[TR] Colchuck- NE Couloir 8/7/2005

[daylward]

Climb: Colchuck-NE Couloir

 

Date of Climb: 8/7/2005

 

Trip Report:

I was going to do the S. Face of Prussik yesterday, but my partner was too sick, so I had to figure out something else that I could do on my own. I'd never been to the summit of Colchuck before, and the NE couloir looked easy enough to solo, and I'd get to tick off another Selected Climb.

 

I knew there wouldn't be much snow in it, since it was a low snow year and it's already August and it's been hot for a while, but there was even less than I expected. I was only on snow maybe a couple hundred feet altogether. The rest was a great combination of choss, kitty litter, falling rocks, mud, stacked death blocks, and exposed 5.7 moves. There were at least three times that I certainly would have turned around if I thought I could get back down what I'd already come up! After 3 hours of extreme concentration, delicate and deliberate movements, and not a small amount of luck, I made it to the ridge without incident. The rest was fun. I traversed over the summit of Colchuck, then continued on over Dragontail and down Asgard. About 9 hours car-to-car.

 

I would not recommend the NE couloir in late season!

 

Dan

 

Gear Notes:

Brought 1 ice tool in case there was water ice in the gully, but a light axe would have been enough. A partner with a rope and gear would have made it safer, but if I had that I would have done something else anyway!

[MountaingirlBC]

I'm heading up there next week. Boy am I glad to find your post. I've been trying to figure out if we can come out of the Enchantments basin via Dragontail then climb Colchuck on the way out. Sounds like it's doable. Is there a better route for this time of year? We'll have a rope and rack with us as we're doing Prussik too but we'll have some non-climbers with us and it would be nice to get them up Colchuck. Is it possible to avoid the glacier? Any info you have would be greatly appreciated!

[daylward]

Yes, it is doable, though it would involve quite a bit of backtracking if you want to avoid the Colchuck Glacier (and indeed, I would recommend avoiding the Colchuck Glacier). I don't know how familiar you are with the Enchantments, but the only easy way out of the upper end of the Enchantments is Asgard Pass, which is to the northeast of Dragontail. To summit Dragontail as you're leaving the Enchantments, hang a left just before you get to Asgard Pass and go up the permanent snowfield (which has some exposed water ice now and may require crampons), then hang a right after topping out on the snowfield and follow steep sandy slopes up to the summit. You would descend the same way you came up. If you wanted to continue on to Colchuck, just traverse the sandy slopes below the ridge crest of Dragontail until you get to a wide gully that drops you down to the Colchuck/Dragontail col, where the Colchuck Glacier tops out. Traverse the col and head up the other side, staying somewhat climber's right (within reason - follow the easier terrain). There's a little bit of class 3 in places but mostly hiking, and the summit is not far away. There's no snow between the summit of Dragontail and the summit of Colchuck, and I would plan a couple hours to do it. Then you have to retrace your steps all the way back over Dragontail to get back to Asgard Pass. So Colchuck is at least a 4-hour detour from the regular Enchantments escape.

 

Hope this helps!

 

Dan

[MountaingirlBC]

Thanks so much for your reply. The reason for backtracking would be to avoid the glacier, correct? Is the glacier doable with a rope, crampons and ice axe?

[Bug]

 

I went up the Colchuck glacier Sat the 6th. It was hard ice with a little slush on it here and there. Not real steep (45+) but not a good place for "non-climbers". I then continued up Dragontail via the "obvious gulley" and then continued along the ridge crest or just east of it on ledges. There is an "obvious gulley" on the south end of the ridge that you could trudge up and then descend the gulley I climbed up. Watch for loose rocks on the steep sections if you have a group.

[MountaingirlBC]

Thanks a lot Bug. Do you think I could get the 'non-climbers' from Dragontail to the col and down to the lake?

[Bug]

Thanks a lot Bug. Do you think I could get the 'non-climbers' from Dragontail to the col and down to the lake?

Not down the glacier. You would have to go back the way you came. It would take quite awhile. With non-climbers, I would give the round trip from Asgard to Colchuck to Asgard most of a day. There is not an easy way down from Colchuck. The west face might work but even that is very steep in places and drops you into Mountaineer creek.

With the glacier melted down to ice you are pretty much out of easy options. The Dragontail approach is by far the least technical.

Good luck!

[jimmyo]

Another reason not to go down colchuck glacier is that it it is actually a little bit tricky to get to colchuck col from the tope of dragontail. pandora's box, i think, is the name of the chute. but there's a way in and if you miss it you head down the wrong direction towards ingalls creek. that could cost a lot of time. so again, with non-climbers, would want to be especially careful about that bit of route finding too. also, Asgaard pass is a steep 2000 vf, so even though not technical, still can take a lot longer going down then you'd think with people who are usually hikers, most of it is not a trail as such, need to watch for cairns and the like.

 

Jimmy O

[MountaingirlBC]

Thanks everyone.... we're going to try to do Dragontail and Colchuck both from the Enchantments basin and go back the same way. Decided to try to make a bit of a loop of it, heading out via Cannon. Should be a great trip

[Bug]

Thanks everyone.... we're going to try to do Dragontail and Colchuck both from the Enchantments basin and go back the same way. Decided to try to make a bit of a loop of it, heading out via Cannon. Should be a great trip

After summiting Dragontail, head south along the base of the cliffs. When you get out near the end of what you can see, there is a scree gulley that goes straight up to a notch. Take it. The other side is a gulley with loose rocks here and there and a couple steep parts lower down with loose rock above them. Be VERY careful!

It will be a fun trip.