for about 4 hours. We were headed up the trail by 4:00a.m. and reached the lake around 6. After a snack and a fillup on water, we headed up to the base of the couloir. Despite all the weather reports, the skies were looking fine; a few snowflakes fell on occasion, no big deal (yet).

 

We geared up on the moraine and discussed our plan. This is when I realized that I had forgotten sunglasses - the ultimate gaper move. True to my gape-ology, I was forced to wear Bronco's goggles; luckily nobody saw me all day.

 

I led up and over the 'schrund and into the couloir. The 'schrund crossing won't be long for this world; however, there is a bypass via the rock on the left that could go. We simul-climbed about five ropelengths, finding sparse pro exactly where we needed it. I finally set up a belay to take a breather and Bronco joined me. To this point, the snow had been pretty good, with some hard sections that took good tool sticks.

 

Bronco headed out, traversing across the avalanche chute and up into crusty, shitty snow. He was getting good pro and we headed up a left fork off the main couloir (a soon-to-be-discovered error). Eventually, the rope stopped and Bronco had a belay set up. It started snowing after a bit and soon I could no longer see the lake below. The couloir narrowed down and I climbed a few rock moves through sugary snow to a stance that Bronco had stomped out by a slung block. After some discussion, I led out, up and left, looking for a way up and off. So, far we had been making good time, but above me it looked hard. I placed some gear and made a few rock moves and got up into a small pod. The way above looked kind of nasty: slightly blocky and overhanging, beyond my level. I soon realized that we were actually on the Northeast Buttress. I saw another potential way to traverse to the Buttress crest, but it had started snowing like a sumbitch. Given the weather, and our inability to move up, I climbed back to the belay and we decided to bail. That left a bitter taste, as we new we were close to the summit. Two rappels down the steeper stuff, we started downclimbing...and downclimbing...and downclimbing...I stuck to the avy chute as much as I could since the snow was firmer and nothing was coming down. Finally we got to the 'schrund and belayed each other jumping across. A few glissades, displaying prowess in missing rocks and trees, and we were at the lake. Ran into Jens, who had just soloed NBC, stashed our soaked stuff and beat feet down.

 

Good times!

 

Gear Notes:

two pins, 6 slings, biners, few medium nuts, 3 medium hexes, 4 screws (used two), two pickets (used 'em), ice tools, and standard gear.

 

Approach Notes:

trail snow-free for about 3-3.5 miles. Heading out, the snow was real heavy down to the lake.

 

Attempt 2 (Greg_W & Bug).

 

Tyler_151 posted a plea last winter for help getting up Rainier this spring. I wanted to go up the South Tahoma route and it is an easier climb so I volunteered to take him with. BillyGoat, Pandora and Greg_W wanted to go also so we became a party of five. Tyler_151 broke some bones playing hockey, BillyGoat had family issues (the wife said “NO!”), and Pandora said I was too weird. Apparently, she has had trouble in the past with CC.COMers wearing leathers and boozing it up. I denied all accurate accusations of past behaviors but she still refused. So it was down to Greg_W and Bug. Shit. No girls again.

Since it had been snowing on Rainier with no significant consolidation periods, we decided to redeem Greg on the NE Coulior.

I packed my pack with the usual gear and tried to pry it off the garage floor. No go. I started stripping everything that was not crucial for survival. I even left my Cobras behind in favor of my aluminum Cassin and a North Wall hammer. We had our packs a little extra light since we had a grand plan of climbing the coulior, walking up Dragontail, and exiting the plateau via Cannon pk’s N gulley.

So here is what really happened.

I put on my leathers and we got up to Colchuck lake in good time Friday afternoon. We set camp in the boulder field at the base of the moraine and broke out the booze. I brought a little scotch and Greg had some bourbon. Yes, these are crucial for survival.

 

Camp

 

Saturday morning we got up about 5:30, ate breakfast and packed. We were off by 6:30. The snow was frozen on the top 2 inches but still soft underneath. The wind was blowing lightly and it was about 35 degrees F. Dragontail and Colchuck were in the clouds. We didn’t ever see them fully exposed. The higher we got, the better the snow got. But once we cleared the lip of the moraine and were walking across the basin out of the wind, we started breaking through again. We still made good time to the base of the coulior and geared up below the alluvial fan. Greg wanted to lead and I was happy to have kicked steps to walk in so off he went. The schrund was easier than the previous week and required only a big step across. (note, the right side looked easy to me for getting around the schrund. Greg thought the left looked easier.) He cruised up the runnel for about a hundred feet then veered right to the rock to get in a pin.

Base of coulior

 

From then on he averaged two pieces a rope (50m) and we sailed up about a thousand feet to where he and Bronco had veered up the left gulley. The runnel was fun climbing with firm snow/ice. Greg ventured out of it to place pro but got back in it in the steep parts. From Greg’s first stance, I lead off right through a small step and over to rock get in a piece. The snow was getting sugary and I was slowing down. After placing two more pieces, I saw a spot right before the traverse up and left that looked like it would have a crack but it was only a seem. I got in a manky kb and a worse screw but I was able to wedge myself in the crack between the rock and snow. The snow was too soft for a bollard. At that point, I noticed my right crampon strap was broken. I lashed it on as best I could. The wind had picked up a little, blowing spendthrift up the couloir and the temperature was down to about 25 degrees F. The snow was now deep sugar with a four inch soft crust. Kicking steps all the way into firm snow took forever. I finally realized that I could weight all three points evenly while pulling up the fourth and not have to kick past the crust. Occasionally, we broke through and would drop a foot or two.

Greg came up and led across the steep left traverse to a rock where he got in a good stopper. From there, he was able to get in a couple more bomber pieces and get into a scoop at the base of the ice gulley. We ate lunch there and took a break while I fixed the rivet on my crampon. Leading up the ice gulley with my aluminum alpine ax and north wall hammer worked out OK but I was thinking about my Cobras back home. I wasn’t feeling too comfortable with my crampon and I hadn’t been on steep ice way off the ground for several years. I thought about the threads here regarding climbing after kids and how that affects attitude at altitude. The pitch took me about 45 minutes.

Greg cruised up with a smile on his face.

 

 

Just past crux.

 

I lead up another short pitch and Greg lead another up around a corner. We were now at the base of the slab that exits to the right. It had sugar snow and partially frozen moss in shallow cracks. It did not look fun. The cornice was big but there was a good ledge underneath it. We could also see old steps going out that way. I went out under the cornice a ways only to get trapped under the cornice by my ski poles sticking up. I set one pole and left my pack there. There was a screw placement a little further on and I got out to where the cornice was not as overhung. But at that point there was a smooth rock to climb. I glanced back to see how the rope was running and saw the entrance to a chimney chopped through the cornice above the screw. I missed it on the way through because it was filled in with spendthrift and the old steps came out to the rock. I backed up to the chimney and chopped through to the top. It was great to see flat ground with a few boulders to sling. Greg came up to my pack and I threw him a rope and tried to haul but it got stuck in the chimney. He didn’t even complain about having to push it up through. In fact he seemed quite happy when he popped up.

 

Pop up.

 

 

 

It is always fun to finish a climb but it is funner to tick a long one after a long hiatis with kids. I have been working hard to get back in shape and get back in form. This was a great checkpoint. Greg is a solid, steady climber but keep your bourbon in your pocket.

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

 

4 pins (2 kb, 2 short la. A couple baby angles would have been handy), 8 slings, biners, few medium nuts, 4 medium hexes (I would take red and gold camelots instead of the 2 big hexes.), 1 screw (placed it twice), one picket (could have used another), ice tools, and standard gear.

 

 

Approach Notes:

Dry trail all the way.

[Bug]

Cool. Thanks!

[slothrop]

Looks like fun!

[jja]

Great job guys, way to go for it in so-so weather. This one is on the tick list for sure.

 

And who knew - from your photo it looks like Greg and Trask are one in the same !!

[Billygoat]

The asseyes are out of the bag!

[Greg_W]

It was a great trip and nice to redeem my last attempt. Bug's definition of "bomber pro" is a little odd, since I remember climbing nervously above two tied off knifeblades. Hanging out with Bug is always a good time; no stories of wacked out mescaline trips from his youth this time, though.

[Bug]

What did you think was in that tea?

[Greg_W]

What did you think was in that tea?

 

No wonder I felt like I was sleeping 6' off the ground surrounded by nubile women dressed only in palm fronds.

[Bug]

What did you think was in that tea?

 

No wonder I felt like I was sleeping 6' off the ground surrounded by nubile women dressed only in palm fronds.

 

Uh huh. Those were the same kangaroo mice that chewed a hole in my pack.

[Pandora]

What did you think was in that tea?

 

No wonder I felt like I was sleeping 6' off the ground surrounded by nubile women dressed only in palm fronds.

 

Uh huh. Those were the same kangaroo mice that chewed a hole in my pack.

 

Wow, looks like I really missed out! Serves me right for bailing

[Bug]

What did you think was in that tea?

 

No wonder I felt like I was sleeping 6' off the ground surrounded by nubile women dressed only in palm fronds.

 

Uh huh. Those were the same kangaroo mice that chewed a hole in my pack.

 

Wow, looks like I really missed out! Serves me right for bailing

Besides all the debauchery, Greg was eating elk which ends up scortching the greenery for a 30' radius. Luckily, we only took a tent fly so there were no concentrations capable of causing an explosion.

[Chad_A]

Very nice! This was on the 29th? Hmm. Freezing levels are dropping for this weekend. Might think about it.

 

What was the general angle of the couloir? I looked down on it from the cornice after doing the NBC a little while back; the lower section looked 45-50??? but looks like it was way steeper, to 65 toward the top? Just a guess; let me know what you all think.

 

Good TR, glad you guys nailed it.

[Bug]

Very nice! This was on the 29th? Hmm. Freezing levels are dropping for this weekend. Might think about it.

 

What was the general angle of the couloir? I looked down on it from the cornice after doing the NBC a little while back; the lower section looked 45-50??? but looks like it was way steeper, to 65 toward the top? Just a guess; let me know what you all think.

 

Good TR, glad you guys nailed it.

Good assessment except, steepness below is more like 45-55 with steep parts being pretty short. Watch out for avalanches from high on the route if there is any significant warming. That deep sugar snow will not take much stress.

[Chad_A]

Cool, thanks for that, Bug. Sunday, it's supposed to be 5000 foot freezing level, so might give it a go. Man, Ice Cliff, or the NEBC. Hard to choose. Wanna do 'em both

[Billygoat]

I forgot about Greg's irritable bowel syndrom. Good thing he is bringing his own personal bivy sack this weekend. altho it probably has more to do with my inability to remember to bring my tent rather than any consideration that we won't let him into the tent I'll probably forget to bring, methinks...

[Greg_W]

I forgot about Greg's irritable bowel syndrom. Good thing he is bringing his own personal bivy sack this weekend. altho it probably has more to do with my inability to remember to bring my tent rather than any consideration that we won't let him into the tent I'll probably forget to bring, methinks...

 

Sheeeeit. Not sharing my bourbon with you this weekend.