slesse ne buttress

[scott]

is in pretty good shape for now. the pocket glacier is quite broken and the snow 'finger' that leads to the third class by-pass is becoming more unstable as it melts out. it looks like when it goes, it will all go at once. when this happens, the by-pass will be more complicated or maybe impassible, because the slabs under the pocket glacier are wet and there is alot of unstable ice. the pocket glacier is a pretty dangerous place- the slabs around the east face have large snow slabs that were falling off into the cirque all day. also, the by-pass variation itself (once on the rock) is threatened by slabs above. move very fast on this easy third class ledge system, there is snow above, not visible while climbing, that cut loose quite close to us.

on the approach, don't try to force your way onto the pocket glacier from the cirque below it. this was icky and no fun at all. continue up the "road" or trail and traverse back onto the glacier.

there is still snow on the route, but no water above pitch thirteen or so. the route is not technically difficult, but is pretty long. you could do it in a day, but you would have to solo or simul-climb alot of forth class- which is reasonable. there is a good amount of loose rock on this route, so watch out for people above you.

the descent is long, requires a few rappels as you traverse past gully systems, and then follows an indistinct and steep trail. if you come down this at night, make sure you don't follow the creek down, it drops off several cliffs. it is a long bike ride back around to the car.

the place to leave your bike or second car is not that obvious, but there is a handmade dome "tent" frame that someone has used for a native sweat ritual nearby ,as well as a huge burned stump and some kind of wooden altar or bench.

this is really impressive peak. the upper pitches are solid, moderate and have fantastic exposure.

[This message has been edited by scott (edited 07-03-2001).]

[Tod]

Great trip report! I've thought of heading to Slesse for awhile. Good to hear that it's in shape...

Tod

[Billy]

Scott-

Did you camp below the route? Or bivy on the route?

[highclimb]

Billy,

they bivied on the top of the 17th pitch. brought one sleeping bag and draped it over them, slept of the foam pad from their backpacks and the rope. that is second hand knowledge so colin or scott can confirm it for you.

Aidan

[scott]

we bivied at the 17th pitch. we were not particularly fast, but we went pretty light. the ledge at pitch 17 (nelson's topo) is really fantastic wedge shaped prow that juts out over the east face. becky's descriptions and topo are better than nelson's in this case. i suggest bringing a second car, biking around was not alot fun. fortunatly, a friendly canook drove me around the last six miles (it is a 15 mile bike ride.)

the east face looks spectacular. a party wrote that they had done the east face in nine days.

[Dru]

that was the first ascent party.

[scott]

and what a party it was...

[mikeadam]

Drew,

The infamous S. Easton of E Face and SkullF*(k fame should be hunkered down somewhere in Squamish about now. If you see his balding pate around there tell him to email me ASAP.

[Kalun_D]

Did the complete buttress in Aug of last year. Would like to recommend the direct start for a couple of reasons. The first pitch is one on the best of the climb and the bypass has objective hazard. When we were about 1/2 way up a huge sluff came off right onto the bypass(there has been a death here). If you do the direct make sure and simul or unrope the 3 pitches through the trees. The direct route does start out kind of eerily as you pass through the plane crash debris field. I kept weight down by using the hiker/rock shoe 5.10 and by sleeping in a loft jacket and half bag . We started out with only one qt. water each, and took a stove, guessing correctly that there was snow at the 8th pitch bivy (not always the case in aug.). We did the climb in 2-1/2 days bivying on the route and the descent. I know it's commonly done in a day but I'm over the hill and sleeping tied in on a ledge can have an aesthetic appeal. My partner did the murderous bike ride, he forgot the car keys and only realized it by the time he got to the paved road! He got lucky with a ride back up the other side though. If I repeated the climb might look at the descent that goes back to the car. Have to say this climb is in the top ten for the NW.

[Dru]

When those big sloughs come off the bypass glacier, they land right on the approach to the direct start , something to think about.

How was the Magic Carpet pitch, Kalun??

[Kalun_D]

Originally posted by Dru:

"When those big sloughs come off the bypass glacier, they land right on the approach to the direct start, something to think about."

Yes it looked like it was close, we tried to approach right up the center to minimize the hazard.

"How was the Magic Carpet pitch, Kalun??"

You have to trust small trees and shrubs, as long as they're green. It wasn't dirty or mossy though as Becky guide says.

I should admit though I am biased, I never did go for the "shortcut"

[This message has been edited by Kalun D (edited 07-13-2001).]