[TR] Lake Wenatchee Sn'Ice- This Too Shall Pass (?) 2/24/2006

[Phil K]

Climb: Lake Wenatchee Sn'Ice-This Too Shall Pass (?)

 

Date of Climb: 2/24/2006

 

Trip Report:

My buddy Jeff F'n S. and I climbed at Lake Wenatchee/ Hidden Lake last Friday. We've been up there a few times before, and there are some high-quality routes when conditions are right, like when they aren't so totally snowed over. The approach is always a bit of a bugger; the last 500' to the base of the climbs ascends a very steep brush covered hillside which is a real tarzan scene when there is little snow coverage. This time it proved to be a wallow fest, with hip deep unconsolidated snow.

Of all the climbs there, only the far right gulley was showing enough ice to tempt us upwards. I believe that this is the climb listed as "This too shall pass" in WA ICE. We found lots of mixed up snow/ice which made the climbing a bit sportier than usuall. We had to be pretty careful with tool, foot and gear placements as much of the ice was just not dependable.

We did manage to find two and a half pitches of climbable WI 3+ - 4 and some steep snow to swim around in. Most of the other routes there looked non-existant, thought the steeper lines to the far left could still be OK, if you could get to them.

Saturday we went to the Icicle and climbed Hubba Hubba which was actually in pretty good shape. From there we traversed over to Mountaineer Creek road to check out Mr Seattle and the routes in that vicinity. They looked really poor and scrappy, so we went home.

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

The usual; buncha screws

 

Approach Notes:

The upper basin is really beautiful! We put in a fine trench to the base of the climb.