goatboy Posted May 21, 2001 Share Posted May 21, 2001 Hey folks, Has anyone been in the southwest couloir of South Early Winter Spire lately? I'm hoping to climb it on Wednesday and am curious if there's any ice -- also, how melted out the chockstone is (in other words, will there be some rock climbing to skirt the chockstone?) I'm planning (right now) on taking a picket, some screws, some rock gear, and an ice tool plus an ice ax. If anyone has any recent reports that may dissuade me from taking all that stuff, please let me know. (I soloed the thing a few winters back, when the chockstone was completely buried under massive record-breaking snowfall. I expect a very different climb this week, but am not sure what I'll find there.) Appreciate any news or advice anyone may have. Thanks much! Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainguy01 Posted May 24, 2001 Share Posted May 24, 2001 Was up on SEWS three weeks ago and the couloir was pure ice about 100ft. from the top of the notch (and it was bad ice too.) I assume by now that it is pretty much melted out. I would recommend the S. Arete. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted May 25, 2001 Author Share Posted May 25, 2001 You're right, mountain guy. The couloir is now a big funnel of dirt and snowmelt and patchy snow, no ice to be seen. Ugly. To be avoided for sure. We climbed the south arete, and it's in good shape with no ice in the chimney, and only a few patches of snow along the way. By the way, sometime (last year I think) someone bolted the 20-foot long knife edge section near the top of the south arete route. By "bolted," I mean that they placed a single bolt on the north side of the knife-edge, about halfway across. This allows folks to lead this exposed knife edge and protect it -- but I wonder who did that, and if that bolt is really necessary? The climb is very frequently used by guide services or classes(such as AAI and the Mountaineers) and I wonder if those organizations were involved in bolting that arete. Steve Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted May 25, 2001 Share Posted May 25, 2001 Goatboy, The bolt of which you speak has been there since at least 1996. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Courtenay Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 We were up there on the Arete the weekend of 5/19-20 and there was still a bunch of snow, only minimal ice in the chimney. We did Silverstar this past weekend and the conditions were amazingly different -- tremendous amount of melt off. Several in our party opted for climbing up from the hairpin turnoff 5/19-20; this past weekend, it would have been quite the rocky and uncomfortable glissade, due to all the warm weather we've been having. One other point: dramatic slab avalanche evidence up on Kangaroo Ridge, very high up... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ade Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 I have to say I came across this particular bolt on Saturday... If it wasn't quite so pathetic it would be almost funny. Presumably nobody has admitted to putting it there? I'm sure they'd be easy to spot, probably busy bolting some trailhead parking lot somewhere to make that "safer" too. Nasty things parking lots... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted May 29, 2001 Share Posted May 29, 2001 ?? What bolt where and why ?? Oops I see what you mean duh! [This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 05-29-2001).] Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 I know who placed that bolt and I will never ever ever tell. The person who did it shouldn't have to answer to anyone on this board that's for darn sure!! Speculate all you want.... Z Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lambone Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 I don't care who did it. I just want to know if he is still in the Cascade Trad Klan. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
z Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 I don't really care what you want to know. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cpt.Caveman Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 Lammy it was me I did it Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
panther Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 Panther to Dyna...no jimmy...repeat...no jimmy.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cobra Posted May 30, 2001 Share Posted May 30, 2001 I'm not Dyna anymore I'm Cobra. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.