[TR] Chair Peak- North Face 2/11/2006

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Climb: Chair Peak-North Face

 

Date of Climb: 2/11/2006

 

Trip Report:

Since no one else has posted a Chair NF report yet from this past weekend, I figured I would. Plus, maybe someone will see this who didn't see my thread about the lost leash in lost and found.

 

The forecast for the weekend looked great and I had been wanting to climb Chair for a long time. Hoping to get some sleep and maybe beat the crowds, KJ and I slept in my van in the Ski Acres parking lot. We left the trailhead around 5:15, with six or so cars already in place. Aside from a few minor navigation errors, we reached source lake without much difficulty. The sun came up partway up the slope to to chair.

 

We passed one party on the way in, and felt OK. Then we saw another party of four working there way up to the final ridge. We also saw 2 person tent pitched below the peak. I mentally prepared to settle for a back up plan, but hoped for a short que on the NF. We dumped our snowshoes below the ridge, then hiked up. The wind was blowing super hard on the ridge (maybe 50 MPH+), but we decided to check things out on the face. Luckily the aspect of the face provided some protection from the wind. The team of four was directly ahead of us and were beginning to rack up for the climb. After some discussion, the team of four offered to let us climb ahead of them. We racked up and set off. KJ led the first pitch over the berschrund and traversing to the start of the climb's crux.

 

Pro placed - 1 picket

Anchor - 1 picket

 

I started up the crux pitch on a combination of shitty ice and powder snow. I looked anxiously for pro, but the face offered very few options. I picked my way carefully up the pitch, stopping once to try and unsuccessfully place an ice screw. Eventually the angle eased off and I began looking for an anchor. I placed a marginal picket with a screamer, but saw no ideal belay opportunities, so I continued climbing expecting KJ to simul when the rope came taught. A small rock outcropping with a fixed pin finally calmed my nerves. I backed this up with a nut, and set my sights on a clump of trees 100 ft up which would provide a more comforting belay. The trees provided the relief I needed so I tied off and packed out a seat. I started bringing KJ up, and everything was good until the wind started blowing hard again. It was a litle unnerving to watch my anchor bend to the wind, but the tree was bomber and KJ soon joined me at the belay.

 

Pro placed - 1 picket, 1 nut/pin

Anchor - Tree

 

Looking down from the 2nd belay:

 

KJ setting off on our third pitch

 

KJ dispatched the third pitch quickly and found a nice belay at a stout tree below a mixed traverse and an ice bulge.

 

pro placed - none

Anchor - Tree

 

The traverse on the 4th pitch was pretty airy, with powdery footing and some rock moves for the hands. The traverse stopped at an ice bulge where I gladly placed a screw. The first screw hit air, so I tried again and luckliy found solid ice. The bulge wasnt too hard and provided some comforting swings with the tools. Above I slung a tree and continued up easier snow to the ridge just below the summit. I made an anchor from two nuts and a picket and brought KJ up.

 

Pro placed - 2 screws(1 bad), 1 tree

Anchor - 2 nuts, 1 picket

 

KJ finishing the last pitch of the face proper:

 

KJ set off for the summit and brought me up where we enjoyed the sunshine and had a bite to eat.

 

We rapped from some trees on the climbers left side of the descent gully. We probably should have just downclimbed on the climbers right, but figured what the heck and we rapped from a nice tree. Somehow, while prepping the ropes I think, I dropped a leash (see lost and found). When pulling ropes, the angle of the rap to the surrounding rockwalls caused the rope to get stuck (like I said, we should have downclimbed). The 2nd rap went smoothly and we were soon on our way glissading back to our snowshoes.

 

There looked to be some cool ice in the surrounding hills.

 

Overall, a super fun day climb with a great partner and awesome views afforded by the amazing weather. I thought the route might be a gimmee given the fact the face had been recently climbed. This was not the case as the wind destroyed much of the evidence of prior parties. Conditions were challenging enough to make the climb very satisfying for me.

 

Gear Notes:

Recommend

1-2 screws

2-3 pickets

3-4 medium nuts

1-2 pins just incase

 

Brought

2 pickets

4 screws

BD Nuts 4-10

6 pins

 

Approach Notes:

Trail to source lake is cake, even if you get a little off track. From there just take the most solid snowshoe track up to the bowl below chair.

[catbirdseat]

Glad you were able to get out. Sounds like you didn't descend via the Standard route (SE Couloir), but a different one.

 

The expression on your partner's face is classic.

Edited February 13, 2006 by catbirdseat

[Weekend_Climberz]

Right on! Tried the NE Buttress on Sunday and got skunked since everything was pretty much melted out from the hot weather all week.

 

Should have stayed in the shade like you guys did.

[gyselinck]

Right on! Tried the NE Buttress on Sunday and got skunked since everything was pretty much melted out from the hot weather all week.

 

Should have stayed in the shade like you guys did.

 

NF was still in good condition on Sunday. (2/12)

 

[Mjölner]

The NE Buttress was in good shape Saturday...it must have melted out a lot by sunday. The skiing down past the lake totally blew.

[Weekend_Climberz]

Yeah, we should have stayed in the shade. There was shit falling down on me the whole time I was on the first pitch.

[Geek_the_Greek]

Good stuff! We climbed it on Sunday, with one party ahead of us and 2 parties behind us (not sure which one you guys were, Gyselink). It was kind of stomped out, but still great fun.

 

Yet another NF Chair peak TR, complete with incriminating photos:

Good times

 

Mjolner, I think we saw you guys skiing down below us (got one photo from way above). We could hear every turn - scrape, scrape...

[gyselinck]

We were the party ahead of you guys. Hey, did you happen to find a screw, we summited and discovered we were missing one.

[Geek_the_Greek]

Didn't find any extra screws, I'm afraid. Maybe one of the other parties picked it up?

[Gary_Yngve]

Wow, I bet at least 30 people summited Chair in the past week.

 

Regarding the descent, it's easier for the NE Butt people to find the gully to the SE couloir because they pass by it on the way up. You can also gain the gully by a short rap from a tree on climber's left of the gully You shouldn't have any rope-snagging issues if you just stop rappelling as soon as you reach the gully and maybe take a few steps up. Never had any problems pulling the rope after a double-rope rappel from the top of the SE couloir.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

Yeah, we rapped too far out of convenience, and paid the price having to climb back up again to free the ropes. We rapped from the trees that Gary describes.