[TR] Hood- Steel Cliffs 2/17/2005

[letsroll]

Climb: Hood-Steel Cliffs

 

Date of Climb: 2/17/2005

 

Trip Report:

Had a bad day at work and looked out side and decided what the hell time to get some turns in and see if the climbing is any good. Left T-line around 1 pm and skinned along white river. I was thinking about doing WyEast but wanted to do the Steele cliffs (looked like a fun route) so when the time for a decision came I said "hat the hell lets have some fun." Now what to do with my skiis? Leave them at the base or carry over? What good are skiis if you don't use them right! SO carry over it was. After getting the poons on and getting out the tools it was up..up..and away time. At the base of the cliff there is a rock band and had a blast climbing that (skiis got hung up a couple of times, not bad). At the top of the rock band I had to move right to this slot in the wall. It started about20-30 ft wide and narrowed to about 4-5 ft across with a water fall at the end of it. I thought Shit I am not ready for this, but I did not want to down climb what I had came up, so up it was. The ice was wet, and went from a nice slope to vertical. I was having fun and thought I wouold make it over the top. Then the crux 10 ft from the top of the waterfall the ice hung down to the left and was slightly overhanging and to the right is was thin ice over rock. After attempting to get a placement and getting nothing but rotten ice I started to contiplate turning around than then it happend. My skiis (still strapped to my back) knocked a piece of ice the size of a basketball off and it hit me in the face. At first I thought I lost a tooth, thank god it was not so. Spitting blood all over the place I decided it was time to go home. Found an easier way down the rock band and skiied out falling many a time. YOu would be making nice solid turns then you would punch through the thick crust and boom I would be sent flying from my skiis. THe fist half of the day was great, sun and the hope of a good climb. The second half was another. My question is how do people get past the water ice or did I leave way too late. I knew it was going to be harder than the south side, but I did not expect this.

 

Gear Notes:

Skiis, poons, tools. SHould have left in the morning and the ice would have been more solid

 

Approach Notes:

snow all the way, but it is getting thin on the ridges fast boys so get it while you can.

[Alex]

If you were at the slot I think you were at, that slot is not the typical route through the cliff (though it looks "hardman" and exactly what Twight would do!). To breach the Cliff, you have to traverse up and left around an exposed corner to a really long fairly low-angle but calf-burning ramp that leads to the top of the Steele Cliff.

 

But I only was on the route Feb 2003(!!), so conditions might be a little different this year.

 

Maybe this will help:

http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/s...true#Post141824

 

Good job in getting down in 1 peice!

 

Alex

[letsroll]

sweet I took the wrong route. But damn it was fun. I am thinking there will be a round two for that one. This time it will be in the morning and without skiis

[Juan]

Hey:

 

I soloed Wy'East yesterday, and must have been above you on the ridge above the cliff. There was a pair that had skied up from Meadows, I believe, but they stopped on the ridge at about 10,700, I think, before descending.

 

I left Bellevue at 3:00, and started slogging up the ski slope at 8:15. I topped out at 2:30 and visited with a nice guy named Glenn Kessler. On the descent, I noticed a bunch of stuff falling on the ice cliff but didn't see anyone. Was that you?

 

The Wy'East was fun, and if you stay to the left for the final section, you can get into some WI2 for maybe 100 ft. before going into the 50 degree snow gully. I'd never done the route and really enjoyed it. I was glad to have two tools and steel crampons for that final bit. Otherwise it was mostly ski poles and one tool.

 

Glad you are O.K., and still have all your teeth! What a great day to play hookie.

 

Cheers,

 

John Sharp

Edited February 18, 2005 by Juan

[letsroll]

THere was a lot of stuff falling down from the face and the snow slope above me. I think I saw you two decending. I saw one solo going down the palmer and then two. I followed you tracks crossing white river. WI2 on WyEast..mmmmm I will have to check that out. It was a great day to be out on the mountain.

[Juan]

I was solo up and down, and left the top promptly at 3:00. A couple left the top about 3:30 and moved very slowly down the mountain. Glenn skied the Old Chute and passed me. I got to the car at 4:45.

 

The WI2 requires that you stay left on that last section, and stay left longer than you need to. I was kind of having fun with it, and got higher than I should have been. I had to downclimb and traverse some of it to get to the big gully, and in so doing had one of those realizations that maybe I should have just taken the easier way.

 

It was a fun route to solo -- and I was pooped last night.

 

John

[wayne]

There are several routes up the Steele Cliffs. If someone has aphoto showing the entire width I would draw in the ones I have done,

[MCash]

[wayne]

Ok thats the right side, I have always considered the side facing crater rock to be the steele cliff. i have nt been on that side