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Go Get Goode!


David_Parker

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Wayne and I climbed the NE butt of Goode in spectacular conditions. A LOT more snow than we expected, but this worked to our advantage; it allowed us to cross a totally raging torment of a river that otherwise would have been impossible. If you want this route, it will be easier sooner than later when the snow bridge collapses in a few more weeks. Hint: the snow also makes the descent on the west side easier. We used SW couloir to Storm-King col. Piece of cake! Got lots of photos too!

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Day 1: We went in from just below Rainy pass. Be warned that is a solar parking lot! 10 miles down bridge creek, 5 miles up N. Fork Bridge creek. We bivied above initial cliff bands on the snow in a tree well. Day 2: climbed and returned via Storm King col back to camp. Moved camp down to Grizzly Creek camp. Day 3: Hiked out. If you want to see all the photos, go to:

 

http://www.shutterfly.com/osi.jsp?i=67b0de21b301e9a7c4d5

 

It was an awesome adventure and one of the best climbs I've ever done!

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Stefan: David says above that he came down the SW Couloir which is on the other end of the mountain from the Bedayn Couloir. I've heard the Bedayn is a payn to downclimb (loose rock).

 

David: your pictures look good and have nearly cemented my plans for doing it next week (Gods of Weather willing).

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  • 2 weeks later...

After crossing creek low in valley we headed upstream through slide alder then talus to below fairly large gully/waterfall. Climbed up rib and slabs on the west side of this. Looked imposing but was mostly scrambling with 10' of low 5th. More slide alder and some lower-angle slabs led into steep open terrain above. That was late September of last year, in early season I imagine it could be very different (wetter).

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After crossing the massive snow bridge we headed obliquely right to the far right edge of the first cliff band where a violent stream comes down. Walked up slabs and then up snow again right up to the base of the waterfall and then a short section of 4th class on the left got us up to the next section. Meandered up low angle slabs a brief bit, through slide alder and onto snow which we followed up to a second tier of cliff bands which we bypassed on the left by following the snow through the last of the trees. Unable to find flat ground, we excavated a tree well for tent sight. We came down the same way because we wanted to go a way we knew. This proved a bit confusing because you have to pick the absolute correct two streams to descend between or you get trapped between the wrong two above cliffs. The last section of forth class we rapped off slings around a stubby tree. I added one of those screw shut chain links (small) and a teal supertape.

 

That sucks you didn't figure it out. Thats a long way to go! I have repeatedly found my instincts are much different than Beckey guidebook.

 

BTW: You may want to add this to your green book for the descent using SW Couloir. The first part fromn the summit is correct describing "descend obliquley right two long pitches towards the NE Ridge route. (Basically reverse last two pitches.) This puts you even with the Black notch which is easy to get to. It says something about climbing "8 feet" but doesn't say up or down, but it doesn't matter anyway because it's basically a 4th class traverse. Once at the notch I say: "descend about 100 feet of 4th class to an obvious boulder with slings.(You can actually see it from the summit) Rap (angling left as you face the rock) towards the SW couloir about 70 feet landing on a sloping ledge with another rap station of slings around a suspect boulder, not visible from above. Rap again about 70 feet to gain the couloir." It's not 40 feet like Beckey says!

 

[ 07-08-2002, 09:56 AM: Message edited by: David Parker ]

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Some information about Mt. Goode NE Buttress climb.

 

Lake Chelan boat Lady of the Lake parking: $24 at Field's Point for four days ($30 per week). Gadzooks!

Boat fare: $25 round trip

Shuttle bus costs: $24 round trip ($6 per zone one way x 2 zones x 2 directions).

Take lots of cash. Plus, take extra for beer money in Stehekin.

 

Due to boat arrival time in Stehekin and shuttle bus shedule, it is unlikely you will start the hike up Bridge creek earlier than 3:30PM. This may preclude getting all the way up to standard bivy below Goode Glacier.

 

The snow bridge across Bridge Creek is still there and is about 100 yards long. It should still be there for a couple of weeks. Just keep hiking up trail until you come to it. Can't miss it. After it's gone, there are logs that can be crossed 1/4-mile south of here.

 

Slabs (Beckey's second approach alternative) are easy to see. First slab is low class 5 and has a rappel station at the top tied to a tree. Second slab is easier. Bushwhacking between slabs is a piece of cake.

 

It sleeted on us the day before the climb so we were concerned for the possibility of the climb even going. Showers deposited fresh snow on the upper half of the buttress.

 

The next day was clear so we went up. Got started an hour late plus took "slower" ice climbing route to get to base of buttress. Started climbing rock at 9:00AM. First pitch is class 5 to gain arete. Second "pitch" is 600+ feet of simul-climbing up class 3/4 terrain. Rest is generally class 5. Fresh snow and snow melt made the going much more tedious and dangerous and slow for us (near area of broad bivy ledge in concave depression of buttress).

 

A threesome was climbing up below us. My buddy and I were benighted at 8,800 feet two pitches above this broad bivy ledge. Threesome bivied at the bivy ledge. C-c-c-old in the night!

 

The next day we finished the climb and then descended via the crappy SW Couloir (not an enjoyable way to go up or down). We circled around the mountain to Storm King-Goode Col. Rappel off of col into glacier is easy but loose. Downclimbing top of glacier couloir was on mildly hard snow for about 150 vertical feet to a crevasse which nearly spanned the whole couloir. Luckily there was still a way past it on the north end. After this crevasse the glacier angle relieves a little. Only a few minor crevasse detours were left before we got back to our bivy site in the early evening. Route finding on the glacier could be problematic later in the summer.

 

The next day we came within 5 minutes of missing the 11:15AM NPS shuttle bus that would allow us to make the boat ride home. Phew!

 

All in all, Goode is a man-mountain--much more demanding than I expected given the conditions. Beware of this.

 

===Paul

 

[ 07-08-2002, 02:06 PM: Message edited by: klenke ]

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quote:

Originally posted by klenke:

Some information about Mt. Goode NE Buttress climb.

 

Lake Chelan boat Lady of the Lake parking: $24 at Field's Point for four days ($30 per week). Gadzooks!

Boat fare: $25 round trip

Shuttle bus costs: $24 round trip ($6 per zone one way x 2 zones x 2 directions).

Take lots of cash. Plus, take extra for beer money in Stehekin.

 

Due to boat arrival time in Stehekin and shuttle bus shedule, it is unlikely you will start the hike up Bridge creek earlier than 3:30PM. This may preclude getting all the way up to standard bivy below Goode Glacier.

 


Thanks for confirming Wayne's and my decision to hike in from Hwy 20! Saves mucho time and $$$! I'll gladly walk an extra 5 miles (10 rt) through pristine wilderness, see nobody, and save $$$ on a 3 day trip.

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Dave, i think we went up similar to how you guys did it (Nelsons Guides instruction, to the right. BTW, was it a typo his book called it the "East Butt" as opposed to the "NE Butt"?) however there was only a snow finger going up to a large (200ft?) waterfall. We bushwacked for a couple of hours finally imerging to wet slabs (4th class) and more waterfalls. Bivying a little too low, in hindsight, we started up (scrambling through some more wet slabs and mud, we may have gone too far to the right?) and took too long to gain the glacier we decided to be prudent and turned around. We wouldn't have had time to top out and get back down, considering we don't know what the decent conditions were going to look like. (I think this turned out to be a lucky turn in fate, as my headlamp pooped out and wouldn't start the rest of the trip.)

 

We hiked in from Bridgecreek as well... i wouldn't have guessed it would be so expensive to go in from Chelan, but there's a lot to be said for beer at the end of a long trail! But the extra 10mi. adds on some beautiful wildflower hillsides... bears... blisters... something to be said for that too. [Roll Eyes]

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Yeah, Nelson was wrong to call it the East Buttress. This buttress definitely trends (points) to the Northeast. It can be deceiving just how much the North Fork Bridge Creek valley turns to the northwest from its junction with the main fork of Bridge Creek. If you mistakenly think you're continually going north up N. Fork Bridge Cr. then you'd think the NE Buttress faces East but this is not the case.

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