Coleman Headwall recent info?

[brukb]

Looking for info on conditions within last week or two; crossing Coleman glacier to the headwall, and conditions on the headwall itself, ice/snow, schrund problems, etc. All help is appreciated, thanks!

[philfort]

We climbed the North Ridge last weekend. Crossing the Coleman glacier was very straightforward - it was not very broken up.

The headwall looked in reasonable shape I think. The only thing I definitely recall seeing was that the top few hundred feet of the headwall was already bare ice (darker colour) and there was some rock exposed. Don't really recall how the lower portion looked, so I guess it's not especially bad, although I doubt it's as smooth as normal for this time of year.

Snow was firm nearly the whole way on the N ridge, but really sloppy descending the Coleman in the afternoon. I don't think the headwall gets any morning sun, so it'll probably be firm as long as you get a good overnight freeze. We didn't notice any activity on it (no people, no avalanches, no icefall).

Phil

[Billy]

Is it to late to consider the Coleman Headwall? Has been anyone been up in the region lately? Is the Glacier pretty broken up?

[brukb]

I haven't seen it this summer, maybe someone else has. But to give you an idea of what you might be in for, I can give you beta from someone that has done a late season ascent of the headwall, he said it was a full-on, 23 pitch ice climb. Didn't sound too technically difficult or even too steep, but sustained ice with some steeper sections up to 75(?) degrees, not to mention some possibly difficult schrund crossing. Should be too hard if you can move quickly and proficiently.

[Dru]

23 pitches??????? On the Coleman Headwall???

Maybe with a 50 foot rope?

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

23 pitches??????? On the Coleman Headwall???

Maybe with a 50 foot rope?

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Yeah I think Will Gadd is out to repeat it with a possible M12 Chossed up variation with 25 foot ropes

[This message has been edited by Cpt.Caveman (edited 09-17-2001).]

[brukb]

Did I post that on the spray board? Sorry about that. I was just passing the info along.

Caveman and Dru, I really appreciate your helpful responses. I don't post much on this site because there are few folks here, especially you two, that post so much useless crap that it's hard to sift through all the bullshit and find some worthwhile reading. I'm sure this one will earn me your love though, hope to hear from you soon!

[Cpt.Caveman]

Brukb,

Although most of the time I try to repsect what others write here sometimes I cannot resist the BS. Mellow out.

Worthwhile reading is kind of a vague description. Indeed if someone sees your posting they will most likely reply with your info request.... What you might call worthwhile reading I might call boring.

Later and good luck on the 25 pitch mega climb on Baker

[Dru]

You are welcome brukb, anytime.

If I posted something that said Diedre at Squamish was 15 pitches long I would hope someone would call me on if for distributing misinformation. same deal here. there is no way that you can squeeze 23 pitches out of the coleman headwall. vertical rise is about 600m. thats 12 pitches with 50m ropes or 10 pitches with 60m ropes. even with additional length due to not being vertical that does not add up to 23 pitches especially because you wouldn't pitch out all of the 600m. understand why I question the 23 pitch statistic?

[This message has been edited by Dru (edited 09-17-2001).]

[Dru]

Agre with Cave Man, You can do it in as many pitches as you want!!!!

i know two guys who did the complete North-North Arete in 30 pitches. "Guidebook length" is 6 (for only the top half...)

[brukb]

My original post at the top of the page was back in June, when I had been planning on doing the Headwall. I responded last week to an inquiry by "Billy" about climbing the headwall at this time of year and passed along what I had been told about it by a well respected, local ice climber. If he tells me that it took him 23 pitches then I have no reason to doubt him, especially since I have never been on it and he is much more experienced on alpine ice than I am. Although I've gone in for two attempts on the headwall, I had to settle for summits via the North Ridge and the Coleman Deming route because of headwall conditions. The number of pitches on a rock route in Squamish is obviously more standardized than the number of pitches on a snow/ice route in late season on a volcanoe route. I don't pass on misinformation or BS when it comes to trip reports. Dru, your second post was helpful and I'm sure it was more along the lines of what was asked for last week. "Billy" still has not gotten an answer on latest conditions for the headwall though, and I would be interested along with him to hear what it's like up there this late in a low-snowpack year.

Worthile reading on this particular bulletin board would be something constructive relating to a trip report, as opposed to spray on the climber's board or, my gosh, spray on the "spray" board.

Thanks for lavishing all the attention though.

Charlie Mike, -Brukb

[Rafael_H]

Heh, I recently linked the last 3 pitches of Exasperator so now it goes in only 8!

[Dru]

Rafael how many pitches did you and caveman do on slesse? 6? or 177?

[Andy_Bourne]

I was up on Baker about two weeks ago. The Coleman Glacier is pretty broken up below the headwall, which is pretty normal this time of year. Generally the route is "out" this time of year due to just that.

I have a few friends who, in late season, have gone up nearer the Roosevelt glacier rather than the standard approach from below Colfax or black buttes area. You cross under the lower icefall and onto where the Coleman and Roosevelt come together. It is still broken up there, but way less than going under the Roman nose.

About the only good thing about doing it now is that it will be almost totally ice the whole way. This will also make it much more challenging. The bad thing is that there will be higher likelyhood of bergschrund problems on the route and getting there, no matter which way you choose, will be a lot harder.

Billy and Brukb, regarding the spray, the best thing to do is ignore the people who post purely junk on this part of the site. It is their right to do so, but of course there are those of us who think THEY are the boring ones. The way I look at it, they are just losers who sit around all day long, waiting to pick and prod at someone. Pathetically, this site is their life. Don't even bother to acknowledge it.

[Jason_Martin]

Brukb,

Your friend wasn't lying to you. Coleman Headwall is pitched out bottom to top as often as it is soloed.

Depending on your skill, you may find it an easy route to simul-climb or perhaps to solo. There are spots here and there that you may feel more comfortable pitching out.

Guides -- while guiding -- often pitch out the whole thing. It tends to take somewhere between the high teens and the low twenties to do this. The route changes rather drastically year to year and thus is not subject to the same type of pitch analysis that one might put on "Diedre."

I know of people who have done the route as late as October. They found a true alpine ice climb that required a substantial amount of skill and technique.

The last time I saw the route -- a couple of weeks ago -- it looked dirty and unpleasant. I believe this is a lingering result of the low snow year.

Good Luck,

Jason

[Dru]

quote:

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Originally posted by Jason Martin:

Guides -- while guiding -- often pitch out the whole thing. It tends to take somewhere between the high teens and the low twenties to do this. The route changes rather drastically year to year and thus is not subject to the same type of pitch analysis that one might put on "Diedre."

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Poor guides

How do they stand it?

Jason i agree with you about the belays on the headwall, the bolts are much harder to find than on Diedre

Signed, pathetic loser

 

[Cpt.Caveman]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

Rafael how many pitches did you and caveman do on slesse? 6? or 177?

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Actually I guess around 5 or so.

[Cpt.Caveman]

Brukb,

What's with the charlie mike shit I'll have you doing flutter kicks until you die ranger!

Andy Bourne,

I actually find some of your remarks quite instulting :"The way I look at it, they are just losers who sit around all day long, waiting to pick and prod at someone. Pathetically, this site is their life. Don't even bother to acknowledge it."

I am not prodding at anything. I just like to make jokes and if you dont like it too bad. Go cry to your mommy!

[Dru]

That's Pitches with a "p", not "B", caveman

[philfort]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dru:

vertical rise is about 600m. thats 12 pitches with 50m ropes or 10 pitches with 60m ropes. even with additional length due to not being vertical that does not add up to 23 pitches especially because you wouldn't pitch out all of the 600m. understand why I question the 23 pitch statistic?

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Assuming an average angle of 45 degrees, that's 17 pitches with a 50m. Probably more like 18, since you don't have the whole 50m at your disposal. Then, figure in some long traverses, maybe up to 21. Then a couple steep technical spots where you don't use the full rope length, and you're at 23. Not toooo hard to stretch, is it?? :-)

[Dru]

Its steeper than 45. And like I said, you would not belay all of that. ever seen the stuff come down that face on a hot day?

[Cpt.Caveman]

You guys humor me. I never did the route so I really dont know squat about it. I do however find it hard to imagine that if I did go up there to climb it that I would find that many pitches. Unless I got off route or conditions were wacky. Whatever I am just spraying anyway and I love it. If you climb it in 23 pitches or 3 have a good time doing it!

[johnny]

I bet I could do that route in more pitches than any of you, with my hands tied behing my back!!

Relax you guys, you sound a bit like young kids in the back seat....MOM...HES TOUCHING ME!!!!

Cave dude, I'm with you, I have never been anywhere near that route................

[climbing4fun2000]

I told myself that I would never get into these squabbles about "spray vs. beta/info" but...

a) Most of the time the spray comes off as just good-natured fun (or maybe it just matches my sense of humor) and b) every time (almost) that I have posted for information I got it. The only exception being looking for info on "The Castle" but like a personal message I received said, that?s more than likely because not very many people have done it. c) Most of the time they're only posting what most of us are thinking anyway. So where do I stand; if I read a posting and I laugh when reading it was worthwhile, there is far too little laughter in this world. And besides, the serious answer to the question is usually soon to follow. I know, I know, "I shouldn't have to read a bunch of smart ass crap just to get to the info" or "if you don't have any info then don't respond" but this really would lead to a boring site.

Final thought: And this might be the most important part, never, and I mean NEVER have I seen a "smart-ass" posting that put a fellow climber in danger! Spray threats yes, but honest disinformation for the purpose of seeing someone get hurt, or because someone is upset with someone, never. So I personally enjoy the tid-bits of humor mixed in with the good information that IS available here.

Touché Dru and Caveman and anyone else whose made me laugh.

Climb safe all!

 

[erik]

quote:

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Originally posted by brukb:

Did I post that on the spray board? Sorry about that. I was just passing the info along.

Caveman and Dru, I really appreciate your helpful responses. I don't post much on this site because there are few folks here, especially you two, that post so much useless crap that it's hard to sift through all the bullshit and find some worthwhile reading. I'm sure this one will earn me your love though, hope to hear from you soon!

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dru and caveman, what is your problem????? your guys sense of humor is waaayyyyy toooooo much, shit i mean what in the world are you trying to do by having some fun by highlighting other's little context errors and just as equal stupid remarks???!!! no wonder you guys are that way you are!!!! shit, probably don't ever climb anyhting either do ya???? fucking keyboard jockey's!!!!

you need to get more like me and get a different job where oyu have to stay away from the computer. now i get to listen to equally worthless banter, but now with a even more wretched sraying topics....girlz and how much you can drink, and when i start talking about climbing people's eyes glaze over and they talk about their new 45" tires......you guys are spoiled!!!!!!!