[TR] Mt. Sefrit-Attempt- Northeast Face 10/29/2005

[AlpinistAndrew]

Climb: Mt. Sefrit-Attempt-Northeast Face

 

Date of Climb: 10/29/2005

 

Trip Report:

Wanted to get a mountain in before the snows came, but they've already come. Followed one of the routes in the Beckey guide. Dropped down the creekbed fromthe Hannegan Trail, crossed Ruth Creek and began ascending a boulder field on the lower flanks of Sefrit. Aimed for the steep walled gully. The gully was easy, but sometimes we had to climb up next to the creek and a few times waterfalls had to be negotiated (which meant getting wet). We arrived at the class 4 chimney/gully. Seemed harder than class 4. Wore crampons to climb it. It was wet, muddy and awkward. continued ascending easy slopes. By now we were in about a foot or more of snow. It was snowing pretty hard on and off. Made it to the mini glacier just below the summit ridge. By now it was 3pm and we knew we still had a fair bit of ridge climbing to do. We turned around. We didn't descend the gully becouse we only had a 30m rope. We descended snow covered rock slabs, and steep forested hillsides. We were forced to do a few rappels as well. We then proceeded to down climb/rappel by hanging on to slide alder. It was muddy, brushy and wet. Crossed Ruth Ck. in the dark. Back in B'ham by 9.

[Blake]

jeez, sounds like a dream day, call me next time man!

[AlpinistAndrew]

It wasn't a "perfect" climbing day or route, but I got out of Bellingham and into the elements. Any day in the mountains, regardless of a summit is a good day for me. I had a blast, and so did everyone else I was with. It's just nice to be in the alpine, even if it isn't the best conditions.

[Alex]

Is Sefrit one of those peaks across the valley from Mt Baker ski area, like next to Goat?

[Stavrogin]

its on the other side of ruth creek from goat.

[MisterMo]

It's the high point on the Ruth Creek/Nooksack divide, isn't it?

[klenke]

Might have looked something like this (Feb. '03):

[AlpinistAndrew]

When you are hiking up the Hannegan Trail, it is the first mountain on your right across the valley. It is on the Nooksack Ridge. You can see it from Baker Ski area. The upper ridge is supposed to be pretty fun rock scrambling, but I've only dealt with the steep brushy slopes on the flanks of the mountain.

[Mike_Collins]

I climbed Sefrit on 5/29/05 from Ruth Mtn and would recommend a spring date for an attempt from a Ruth Creek jumpoff. Later on the snowfield becomes steep slab which is difficult for footholds. The line up from the N Fk Nooksack might offer late season potential. Near the summit are two short sections of Class 4 rock.

[klenke]

"You can see it from Baker Ski area."

Feb. 05' from the lower parking lot (summit at center):

[PONCHO&LEFTY]

More Sefrit

[Recycled]

If there's a heavy snow year, the avalanche chutes sweeping across Ruth Creek get thick enough to provide an easy approach from the Hannegan trail to the Sefrit Ridge line in a straight shot. There's usually a sweet spot in the Spring after the snow sets up, but before it melts out and the bridges across Ruth collapse. Later in the Spring, the slabby/brushy crap on Sefrit gets really unpleasant. It's an incredible area, especially considering how easy it is to get to under the right conditions.

[Mike_Collins]

Poncho's photo shows the NW Glacier which is another route to the top. I like Recycled's idea of choosing a heavy snowfall year for a spring climb. Fording Ruth Creek was the crux manuever of the climb for us. We only forded the creek on the route out as we took a different route in for the upclimb. After hiking up and down the creek for 1 1/2 hrs we found the least life-threatening zone (distinctive from a "safe" area)and were successful.

Edited November 4, 2005 by Mike_Collins

[Ponzini]

Cool photo of a small avalanche on Sefrit

Edited November 5, 2005 by Ponzini

[Mike_Collins]

John Scurlock has devoted considerable time and resources toward photographing the North Cascade peaks in winter. He has directly assisted several contributors to this website by flying them over sites for recon of climbs. We owe him the courtesy of giving him credit for photos borrowed from his on-line photo gallery. The avalanche on Sefrit is one of his encaptivating photos.

[Bill_Simpkins]

The gully with the steep walls on the approach is the way to go. Don't go on the icy death slabs on the right of the gully, it's a nightmare. Did that last March.

Trip Report

[pickledbacon]

Hey guys

 

I know that this is an old post, but I was wondering if anybody knew how the rock quality was on the headwall above the glacier, and if it had been climbed before?

 

The link has the line I'm wondering about.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/plab/uploads/15841/2537sef1.jpg

 

Thanks

Chris

[dberdinka]

I've skied right along the base of it and always thought of going up there again.

 

It actually looks pretty good and really steep. Appears granitic which seems odd for Sefrit. Definitely vertical crack systems exist. The hogsback leading directly to the summit of Sefrit looks cool as well and presumably much easier.

 

The obvious issue is getting there. Midwinter works. In a good snow year (if that ever happens again) there would definitely be a period of time in late spring where the access would be reasonable and the route may be dry.

 

Good luck. That ones going to take some serious motivation.

 

 

 

[layton]

I've wanted to try climbing that too. Go do it and let us know