Winter Route on the Tooth....

[verticalwanderer]

Anybody have any beta on the route breifly mentioned in the Beckey guide? When is it usually in? How hard is it? Any other suggestions for good moderate winter adventures?

[TrogdortheBurninator]

The route is probably the NE Slab. It is covered thoroughly in Nelson's 2nd volume.

[Weekend_Climberz]

There's many routes that would probably be in any time of the year. I have not climbed much harder than 5.6 stuff on that thing and having crampons and ice tools would make it even more fun.

[fenderfour]

AlpineDave's North Slab TR

[andrewbanandrew]

Are any of the slopes adjacent or above the approach route (take trail to source lake, turn left up gully) prone to sliding?

Edited December 9, 2005 by andrewbanandrew

[Weekend_Climberz]

Are any of the slopes adjacent or above the approach route (take trail to source lake, turn left up gully) prone to sliding?

 

Yes

[kenp]

hell yes!

[tomtom]

Affirmative.

[magellan]

Absolutely slidable.

[fenderfour]

Careful there ar eslopes that could avalanche up there.

[Ade]

Well there's several things you could be talking about here... Which one do you mean?

[verticalwanderer]

NE Slab is the route I had in mind. THanks for the info....Esp the Alpine Dave trip report. Anyone been up in the area recently? I think I may head up tommorrow.

[Ade]

Make sure you look at the avie forecast first. Last I looked the bowl below the Tooth may not be such a smart place to be playing this weekend.

[verticalwanderer]

To be sure......Avy forcast is calling for moderate and if I recall the approach to the NE face, it is possible to cross the bowl on the "flat" bolderfield below and then skirt the bowl just below the rock?? Any other info on actual route conditions/gear would be greatly appriciated.

[John Frieh]

Nelson 2nd Edition.

 

Route tends to be a later winter route as enough snow/ice needs to be present to climb the first pitch. Haven't been up there but recent temps would lead me to conclude the first pitch is missing and/or partially in.

 

Avy: just because you are on flat terrain doesn't mean you are safe. Assess the conditions as you approach the climb... not on a website.

 

Be safe. Have fun.

[fenderfour]

I would expect the first pitch to be completely "out" you could still do the normal (south face?) route.

 

I would be very concerned about the bowl below the Tooth. There are also a couple of nasty slopes along the summer trail. If you are going to investigate, stick to the cat-track from the upper lot at Alpental. Keep looking to the left for a snowshoe path before the end of the cat track. If you miss it, it is well worth going back to find.

 

FYI - the cat track trail still traverses one decent sized-avalanche slope.

 

I'm pretty sure you will have to get in the bowl just below The Tooth. The only other option is to go to the top of the upper Alpental lift and traverse along the backside of Denny. I think Beckey has some info on this approach. I've never been back there, so I don't know what the terrain looks like. It will also put you on the wrong side of the hill, leaving you to pop back over Pineapple pass and traverse in front of the tooth in the bowl.

[verticalwanderer]

Thanks again for all the info.....I was up on the normal route a few weeks before christmas and the was VERY little snow on the NE face, so it was hard to tell exactly where the route was. I may just go up for a scouting mission and throw my gear in the pack for extra exercise just in case. I will let you all know how it looks.

 

I am new to the Seattle area and am in search of some good winter routes. The only reason I was thinking about the Tooth is that I had been up there before and know the area a bit. Anyone have any other favorite winter routes I might check out? I am looking for easy to moderate routes (ie WI 3/5.8ish) That I could do in a long day.

[Dru]

I am new to the Seattle area and am in search of some good winter routes.

 

Although it is now "calendar winter" you would do much better to wait for good "winter conditions", ie cold, frozen, low avvy hazard - instead of warm rain and isothermal avalanche prone snow.

[verticalwanderer]

Although it is now "calendar winter" you would do much better to wait for good "winter conditions", ie cold, frozen, low avvy hazard - instead of warm rain and isothermal avalanche prone snow.

 

That is really my dilemma.....For a while there everything seems to be frozen and there was much good climbing to be had everywhere I looked.....now, with the soupy conditions I am trying to not end up pissing away my ever so valuble weekend with my thumb in my ass at some stupid coffee shop. PLEASE HELP!!!

[John Frieh]

East side of Northern Cascades looks good... avy will depend on where you go.

[Dru]

You can hike up Mt Si wearing plastic boots for 'training'. Look out for cougars!

[verticalwanderer]

East side of Northern Cascades looks good... avy will depend on where you go.

 

Any good routes you would suggest over there?