JoshK Posted August 26, 2005 Share Posted August 26, 2005 Yeah, seriously, I hear that. Nothing like getting down from a climbing and taking advantage of the one beer buzz! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Lowell_Skoog Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Too bad you missed the opportunity to peer down the north face from the summit. That's one of the best parts of climbing Bear Mountain. If that's what I wanted to do I would have done the walk up. You've got something to go back for then. It's nice to leave a few things undone so you've got a reason to visit an area again. I climbed Kearney's west buttress and Beckey's original north buttress many years ago. We thought the summit was worthwhile both times. But there's no disputing about taste... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeleRoss Posted August 27, 2005 Author Share Posted August 27, 2005 Yeah, Lowell, I think I'd definitely like to go back to Bear. Kearney's other line, N Buttress West looks cool, so do the Ursa Minor and Ursa Major buttresses. The first one east, Ursa Minor looks big and long and super aesthetic. Then there are the direct lines on the north face...woa nilly!! But maybe Diamond Life is a possibility...damn that's like four more routes out there....sheesh. Somewhere in there I might hit the summit... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 aren't the Ursa's supposed to have bad rock? kai hirvonen's variation to the kearney buttress is supposed to be sustained. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 i can't believe you think this route is a let down! were you on route? we had way more pitches than kearney's topo. and the beckey/choinard is like a free ride compared to Bear! shame! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TeleRoss Posted August 27, 2005 Author Share Posted August 27, 2005 We were on route, there's no trouble with routefinding. The reason I don't praise this route or put it in the same class as the B/C is because the rock (especially below where the Beckey route ramp comes in) is of fairly dubious quality, albiet it is pretty good for the North Cascades in general. And also I just felt that the B/C contained on the whole more sustained climbing from start to finish, again IMHO. If I went to do the DNB on Bear again I think I would do the variation (can't remember who's) that goes straight up where Kearney's route does the rightward traverse...maybe around pitch 8 or so? Mike-how did you guys find more pitches than Kearney? We did the entire buttress in 11 rope stretchers... And don't get me wrong...I thought this route was a fine route in a spectacular setting, and did offer some outstanding climbing. I think simply I expected more of a challenge that's all. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
JoshK Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 Initial expectations always have a huge bearing on one's perception of a route I have found. For example, given two equal climbs - the one I expected to have no problem with but got my ass kicked seems harder in memory than the one I expected to have lots of trouble with but didn't. I think the same thing goes for expectations on quality of the route, etc. My 2 cents. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
colt45 Posted August 27, 2005 Share Posted August 27, 2005 I have heard similar things regarding the quality and difficulty of Bear DNB being less than expected, eg check out this trip report Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted August 28, 2005 Share Posted August 28, 2005 I'll go to the true summit when I have skis and a FatBoy in tow. That should be plenty entertaining. The views should be that much better with snow everywhere. Plus lotsa crying and a retort to just "grin and Bear it." Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 So those were your sticky dot tread shoe prints that were leading us off into the devils club... My friend and I just climbed the DNB on Bear on Wednesday. THe climbing certainly isn't super cruxy, but then again, there are only two to three 5.10 pitches out of 20, so it can't be that hard. But I thought the rock sure sucked, the choss-climbing felt sustained to a wimp like me, and it made routefinding tedious. We got off-route at the snow-patch and did our own choss-fest to gain the ridge crest. Complete with big pendulum traverse and A0 stuff. We camped next to Ruta Lake exactly where your first picture is taken. We were afraid of not finding water. I am glad we did it. Perfect camp sites, and only an hour back and forth to the notch. The berries are still incredible up there and the salmon run was incredible in chilliwack river! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 i must have the world's worst memory. i remember the rock being splitter solid great granite and there being lots of 5.10 pitches and around 22 pitches. i probably screwed up and climbed the wrong buttress. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dru Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 i must have the world's worst memory. i remember the rock being splitter solid great granite and there being lots of 5.10 pitches and around 22 pitches. i probably screwed up and climbed the wrong buttress. there's a fad for shit-talking the route you just completed. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 seems like it, sheeesh Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 I tried to make the route easier by throwing all the shitty holds off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dylan_taylor Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 Also, i don't know if it is like this elswhere right now, but the bees are awfull on the approach to bear. I was stung once on the way in, once on the way out, and my partner was stung twice, several miles apart, on the hike out. There were times in the forest above bear camp, where the ominous sound of buzzing could be heard throughout the forest... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunger Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 yeah, we too got hassled by hornets w/ multiple stings. must tread carefully 'round those rotten logs, though often unavoidable. i think one of the most dangerous parts of our visit there was hurdling and high-stepping full-tilt downhill w/ several buggers clinging, stinging and swarming. I thought Bear had decent alpine rock; not phenomenal, but better than average in terms of cleanliness, competency. However, we did climb one long pitch (off-route? used Kearney) mid-climb that was horror-show orange-red rock. We believe we were too far right ~500' below the snowpatch, after traversing narrow grassy ledges. Not a "5.6 ramp", but looks appealing at first... good times Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 the rock sucks? it has been a while but i'd say there is may be a half rope length of bad rock on the lower buttress and about as much on the upper! overall rock quality and climbing on the lower buttress is pretty average, but the upper part is stellar especially if you stick to the ridge crest. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
skykilo Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 The upper part is definitely stellar, in position, exposure, ambiance, climbing, and quality of rock. But I thought we were both on route and on some very shitty rock on the lower buttress for a couple pitches there. Oh well, to each his own... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
j_b Posted August 29, 2005 Share Posted August 29, 2005 the bad rock i recall on the lower part is the top of the dihedral (rotten alcove). anyhow, has anyone looked at the center/right side of the lower buttress? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fourteenfour Posted March 9, 2015 Share Posted March 9, 2015 wow! that terrain looks epic Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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