TR: NE Buttress Couloir, Colchuck

[Alex]

Short TR, version with all the pix is up on my website here.

Went into Colchuck Lake this weekend with danielpatricksmith and mattp. The stated objective was NE Buttress Couloir or N Buttress Couloir on Colchuck, but we were trying to keep an open mind should Triple Cs or the N Face of Dragontail be in.

The weather report was favorable, though warm. The approach was hastened with the aid of a tracked backcountry access mechanism, which we parked and left at the normal trailhead. Skied into the lake, breaking trail for 2/3 of the way. dps battled his slowly deteriorating climbing skins to make it to the lake. Snow was wet and sloppy, and there was not much of it at all!

At the Lake we were stunned to find very lean snow conditions. I have never seen so little snow at Colchuck Lake in winter, there is only maybe 2 feet on the ground. On the C Balanced Rock side are two 1-2 pitch WI3-is ice routes. Triple Couloirs looks well-iced (Hidden to 2nd), but very little snow in the couloirs proper. The Norht Face of Dragontail (the face to the left of Backbone and right of TC) is currently continuous, but looks like shallow snow on rock.

Made camp, good time was had etc etc. Got up at 6, burned up the last of the fuel for breakfast. Started the approach, lots of windcrust and tough skinning made me and Dan ditch the skis down lower, while matt persevered...he intended to bring the skis up the route and ski down. Traversed past N Buttress Couloir to entrance of NE Buttress Couloir. Climbed steadily up steepening obvious gully system, to about a pitch from the summit, where we set up a belay for a hard-looking rock step. Dan valiantly tried several variations, including tunneling under a huge boulder, but it was no go. Dejected we started down climbing. About a 1/4 of the way down we traverse a minor rib looking for another way up, when we found a smallish step of very thin WI2+ that led to the exit couloir. Dan soloed the ice, then dropped a rope for us two following. Then Matt led a (much harder than it looked!) short mixed pitch with good belays, and we finished snow to the summit ridge.

Went down, but got disoriented and ended up on the West Ridge, overlooking Mt Stuart and Stuart Lake. Kudos to Matt for actually bringing map, compass, and altimeter. Scariest part of the trip happened next: Dan slipped on some boilerplate steep snow and went for an uncontrolled slide which he somehow self-arrested after several hundred feet! We all donned crampons again. We traversed back to the correct side of the mountain, descended the glacier without incident, packed quickly, and got out at a decent hour, despite many spectacular crashes on skis through the trees and on the trail.

With alot more snow this route would be even easier. As it was, it was a full-on grunt fest without reprieve - there was only one flat spot to stand between the lake and the summit ridge!

Alex

[ 02-19-2002: Message edited by: Alex ]

[Cpt.Caveman]

What's with the ropes ? You should have soloed it

[philfort]

Wow, cool, good job! Funny thing about snowlevels around Lake Colchuck. I've been up there twice in winter, and there is hardly ever any snow. I was up there 2 years ago near the end of January, in the average snow year. There was only about 2 feet of snow.

One week ago, I was up on Wedge mtn, at the east end of Icicle Canyon. So you'd figure there'd be even less snow than at Colchuck. But at the equivalent elevation, there was probably 5 feet of snow. What gives?? How does that glacier survive?

[Cpt.Caveman]

I am still waiting for some hard man to ski both of those chutes

[mattp]

By the way, as of yesterday (2/17) the snowpack was VERY stable on Colchuck Peak. It hadn't snowed for a week prior to our climb, and when the snow fell it had been pretty sticky as it was still on trees at the lake and surprisingly plastered to the rock faces higher up. Even the wind-deposited "snow pillows" would not fail when we did our best to chop, kick, hack at and generally destroy them. We travelled on a variety of aspects from N to E to S to SW, and the snow surface was generally firm (icy in places, simply windblown in others, and in some locations tere was some well-adhered "powder" on top). It snowed lightly on and off; we had frequent spindrift avalanches in the couloir and the stability may be on its way out.

[ 02-18-2002: Message edited by: mattp ]

[AllYouCanEat]

Dude, that looks rad to ski! How narrow does it get? Steepness? Vert? I should look it up, but I don't mind getting flammed.

[Alex]

I think Lowell might be a better source as far as history, but I can tell you from recent experience that without alot more snow, you wont be skiing NE Buttress Couloir - the upper couloir would be fairly straightforward from about 3/4 up, but the top is tight and steep with contrictions and minor rock steps, and about 400 vert from the bottom the couloir necks down to a 6 ft wide contriction, with just a foot of snow over rock (you can basically see it below me in the second photo mattp posted to this thread).

The runout, should you biff, is poor, as the couloir snakes around a bit and so you'd hit rock wall sooner than later.

If you were willing to not ski summit to base, and take off your skis a few times, you could probably do it.

Alex

[mattp]

I agree with Alex. The NE Couloir would be a difficult and dangerous line to ski. The “Caveman Direct” might be a better choice (I think Cavey’s Couloir is the right-hand couloir in this view (NE Couloir is middle-left):

<IMG>http://www.seanet.com/~mattp/Colchuck/NEface.jpg</IMG>

[ 02-18-2002: Message edited by: mattp ]

[mattp]

Can somebody help me with the html here?

[philfort]

I used ubb tags

[ 02-18-2002: Message edited by: philfort ]

[ 02-18-2002: Message edited by: philfort ]

[Cpt.Caveman]

Looks like pretty good climbing conditions for me. I might have a round 2 on that bitch some day. Bring on that snowmobile Ropes we dont need no stinking ropes Just kidding. hahahha.

I am sure the NB Couloir and NEBC can be skied. Just have to find the right person. If Robson NF can be done I think both those can too. Just cuz Lowell is legend does not mean he is best skier...

You would not want to biff in NBC either but probably a little more friendly.. Does not snake around so. Although I dont think you could ski that one from the summit.

Just dont go up that NEBC when it is warm. I know stones like to plummet down that thing.

[ 02-18-2002: Message edited by: Cpt.Caveman ]

[mattp]

Sorry Cavey, I just wasn't quite up for it. The run down the Colchuck Glacier was very enjoyable, however. Like Alpine K says, "big drops rule."

Here's a couple of pictures in the couloir:

[Cpt.Caveman]

I would not ski them either. Unless I wanted to commit suicide Although I think it can be done.

[Cpt.Caveman]

By the way, I ended up on that ridge before too. After my solo traverse across the West face from the North. Interesting down climbing and such. Wish I had a rope at that time. Long drops... Funny thing is I think those routes are good and not much attention is paid to them.

[AllYouCanEat]

We did Mclellands several years ago. If you mean that big snaking couloir, that is. It is a pretty good ski. I have a job now and so I have to get back to work. Suck.

[ 02-19-2002: Message edited by: AllYouCanEat ]

[pms]

I remember hearing from Tim Wilson that he wore snowshoes up the North Butt. Couloir once. Someone will ski it. Not me, or Cavey.....maybe you.

[Szyjakowski]

quote:

---

Originally posted by Jens:

Since we are on this topic,

Has anybody ever skiied the Northeast Couloir on Dragontail? That one has been on my hit list for a long time.

---

what are you nuts???!!!???? maybe just really insane go for it man

[Jens]

Since we are on this topic,

Has anybody ever skiied the Northeast Couloir on Dragontail? That one has been on my hit list for a long time. Probably would want to carry in full monty alpine ski geat for it. Not my flimsy randonee' stuff.

[mikeadam]

What kind of flimsy Rando gear are you on Jens? The newer stuff is pretty beefy. And since we're on the topic has anyone ever skied/boarded the east face of Mclellans Butte?

[ 02-19-2002: Message edited by: mikeadam ]

[mikeadam]

AllYouCanEat,

Thanks for the reply. No, I know several people who skied those couloirs (nice job by the way), but I've never spoken with anyone that has skied the east face. The exposed one that you look down from the little 2nd class scramble at the summit. It's only a really nice looking line when it's loaded up and looking fat, but the downside is that I think it would be hard to find it in suitable skiing conditions with a lot of X factors (mainly avalanche and rock close to the snow surface). I'm not saying I am going to be the one to do it, but I've thought about it a few times. Thinking about it and getting the chutpah to actually do it are of course two different things entirely.

[vegetablebelay]

[Cpt.Caveman]

In my short memory, I think this is the coolest tr this winter

[mikeadam]

Yep I agree. I always like Alex's trip reports.

[layton]

How far can you drive to the trailhead for Colchuck Lake? Is it at the campgroud still? Also, anyone tried Tripple Couliors on Dragontail yet this winter. Looks like it could go? Hard to judge this time o' year. I'll let you know what I see up there, may try it this weekend (may not).

[Szyjakowski]

Approach to Dragontail...park at the end of plowed icicle road...bridge accross creek is closed due to snow being at least five feet deep there...about 3mile(?) walk up road to trailhead...good luck if you go but, that route is notorious for avalanche...check weather conditions...my two cents says you'd probably be killed up there this weekend.