DPS Posted January 9, 2002 Share Posted January 9, 2002 Someone asked for beta on this route, so here it is. Early Winter's couloir is the east facing gully separating North and South Early Winters Spires. This route has a similar season as the SW Couloir on SWES or the East Face of Cutthroat, basically as soon as the North Cascades Highway opens. Park at the hairpin and approach as if one were climbing East Buttress Direct. Traverse below terraces that form the start of East Buttress direct and towards the obvious gully. We belayed at a tree at the beginning of the steep stuff. We climbed 5 rope stretching 60-meter pitches of ice and snow. Most of the climbing was 50 degrees with a couple of large chockstones that made for fun mixed boulder problems with good pro. The final (6th ) pitch was a short aid pitch that bypasses the huge cornice on the left-hand wall. Supposedly there is a crack that the first ascentionists used. I nailed a fragile flake until it ran out then aided off of pickets in the cornice until able to climb very steep snow. Mixed pitches continue from the notch to the summit of the North Spire. Our rack consisted of pins (2 KBs or Bugaboos, angles #1-3), Stoppers #6-12, Camalots #0.5-2.0, 4 screws 2 pickets. We used every piece at least once. Belays were on rock or ice screws. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ben Posted January 10, 2002 Share Posted January 10, 2002 It's also worth heeding the warning inthe Beckey book: "beware of perched snowpatches"or something to that effect. We got in therelater than we should have on a warmish dayand by about mid-day (right when we weregetting ready to climb over the chockstone at2/3 height) we heard an awful crack and then gotpummelled by an avalanche. We were in an alcove below and left of the chockstone, so itcould have been worse. We fled but got hit byanother while we were setting up a rap abovethe steep stuff at the gully entrance. Our rap pin & sling is surely still there. It's a pretty spectacular climb, but be sure youhave good conditions. You can probably simulclimb from after the gully entrance (which issteep) to the chockstone. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JasonG Posted January 11, 2002 Share Posted January 11, 2002 What difficulty are the mixed pitches between the notch and the summit of NEWS? Beckey book is not quite handy right now at work . . . . Thanks Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted January 11, 2002 Author Share Posted January 11, 2002 4th class rock in the summer. In spring it depends on how much snow their is. When we were there it looked mostly like steep snow, but we pulled a Mark Twight and skipped the summit. There might be a tricky move or two at the top, but I am just going on what I remember from rappeling after doing NW Corner. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highclimb Posted January 15, 2002 Share Posted January 15, 2002 that sounds sweet dan! it sure sounds like WA pass has so many cool routes in the spring and summer Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DPS Posted January 15, 2002 Author Share Posted January 15, 2002 Shouldn't you be in school young man? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highclimb Posted January 16, 2002 Share Posted January 16, 2002 i am in school! just not in classes....have a study hall in the morning Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alex Posted January 17, 2002 Share Posted January 17, 2002 Study Hall! They let you surf online during Study Hall?? When I was a kid, we flung spitwads at each other and oggled the chicks, we didnt have computers, or the Internet! My the times, they are a'changing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
highclimb Posted January 23, 2002 Share Posted January 23, 2002 no i have ave first period free.....i am one of two people that do....so i go to the library and do whatever work i have and then read posts. Aidan Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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