first ascent [TR] Abiel Peak- North Face Possible FA 3/11/2006

[scottgg]

Climb: Abiel Peak-North Face Possible FA

 

Date of Climb: 3/11/2006

 

Trip Report:

I have been intrigued by this peak, the “Ben Nevis of the Northwest”, since reading the brief description of its many unclimbed lines in Washington Ice, by Jason Martin and Alex Krawrik. Jason shared his take on the peak’s potential, and gave me beta on the line he and Gene Pires attempted in 2002. My usual partner was un-amused by my cryptic midnight ravings about this “sick line”, and excused himself with a newfound interest in geo-caching. So Mark Bunker agreed to join me on what would turn out to be a great adventure. After a scenic bus ride, I met Mark in Federal Way, and we were off. The approach hike was straightforward, if long. A ton of fresh powder needed to be blazed through, and we kicked in a nice trail to Lake Annette, across its frozen surface, and up to the base of the Peak.

 

Our route in red, North Face Couloir entrance marked in green.

 

 

We hiked up the highest snow finger right of the summit, left the snowshoes and my pack, and headed up to the fun stuff.

 

Mark offered me the first lead, which clocked in about WI3 and ended up at a rock belay on the right side. After grabbing the rack, Mark traversed onto the main flow, approx 80degrees, and ran the rope out to a tree belay, just below the ridge.

 

Swinging up the second pitch in great neve!

This second pitch was great, two steep pillars connected by 60degree neve…sweet! We unroped on the ridge, wallowed up to the summit amid snow flurries and took in the seldom seen (for me) view of the peaks south of Snoqualmie Pass.

 

Summit Shot, with Granite Mountain

 

 

 

We descended the route via two double-rope rappels, and hiked out, where Mark was gracious and patient enough to occasionally wait for me to catch up. Headlamps stayed warm and dry in our packs on the descent, so we are not sure if it really counts as a winter ascent, ha-ha! This was a fun line, guarded by a slightly longer approach than other Snoqualmie Pass climbs. There is, as noted in Washington Ice, several awesome, unclimbed lines across the breadth of the north face. Many burly mixed climbs await their first suitors, so go check it out! Thanks for a great climb Mark!

 

 

Gear Notes:

Black Sabbath, large malnourished rabid dog to guard car and aforementioned Black Sabbath, screws, slings, and a small rock rack.

 

Approach Notes:

Hide your car in a ditch then snowshoe/ski up Lake Annette Trail (exit 47 off I-90)

[JoshK]

A pretty cool looking little climb. I have been on Mount Catherine before and I didn't know anything like that was back there.

[G-spotter]

are there really that many trees on ben nevis?

[thebane]

Looks sick. Have you given the route a name? Btw, I resent the supposed "geo caching" as being my reason for bailing on this climb.

[tytyler]

Nice report, thanks for the inspiration. I think the wife and I will head up there tomorrow. I've wanted to head in there almost all winter, but never had a day. How long was the actual approach time? Looks like there's an interesting line on the right edge of your picture, did you happen to take a look? If we go, I'll post it up.

[larrythellama]

skis make the approach up to lk annette quite nice and quick. with snowshoes i might plan for a couple of hours depending on how much snow you encounter.

 

we went up there a couple of times in like 01' and messed around. nice area in the winter, but in the summer lk annette is gross.

 

have fun.

[philfort]

I was in that valley on Saturday too... we took the trail in, but came out the west side of the valley, which I highly recommend. Waaayy quicker... don't need to mess around with all those stream crossings, and its open slopes all the way from the railroad grade (side-hilling, so may suck on snowshoes, but with a track in, you'll get out in no time with a long descending traverse on skis).

[scottgg]

Yeah, that line on the right of my first picture was steeper than it looks but pretty well formed. There are also some really cool lines between our route and the north face couloir! I would reccomend coming out via the valley if your on skis, like Phil suggested. Have Fun!

[scottgg]

the route formerly know as the north face gully is now "Blind Date" II+ AI3

[Mark_L]

Since there seems to be so much interest in the Annette Lake cirque, I guess I'll show what Marty Sorensen, Tom Boucher, Bill (Otto) Enger and I did back in February 1984 on the North Face of Abiel. It was a winter that started out with a cold snap, then a January thaw, followed by weeks of clear inversion weather. Getting into Annette Lake was a snap, the snow was frozen hard. There was about a pitch and a half of ice before the gully broadened and turned into a snow slope. There were lots of trees to tie off while climbing the upper snow slopes to the summit.

 

It was a pleasant, sunny day on the summit and we basked in the sun before descending back to the cirque.

 

 

 

 

Mark_L

 

Here is Tom Boucher on the first belayed pitch. Marty is in the lead.

 

Looking down from where we stopped belaying.

 

 

The North Face of Abiel Peak.

[Alpinfox]

 

Howdy Mark,

Thanks for sharing your trip report. I was pretty sure this recent rash of "first ascents" would flush out some of you earlier ascensionists.

 

So where on the face is your line?

 

HERE is a link to a picture of the whole face.

[Mark_L]

Its the line drawn on the third picture. I don't know whether it was a first ascent. I have a feeling that given the easy access, there were probably people who came before us. All these reports did bring back some fond memories though. That year there was even a climb formed up (fat) on the S side of I - 90 where the cliffs come close to the westbound lanes near exit 38. The most harrowing part of that particular climb was the mile or so that we had to hike along the freeway to get to it because we didn't (for some strange reason) think of just parking at exit 38 and hiking eastbound. I've never seen it formed as fat since. It needed a combination of a cold snap and cloudy weather given the southern exposure.

 

Mark_L

[scottgg]

Thanks Mark-

From you picture, it looks like we may have climbed your line. Hence the "possible" preface to my TR. Either way we had a great time on one of those hidden jewels of the I-90 corridor:)

[JoshK]

Either way we had a great time on one of those hidden jewels of the I-90 corridor:)

 

Hidden?

 

[Mark_L]

Quote:

 

"A pretty cool looking little climb. I have been on Mount Catherine before and I didn't know anything like that was back there. "

Edited April 3, 2006 by Mark_L

[scottgg]

Good catch Mark!