First Ascent - West Face of Huckleberry Mountain

[gary_hehn]

Now that I have finally registered with cc.com (long over due), I suppose I should post a new route on Huckleberry Mountain. I realize that this peak is not particularly high on most peoples lists and this surely explains why there has only been one route reported on it for 90 years. I believe that this new route is worth documenting as it is quite pleasant. I haven't climbed the original route but, after rapping the upper section, viewing the messy gully leading up to it, reading the route description and the reports in the summit register I suspect that this new route is of

better quality. Still, it is a long walk for precious little climbing, but it makes for a pleasantly long one dayer or it could serve as a backup to Mt. Thompson or as an addition to a Thompson outing. I submitted a report of this trip to the November 2001 issue of the Boealps (Boeing Alpine Club) Newsletter and at the same time reported the ascent to Fred Beckey. Here is the link to my write up: http://hehn.org/mountaineering/huckleberry/huckleberry.html

[gyselinck]

I think we did a new "variation" last winter, though it wasen't on purpose, got a little "off route". What a freaking choss pile, hard to navigate on. My friend said it was the cloosest he has come to death in a long time. Frigin' loose rock everywhere. Like Beckey says, do not attempt unless you have sure feet and steady nerves. A bunch of number seven calks might have made it easier.

 

We almost wrote our wills on shirt cuffs.

 

Hey Klenke, why isnt your name up there?

[gary_hehn]

Yes, again your description of the east face climbing makes me believe that our new west face route is of better quality. No need for wills on our shirt sleeves.

[gyselinck]

I was just kidding around, quoting the beckey description, which I think all of you should read, kind of humerous. But, I wasn't kidding about it being the biggest choss pile I have ever climbed.

 

Quotes from Beckey:

 

"First ascent made in May 1915, an early date for local rock climbing, by Charles Hazlehurst and Thomas Acheson. They doubted they might survive the descent and one of them wrote his will on shirt cuffs. The peak was not climbed again for 9 years."

 

"a difficult overhanging rock cornice near the top should be attempted only by those with steady nerves and sure feet shod with plenty of number seven calks."

 

I would be interested in trying your way.

[tread_tramp]

many years ago Johnny Jeans told me he soloed up hucleberry's west face while doing a number of peaks in the area.

Edited June 2, 2005 by tread_tramp

[chucK]

The last "pitch" of the standard route is solid. It's just that gulley getting up to it that's ugly.

 

Supposedly you can avoid the messy gulley by just staying on the PCT until it passes Huckleberry, then traverse back on the ridge line to the notch, which is much less chossy.

 

Nice job doing that West Face!

[gary_hehn]

Thanks for the comments everyone.

 

Yes chucK, that's how Dave and I descended from our climb. We took one look at the dirty gulley and decided we didn't want to go there so, we traversed the ridge line to the east and that wasn't too bad. Our west face route could be used for the descent as well.

[klenke]

I have Johnny Jean's email address. I can ask him if he did indeed climb the W. Face of Huck and if he did what his route was. You, Gary, may well have done something completely different to him if he did do it, which would mean no FA of face but FA of a particular route on the face.

[Jake]

An overhanging rock cornice???? That sounds like bad news.

[gyselinck]

It's friggen' scarry shit. It is the hardest "4th class" move I have ever done.

[tread_tramp]

I have Johnny Jean's email address. I can ask him if he did indeed climb the W. Face of Huck and if he did what his route was. You, Gary, may well have done something completely different to him if he did do it, which would mean no FA of face but FA of a particular route on the face.

 

And not having a rope with which to rap the standard route, Johnny said he retraced his ascent route to get off.

[gary_hehn]

Hmmm, don't know what to make of that ... I certainly wouldn't have wanted to retrace our route without a rope!

[klenke]

Response from Johnny Jeans (7/11/05):

 

"Yes, Ralph is correct.

I climbed the west face many years ago.

I have the date somewhere. I was doing a trip from

Stevens to Snoqualmie & climbing all peaks along the way.

It was in October, I believe 1988 - I can probably dig

up my records (paper in those days) for the exact date

if you like.

I remember signing in the register which contained

that Beckey page about only one route and the

'shirtcuff' note.

After descending, I met a party who had summitted the

standard route and called the leader by name since I

had just signed in after him !

He was quite surprised and also by my route & I hung

out with his group for a while. They were leaving and

gave me their extra water etc.

 

(Interesting addendum, years later he remembered me

and we climbed many of the top 100 together).

 

Thanks for the opportunity to think about that period.

I'd love to be that strong & enthusiastic today !!"