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[TR] Abiel Peak- North Face Direct (FA) 3/19/2006


Ade

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Climb: Abiel Peak-North Face Direct (First Ascent)

 

Date of Climb: 3/19/2006

 

Trip Report:

So Kurt (wazzumountaineer) and I decided to check out Abiel Peak this weekend. This seemed like a good idea given the snow conditions and good reports from another TR a few weeks back. Fantastic weather, good times all around!

 

Route Description:

 

This route is easily identified by large hanging icicles just left of the North Face Couloir (topo to follow).

 

Pitch 1: From a small rock outcrop, climb left up 45 degree snow to the base of the waterfall. Screw belay. 50M

 

Pitch 2: Climb the waterfall (WI3) to a belay under the overhang on the left. Rock belay (use the crack up and right of overhang with small cams). 35m

 

Pitch 3: From the overhang, traverse right onto the pillar. Continue up good WI4 that eases to AI3 after 30m. Tree belay on the right at 60m.

 

Pitches 4-6: Climb up the gully on snow to 60 degrees (near top), trending left when it splits. Tree belays.

 

Once on the ridgecrest, unrope and walk easy slopes to the summit (~2 ropelengths)

 

Grade: III, WI4

 

Descent:

 

Rappel the route from trees. From the head of the gully, do 2 60m rappels down the gully. On the 3rd rappel, traverse towards climber’s right, descending into the North Face Couloir. One more 60m rap and downclimbing brings you to the bottom. (2 60m ropes recommended/required). Retrace ski tracks back to the car.

 

Gear Notes:

8-10 screws & screamers, KBs, LAs, green - orange aliens, double length slings, 2x 60m ropes.

 

Approach Notes:

From the Annette Lake TH (exit 47), hike up the summer trail until it intercepts the railroad grade. Turn right (west) and ski a few hundred yards to the valley bottom. Turn left (south) and ski up the valley bottom to its end. Abiel’s North Face will be visible to the southeast. Ski to the base of the route. 4 hours.

 

(We actually skied/hiked the summer trail on the approach and descended as described above. On balance skiing the valley bottom is much easier)

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Thanks Ade for pairing up on such an awesome route. thumbs_up.gif We took what appeared from the lake to be the longest and most direct line up the face, but there may be one more gully left of ours that is a little more "direct." We were glad to have thrown in extra screws as an afterthought; they came in mighy handy on all the ice we climbed. This route has the most pure waterice that I've done on a route at Snoqualmie Pass. Highly recommended.

 

As mentioned before, there are numerous lines up there to still be done--from WI3 to WI5/mixed. Go get some!

Complete photos will come in a week or so when Ade gets his slides done.

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Right on Ade and Waz! Yeah, there's actually some pretty cool lines up the cliffy bits. Just to the right of the little route we did but hidden in your topo, there's a cool looking WI 5, M??, further right there's a stiffer looking rig (the fangs visible to the right).

 

What did the ice slabs to the left of your route look like? Was shite melting out up there at all?

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Just to the right of the little route we did but hidden in your topo, there's a cool looking WI 5, M??,

There are 2 more hard lines that are in pretty fat (relatively) now. these are right of your line. i think your estimation is right on. there is also a nice looking line that starts up the first debris cone left of your route and goes up the mini-couloir. Probably WI3+, mixed.

 

 

What did the ice slabs to the left of your route look like?
The left facing corner just left of our route looks good too. Probably AI3/3+. There is also a variation to the NF Couloir that looked good. go about a pitch up the couloir, then head right up steep ice (AI4?) for a pitch to trees.

 

 

Was shite melting out up there at all?

Nope. good temps for climbing in the hills.

 

 

--Kurt

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Great work guys! Regarding Abiels aesthetics, I took a mental picture looking up our first pitch that would blow your socks off! Its also worth noting that you can walk off the west ridge, but this would necesitate carrying over or hiking back up to retrieve your gear....

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