[TR] Black Peak - NE Ridge, Liberty Bell - Beckey Route

[ericb]

Climb: Black Peak - NE Ridge, Liberty Bell - Beckey Route-

 

Date of Climb: August 11-12, 2006

 

Trip Report:

On our last trip to the Bay Area, I got to talking with one of my wife’s friends Keoke, and discovered that he, while an avid ultralight backpacker, really wanted to try alpine climbing, but didn’t have any partners in the bay area. He jumped at my suggestion that he come up to Washington for some adventure, and within a week we had plans for a long weekend in the Cascades. He and his wife arrived Thursday, after working their way up the over the course of a week. The plan was to get an early AM start to Washington Pass, do the Beckey route on Liberty Bell on Friday morning as a warm-up, working on communication, etc., and then do the approach to Black Peak and make camp before night fall for a Saturday climb.

 

We arrived at the Blue Lake trailhead at 0800, packed our things, and hurried up the trail hoping to get on the route before a large guided group that pulled in 10 minutes after we did. After the treacherous gulley before the notch, we roped up to start the first pitch. The weather was looking quite ominous, and we started out (and stayed in) our shells for the entire climb. Fortunately, the weather improved throughout the climb, as I led the three pitches, and Keoke did awesome seconding, thoroughly enjoying himself. We topped out around noon, and relaxed a bit, before beginning our descent. Fortunately, upon arrival at the bolted rappel station, the first guided team which had climbed rapple grapple offered us the use of their double rope rappel as they wanted to wait for the second group which was behind us on the Beckey Route. We were at the notch after a single rappel, packed up, and started the unpleasant descent. I glanced at my watch upon arrival at the parking lot and confirmed my suspicions….the descent from the notch had taken longer than the approach due to the careful downclimbing in the scree/talus filled gulley.

 

We were on the road by a little after 4:30, and repacked with overnight gear and hiking up the Lake Ann trail by 6:00. The approach to Black Peak was astounding…one of the most beautiful hikes I’ve ever done in the Cascades. We went up and over Heather pass, and the only less than enjoyable part was the downward talus traverse to Lewis Lake. We had hoped to make Wing Lake to camp, but we arrived at a great campsite at Lewis lake at 8:15, and weren’t confident we could make Wing Lake with adequate light (we later learned we probably could have), so we relaxed, pitched the tarp, ate, drank, and hit the sack around 10pm.

 

The alarm went off at 4:30 am, but we awoke to white out, and couldn’t get motivated to get started until 6:30 am. Fortunately we emerged from the clouds on the way up to Wing lake and were treated to bluebird skies! The slog up loose talus was unpleasant and we were glad to get on the snow of the glacial remnant below the Northeast ridge. We were unable to make use of the ice-axe and crampons we had each hauled and used only trekking poles to gain the 3rd class scramble to the ridge. We gained the notch and peered over the steep drop to the other side…wow!

 

We roped/racked up and I led out as we simulclimbed on, and then to the left side of the ridge for a while until the exposure increased, and the route became unclear. We climbed on a 30m short rope to save weight and keep rope drag down. I reeled in Keoke, built a small anchor, and then tried and backed off two different routes…..one low traverse ending in unpleasant sandy loose downsloping slabs, and then high to the ridge crest which was looked to be very difficult climbing. After some discussion, water and energy gel, I split the difference and found a moderate low 5th class (albeit loose) rising traverse below and left of the ridge crest with occasional pro – mostly horns to sling. After two or three simul-pitches to the left of the ridge on somewhat loose low 5th class rock and heather with limited pro, I spotted what looked to be blocky climbing to gain the ridge. For the first time, I found placements for the small cams I had brought in addition to horns, and happily gained the ridge where I built a solid belay by tying my cordolette around a horn on the crest.

 

After bringing Keoke up, I led out on now solid rock for several simul-pitches of very exposed but enjoyable 3rd to low 5th class climbing on or just below the ridge crest. After climbing another blocky tower, I was thrilled and relieved to discover it was the summit! The views were astounding, further adding to what was a very fun, and challenging climb.

 

We spent a little over an hour on the summit, eating, drinking, and relaxing, and then continued along the ridge crest to the South where we removed the rope after a short belayed down-climb and begun the loose unpleasant scramble down the gullies of the South ridge. The descent was completely snow-free all the way to the lake, and we were happy to have our trekking poles. We sped down to Lewis Lake, packed up camp quickly, and were only 30 minutes late for our 7:30 dinner rendezvous with our wives in Winthrop. Keoke thoroughly enjoyed his Cascade adventure, calling it one of his favorite outdoor adventures yet.

 

Pix

 

http://ericbakke.spaces.msn.com/photos/?_c02_owner=1

 

 

Gear Notes:

Small Cams, Nuts, 48-inch slings

 

Didn't need ice-axe or crampons

Edited August 14, 2006 by ericb

[Billygoat]

Thanks

[still_climbin]

Nice TR. Looks like you had a great trip. What kind of rock comprises Black Peak?

[ericb]

ummm...I'm not a geologist...I'll have to see what Beckey says....certainly not he solid granite of some of the other WA Pass Peaks. It's pretty fractured....this site mentions Tonalite and Quartz Diorite

 

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/Geology/usgsnps/noca/nocaste.html

[Alpinfox]

 

http://www2.nature.nps.gov/Geology/usgsnps/noca/nocaste.html

 

Cool website.

 

Thanks!

[Ned_Flanders]

Has anyone been up to the NE Ridge of Black Peak lately and still found crampons and ice axes to be useless? Also, does anyone know if there are viable options to skirt around the snow on route to the ridge? Thanks.

[ericb]

When we did it, the snow was soft, and what I could see of the remnant from the liberty bell group looked to be icing up. That said, from what I remember, the snow necessary to gain the ridge was very low angle, and could be skirted on rock for the most part. Here's a pic that shows the crossing.

 

 

I'm not positive, but pretty sure you could be on rock the whole time up to this short stretch. Hopefully someone else has been up there more recently.

 

you could probably bring one axe for the group, send it with the leader to a belay stance on the rock in a pinch if it was necessary at all....IMO

Edited September 13, 2006 by ericb