[TR] North Early Winter Spire- Labor Pains 7/20/20

[PSB]

Climb: North Early Winter Spire-Labor Pains

 

Date of Climb: 7/20/2006

 

Trip Report:

We finally got around to climbing Labor Pains on NEWS. While not a high quality route, there is some decent climbing on good rock to be enjoyed. The route description in Beckey's book differed a bit from what we found.

Pitch 1: Scramble up the 4th/5th class terrain of the chockstone route to a belay ledge with a large tree.

Pitch 2: Climb a right-facing corner to a lichen covered slab (5.10). Good rope management will allow one to reach the next belay ledge with bushes that is just a short scramble above the slab.

Pitch 3: Head up to two parallel finger cracks, move left past a prominent roof to a bolt which we replaced then move up on face and flakes past two pins and another bolt before traversing right to a belay stance below a small bulge (5.10+)

Pitch 4: Pull through the bulge (a hard boulder move) protected by a pin then across some slabby terrain until the route merges with the west face finish.

It would be great to see the route get some more traffic. Though we know little about the first ascentionists, Risse and McBain, it was a bold lead for sure.

We have some photos on the NCMG website (www.ncmountainguides.com) under recent trip reports.

 

Gear Notes:

Standard alpine rack with a few doubles (1" and 2" cams) and your favorite small gear.

 

Cheers,

 

Paul Butler

Mazama

Edited July 30, 2006 by PSB

[Off_White]

Nice report on a little known route, it's worth following the link and checking out the photos. I've been curious where this route actually went.

[rat]

great route. pitch 3 is classic.

[Lowell_Skoog]

Though we know little about the first ascentionists, Risse and McBain, it was a bold lead for sure.

 

Hi Paul,

 

Steve Risse was a fine rock and alpine climber, a member of the Gasherbrum IV expedition that included Tom Hargis and Greg Child. He died along with my old roommate Mark Bebie and a third climber whose name I've forgotten in about 1992 while attempting Slipstream in the Canadian Rockies. They were swept off the route by an avalanche.

 

Donna McBain has remarried since her husband Steve's death, I believe. Donna was an early stalwart member of Women Climbers Northwest. She worked for quite a few years for the Trust For Public Lands and was instrumental in the acquisition of Peshastin Pinnacles as a state park. I've sort of lost track of Donna, but my wife and her friends keep in touch with her now and then. Donna was an outstanding rock climber. I don't think she climbs actively these days.

[Weekend_Climberz]

Great history lesson Lowell!!

 

I love learning about some of this stuff and thinking about some of the past individuals that pioneered routes in the state. You should post another N Cascades Trivia.