[TR] Harvey's Pup- Pup Buttress 7/22/2005

[Buckwheat]

Climb: Harvey's Pup-Pup Buttress

 

Date of Climb: 7/22/2005

 

Trip Report:

 

This will be my first trip report here on CC. I got some good beta on the route from some old posts so I though I'd return the favor.

Overall it's an interesting climb with lots of adventure. The rock is not the best, actually it's pretty bad, but in the end it's a somewhat rewarding climb. Just a cool place to be.

A couple of notes as far as beta goes:

If you want to stash packs leave them at the big gully that you cross on the approach. This is where the descent meets the trail. We left ours out in the scree field below the peak and had to backtrack to get to them.

Some people had said the the start isn't obvious but we found that not to be the case. There is an obvious pin sticking out of a crack about fifteen feet up. Can't miss it.

Lastly, the section up through the headwall doesn't look very probable from below. We wasted some time looking around but in fact the route does go up the big nasty looking chimney system.

Oh, and get an early start.

 

The buttress.

On the approach.

The third class approach ramp.

Racking up below the first pitch.

The first pitch. Steep!

Looking down from pitch two.

Tom belaying out on the slabs.

The headwall. The climb goes up the obvious dark chimney in the middle of the face.

Tom starting up pitch four.

And into the chimney. This section was just as difficult as the "crux" offwidth.

Love those mossy offwidths!

After the crux... no more pro for a while.

Nice belay at the end of the long chimney.

From the summit.

Rapping into the notch. One of coolest rappels ever! (if there is such a thing)

And again...

And into the looooong chossy descent gully.

Gear Notes:

Brought two #3 camalot size, one #4, and a big hex. Used it all.

 

Approach Notes:

Straight forward.

Edited July 28, 2005 by Buckwheat

[Stemalot]

nice job!!!

[Dru]

I dunno why you thought the rock was bad? It is a bit mossy but there is nothing loose!

[Buckwheat]

Yeah, ok, it's not that bad... after the first pitch. It's more mossy and there are plenty of holds that don't look solid but turn out to be.

[Dru]

i remember that it looked mossy from below but that the tops of the big, flat holds were clean. aside from that my photos look just like your photos except mine were taken in 1995.

[mattp]

i remember that it looked mossy from below but that the tops of the big, flat holds were clean. aside from that my photos look just like your photos except mine were taken in 1995.

 

In Darrington, we call this the "Darrington Effect." Looking up at most any route from below you see all the lichen, moss and even bushes that grow beneath overlaps and on the downside of every knob and ripple, but the upward facing surfaces in any area that doesn't have an ongoing seepage issue are all clean 'cause anything that grows there gets taken off by avalanches and spindrift and ice creep during the winter.

 

Sounds like you have the "Pup Effect" going on.

[Dru]

Except in this case it is because the portion of the holds that is actually used was cleaned by Don McPherson and his mighty wire brush.

[mattp]

So you're saying the "Pup Effect" is for EVERYTHING to be covered in filth?

 

The wire brush is man's best friend, huh? (Or should I say "pup's best friend.)

[Dru]

If you look over at the north face oF Harvey next door, you can see a vertical field of munge. If it wasn't so low in elevation it would have dozens of quality winter routes, as it is it thaws out too frequently.

 

The steep parts of the pup were definitely cleaner than Harvey though, as reported by the 1970's FA party. It's pretty crazy that they freed most of the route including the crux offwidth and only nailed 30 feet of what is now a 5.8+ finger crack. Culbert Style