Route recomendations for Thanksgiving?

[freefall]

I'm flying out to Seattle for a week to visit my Inlaws. I'm looking for some alpine rock, snow/ice, or mixed routes that would be in season during the thanksgiving week? Specs.; Time-car to car in 24 hrs. Difficulty 5.9 or WI4. I was looking at Colchuck, Triple Couloirs, Snow Creekwall's Orbit if dry enough. Any thoughts or suggestions?

[fenderfour]

start your planning at www.nwac.org to get the latest on snow conditions.

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but...

 

I doubt that you will find any ice in the area. Most of our rock is soaking wet right now. I would also be concerned about avy danger. We are getting a lot of snow in the mountains and it hasn't had time to consolidate.

 

This is where some hardman posts a reply to call me a pussy.

[goatboy]

Hmm, that can be a tough time -- there's a lot of precip. happening right now, so rock routes may be less than ideal...Colchuck Glacier would be fine, though a bit of slog to approach right now ... November seems to be "between seasons" a lot, too wet for rock, not enough consolidated snow for steeper snow routes, often high in avy hazards . . . not trying to be negative, just telling you my experience.

 

Good luck! There's always

 

p.s. this is where some real drinker posts to call me a light-weight.

Edited November 11, 2005 by goatboy

[sobo]

fenderfour say:

This is where some hardman posts a reply to call me a pussy.

 

Pussy!

 

 

goatboy say:

this is where some real drinker posts to call me a light-weight.

 

Light-weight!

 

ps: I am neither a hardman nor a real drinker, but someone had to say it!

[Alex]

Cosely-Houston on Colfax, with an ascent of Baker and ski from its summit as a backup plan.

[MisterMo]

...Colchuck Glacier would be fine, though a bit of slog to approach right now ...

 

I won't call you anything but I will beg to differ.........with a lee aspect at that elevation the Colchuck Glacier should be pretty heavily loaded just now, right on top of the ice layer. I wouldn't want to be on it until it's done a freeze thaw cycle or two to glue things together a bit

[freefall]

Whats the scoop on Cosely-Houston on Colfax? Any other input on whether it would be in? Is it in any guide books or does someone out there have cardnial knowledge on some beta?

[layton]

I'm not trying to be mean here HONEST, but

 

If you're able to do a route like the one on colfax, you should already know about it and have the information memorized like the OCD rest of us ice climbers and not have to ask for beta like that unless you're not from around here.

[freefall]

Well Mr. HONEST Abe,

Thank you for so quickly summing up and judging my climbing ability from a 34 word post. I sure do wish I was as intuitive as that! God forbid a climber seeking information on a route, how absurd! When I fly to Seattle next week, who do I see about taking my written exam allowing me to prove that I have any prospective routes "memorized" like all you "OCD ice climbers" (I’m sure all the ice climbers in the PNW are glad they elected you as a spokesman too...). Thank god the first climbing team up that peak didn’t put a post asking for info, How did they possibly succed without having the route memorized? Those lucky basterds.

 

And yes, if you would have read the original post you would see that I am from out of town visiting for Thanksgiving. But after your insightful post, I'll just pull my rope, rack, and tools out of my bags and replace them with my custom coffee mug and hang out at REI's café (that's where real climbers hang out from what I hear). Who knows maybe I'll be able to strike up a conversation with a real climber like you. If so I promise not to ask about any route info....

 

Thanks for the help.

[dberdinka]

Ignore Mike, he's just a little grumpy from not gettin any lately

 

Try a search on "Colfax" on this site. Alex's plan is actually a pretty good one should the 1 in 20 chance of decent weather actually occur over Thanksgiving.

[EWolfe]

I think Mike just got a smackdown!

 

[crazyjizzy]

What does OCD stand for?

[Off_White]

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

 

I'm pretty sure it's someone's demon.

Edited November 12, 2005 by Off_White

[crazyjizzy]

Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

 

I'm pretty sure it's someone's demon.

 

I probably have it

[genepires]

What MIke is trying to say is that routes like this are next to impossible to plan ahead (buy tickets) and then actually do it. Weather, avi, route conditions are so fickle that to actually do this route you must either hike up there multiple times till you get the right conditions, get lucky with an unusual winter like last, or wait till someone else does it and then talks about it. Either way, only locals have a decent chance at getting any of these situations. Just being honest.

I get a chuckle when I hear about people flying in january to get a winter ascent of rainier. They must have lots of extra money.

But try and go for it. The stars may align in your favor and if you have a huge positive karma balance, hopefully it will work out for you.

My money is that you will be in the rei cafe talking to mike and me.

[layton]

I took the "VA" for vancouver not Virginia. All the beta you need is in Ice Climbing Washington. hehe whoops. thanks for the smackdown!

[layton]

you were part of my "unless" clause. we both need to learn how to read i guess.

[freefall]

Mike,

Thanks for the follow up posts. I was probably a little grumpy in the AM when I checked the thread. The USMC birthday was the night before so I wasn't at my most cheery that following morning. That being said I never suspected the VA to be misconstrued as Vancouver. Being an American I think the world revolves around me.... I'm just trying to piece together enough info to make a sound plan in order to maximize my time in the Seattle area. I must divide time between my Wife's family/thanksgiving/climbing etc...I don't want to burn my days set aside for climbing doing research or route recon's. I would rather take the advice of those of you with feet on the ground to help guide my research time in the correct direction. Thanks to all for ideas/insight and keep it coming.

[crazyjizzy]

I never suspected the VA to be misconstrued as Vancouver.

 

Why would you? It was obvious when you said that you were flying in. You were just assuming a third grade level of reading comprehension. Thanksgiving is pretty notorious for shitty weaather, but good luck, and have fun.

[youngprofessor]

I don't want to burn my days set aside for climbing doing research or route recon's.

this guy needs a guide...and some luck with the weather. the next thing he'll troll for...is a partner.

 

wonder what others have planned for november climbing objectives. anyone want to offer some perspective?

[Alex]

I don't want to burn my days set aside for climbing doing research or route recon's.

 

Unfortunately in the winter time thats how all of us spend our time, and why so little gets "done" in a normal winter. If you really want guaranteed climbing you should go to Smith Rock. If you want time in the mountains, you should just choose an objective and work it.

 

The typical Thanksgiving objectives here are the early season routes, such as NF Hood, NW Couloir Eldorado, and so on. However with the mass dump of snow this early Nov, its unlikely that class of routes would now be anything but long snow climbs. Cosely Houston on Colfax is a nice objective because its a long day trip or overnight, so little committment should the weather not cooperate, but steep enough that it wont be a complete wallow. But since its so far above treeline, if the weather really isnt good, you will have as tough a time getting to the base of it as any other route.

[AlpineK]

I never suspected the VA to be misconstrued as Vancouver.

 

Why would you? It was obvious when you said that you were flying in. You were just assuming a third grade level of reading comprehension. Thanksgiving is pretty notorious for shitty weaather, but good luck, and have fun.

 

Maybe he's flying from Vancouver to Wenatchee. Did you ever think about that huh???

 

BTW OCD is one of the myriad of problems you suffer from.

[goatboy]

...Colchuck Glacier would be fine, though a bit of slog to approach right now ...

 

I won't call you anything but I will beg to differ.........with a lee aspect at that elevation the Colchuck Glacier should be pretty heavily loaded just now, right on top of the ice layer. I wouldn't want to be on it until it's done a freeze thaw cycle or two to glue things together a bit

 

No need to beg! I've been away for a month and am apparently out of touch about conditions up high (uh, if you can call Colchuck "high.") I think you're probably right, however, and I appreciate the correction. Wouldn't want to mislead some Virginian (I am one myself, originally...)

[jerseyscum]

Seems like NW climbing is generally awful from here on in.. Are there any winter climbs that aren't? Do they get better in later season? And Happy Thanksgiving.

[AlpineK]

There are good spells during the winter when you can do some rad shit however the weather is not very predictable, so you need to either be a local or spend the winter in the PNW.

 

Thannksgiving weekend is a tough one. I'm sure you can climb something, but I wouldn't fly out from the east coast with big plans.