[TR] Colchuck Peak- Northeast Buttress 6/26/2005

[mvs]

Climb: Colchuck Peak-Northeast Buttress

 

Date of Climb: 6/26/2005

 

Trip Report:

Theron and I had a great time on this route, although we were constantly bedeviled by "routefinding issues." The Kearney start was not accessible due to a huge moat, so we started roughly on the Beckey version, making a harder (but recommended, it was fun) start on 5.8 cracks for 25 meters straight up to reach a ledge. After flirting with "rotten pink rock" we climbed a chimney and traversed our way over to treed ledges. A really enjoyable clean 5.5 pitch in a dihedral then across a face followed. Now on the long ramp left, we probably went too far and climbed (somewhat scary) slabs to an airy belay, then were saved by a 5.8 corner crack and easier terrain that led to the ridge crest. The crest was fun for two pitches, then we traversed right to get around a headwall. Another 2-3 pitches of mid-fifth and easier topped us out 20 feet below the summit on the ridge. We saw one good fixed piton and numerous bail slings low on the route, but nothing above halfway. We took 8 hours on the route, having to backtrack or ponder situations several times. A nice adventure!

 

Gear Notes:

medium rack, 50 meter thin rope (doubled). No need for crampons.

[slothrop]

I was just thinking about this route. Got any photos?

[mvs]

Yeps! Here are a kupla pics:

 

Trying to get to the ridge crest:

 

On the crest:

[slothrop]

Spoke too soon... that second photo is rad!

[Alpinfox]

 

That first one ain't too shabby either. Looks like a lot nicer climbing than I ever expected on that route.

 

[thelawgoddess]

sweet! the pics are nice - not what i was expecting from the tr. adventure is good ...

[mvs]

I guess I made it sound pretty glum then! Naw, we liked it.

[MCash]

http://www.mountainwerks.org/cma/2005/colchuckb.htm

 

Nice TR on your site! That does sound like an adventure. I especially liked the last photo showing the route with annotations.

[gyselinck]

I've been wanting to do that buttress for sometime. I like that last photo to.

[mvs]

Thanks, I made that from a high res scan of a pic I took on the Serpentine Arete one year ago. Now on this climb I got great pictures of the Arete. It's pretty cool to climb routes on opposite sides of the Colchuck Glacier Freeway from each other .

 

Anybody do the Northeast Buttress of Dragontail? I think that is next on my list...(and the obligatory Backbone if I get the courage for 5.9 offwidth).

[Off_White]

NE Butt on Dragontail is good. I could describe a route for you, but from reading your TR on Colchuck, it sounds like you already know the route. Go here? Go there? Fuck if I know? No bad pink rock though, and no 10c. Bring the 60m rope.

[mvs]

haha, thanks man, "<route> is good" is enough for me..

[ivan]

enjoyed your TR and while climbing serp arete y-day i thought you might like to see what it looked like while looking back...

[mvs]

Awesome shot, thanks Ivan! I can draw a line on it very easily now, I'll hook that up if anyone is innerested..

[ivan]

yeah, do it and post it back here - i originally wanted to do that last weekend but the only partner i could find wasn't quite game...

[mvs]

'kay, here ye are:

 

Edited July 13, 2005 by mvs

[Bug]

What was the Colchuck glacier like? Melted out to ice or was there some snow left on it?

Anyone been on it more recently?

[ivan]

thanks !

[slaphappy]

Good route! better than it's neighbor Serpentine in my opinion, but I would recommend the Kearney start to Boxcar ledge instead of Beckey's standard description. More climbing on better stone make it the preferred start.