catbirdseat Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Climb: Slippery Slab Tower-NE Face Date of Climb: 2/19/2006 Trip Report: This climb is quite popular in the summer as a rock climb. There are two popular approaches, one from Tunnel Creek via Hope Lake and the PCT and the other from Surprise Lake. We chose the latter because the parking area is plowed in winter. Weekend_Climberz and I arrived at the parking lot for the Surprise Lake trail at 9 and were off at 10 am or so, following a fresh set of snowshoe tracks. After a couple hours, the smell of a burning cigarette announced we had caught up to the other snowshoers. They had turned around where the old boot path ended, at the place where the valley steepens. Here we searched and found a log to take us across the creek. From here we were breaking our own trail up steep forested hillside approximately along the route of the trail. The snow was pretty firm in general which helped greatly, but was icy in places under the trees. We arrived at Surprise Lake around 2 pm and camped on a nice sunny spot near the exit stream. We dug ourselves a way down to the creek so we could get water. The stream was not quite frozen up, even though it was about 20 degrees out. After a typical long and cold winter night in the tent (15 degrees F inside), we arose at the crack of 7 am and were off for the summit at 8. We headed more or less directly east up the slope parallel and to the right of the summer route to Trap Pass. Trail breaking was a chore at times but not too bad. We arrived at the base of the Tower at about 11 am. We were disappointed to find no ice at all on it, and were glad we brought as much rock gear as we had. I led up to the trees on steep snow, which in summer is a fourth class gully. Our belay was on the top 4 feet of a 20 foot talll tree. Come summer, somebody is going to wonder how a sling got 15 feet off the ground. About this time, we spotted Roboboy hiking up along the ridge. He had left the trailhead at 7 that morning and made great time. He parked himself in a sunny spot, watched and took pictures as we climbed. Scott took the rock gear and led the pitch but got stymied on the slick dihedral. I tried to describe an alternate route to the left but he couldn't see it from his vantage point. Setting a green Alien and a #3 slider nut, I lowered him back to the belay to take a go at it. At the dihedral I could see I was going to have trouble without crampons (I had foolishly brought aluminum ones). I knew I needed bombproof pro so I replaced the cam and ball nut with an angle piton in a horizontal crack. I climbed up about ten feet and had hands but couldn't get feet. Falling! The pin held and I was uninjured, but oh, that alpine bod harness did it's work! Ouch! Now it was time to try that other line I saw, so I downclimbed a few feet from the pin and traversed to the left, blindly placing yellow TCU in a downward facing crack at my feet. Then it was up and the climbing got easier, with a red tricam, a nut etc., and a couple of nice frozen moss sticks with my hammer. I slung the rap slings on the little tree and continued on up as I had a 60 meter rope. I brought Scott up and he didn't have any trouble, cleaning the pin without apparent effort. A short belay and we were at the summit and posed for our photographer below. After signing the summit register we descended via a very short rap to the tree and a 25 meter rap to the top of the snow. There was one more rap down the snow ramp. Back to camp by 3 pm and the cars by 6 pm. We had a hearty meal of chicken pot pie at Sultan Bakery. I can't believe I had that whole thing! Gear Notes: #3 Lowe Ball, Green Alien, Yellow TCU, baby angle piton, several medium nuts, 7 slings, one fluke Approach Notes: Snowshoe trail to mile ~2. Snowshoes breaking trail to Surprise Lake. Windcrust on ridge above Trap Pass. Used crampons but not really necessary. Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 20, 2006 Author Posted February 20, 2006 Camp at Outlet to Surprise Lake. Approaching the tower on the ridge from Trap Pass. The Northwest Face. Glacier Peak over Trap Pass. Catbirdseat leading rock pitch. Summit Shot. Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 20, 2006 Author Posted February 20, 2006 As far as I know, it is a first winter ascent. I don't really know how one determines such things. All the credit for the photos goes to Roboboy. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 Good times and here's to CBS's awesome leader fall on that first dihedral. Here's to my lame as for backing down when I should of just took the fall like he did. A nice long approach in some chilly weather for one pitch of scary rock climbing is sure a good time. Cheers Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 20, 2006 Author Posted February 20, 2006 I'm not exactly proud to be taking falls in the alpine, but thanks for the catch. Quote
roboboy Posted February 20, 2006 Posted February 20, 2006 CBS may be modest but I have to give him a lot of credit. He is willing to take on most of the work on climbs and he always seems to get up hard pitches. His protection placement is topnotch and he is willing to risk falls. An (older) friend of mine used to climb with Layton Kor in Colorado and he used to say about Kor "he wouldn't let much stop him" - well, that's CBS too. Quote
rat Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 cool. i've been curious about that area....glad to see there are some interesting skiing/climbing opportunities there. Quote
roboboy Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 room to ski - green trails Peak 6804 nearby: Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 21, 2006 Author Posted February 21, 2006 cool. i've been curious about that area....glad to see there are some interesting skiing/climbing opportunities there. I suggest the Tunnel Creek approach if you want to ski. It's longer, but you wouldn't have to deal with so many trees, and there are nice slopes along the way that you could ski. Quote
Weekend_Climberz Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 Yeah, the first part of the trail up Surprise Creek would suck something fierce on skis, then you would have to come back on it too. It would suck Quote
JoshK Posted February 21, 2006 Posted February 21, 2006 The Surprise & Glacier Lakes area is really nice. I have been back there once and can definitely attest to the nice terrain and scenery. Quote
philfort Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 I suggest the Tunnel Creek approach if you want to ski. Where can you park to access Tunnel Creek? Quote
catbirdseat Posted February 22, 2006 Author Posted February 22, 2006 You used to be able to park down the road from the bend known as "nevershine curve" for the hotsprings, but the State Patrol got it signed as Emergency Parking Only. Now the closest overnight parking would be the Surprise Lake TH. I suggest that you dump your partner and gear at Tunnel Creek and drive your car back to Surprise Lake TH, then hitchhike back up the hill. The only other idea I can come up with is to find a friend who is going skiing at Stevens Pass and make arrangements to be dropped off. Quote
roboboy Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 It's only a little over a mile from Scenic where you can park (Surprise Creek access) to Tunnel Creek road turnoff. Quote
TrogdortheBurninator Posted February 22, 2006 Posted February 22, 2006 Very nice climbing!! Good idea bringing a third party photographer for verification agains future winter speed ascents. Quote
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