[TR] Lighthouse Tower- West and East Face 8/29/2006

[AlpineMonkey]

Climb: Lighthouse Tower-West and East Face

 

Date of Climb: 8/27/2006

 

Trip Report:

With little creativity in mind, Friday afternoon I hiked partnerless bearing a hefty load six miles into Temple Ridge. Saturday I rope soloed (free and aid) to the summit of Lighthouse Tower via the W. Face. The rock was extremely solid, but covered in lichen. I estimate the climbing went at 5.8 or 5.9, A1. From the summit I admired the East Face which looked equally inviting. I snapped a picture of some old tat, then a self portrait from the top showing the summit shadow and retreated back to my car. I planned to return the following day with my friend.

 

 

 

The next day I returned with a partner and we did the East Face. Approximately 400 feet high on good rock, this route was a blast. Estimated 5.10 climbing, 5 pitches. Lots of variations exist. Again we summited. Found a register which still had the first ascentists entry. Less then a dozen people have stood on the true summit. A fun quality climb.

 

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Double sets of cams to number 3, a 3.5 and 4.

 

Approach Notes:

Easy going but a long ways, 7 miles car to tower.

[catbirdseat]

I think there were a couple of attempts last year if I remember right.

 

So could you make out any of the names in the register?

[scottgg]

Fun Thats a cool looking tower!

[AlpineMonkey]

Yeah, I could make them all out. I would have to go back to my bigger pictures to see who they were, but they were all oldtimers that seem to pop up a lot. Madison, Beckey, McCarthy, etc...

 

I was one who tried it last year .

[cappellini]

i have also climbed the east face, but not quite to the summit...how did you summit via the east face? i got to the top of the ow and was turned back by the 15' of unprotected face climbing atop the block

[AlpineMonkey]

I'm just f'n burley cappellini, stood up and grabed the big jugs.

[Alpinfox]

I'm just f'n burley cappellini, stood up and grabed the big jugs.

 

 

Awesome.

[olyclimber]

that looks like alot of fun. you're one bad ass jug pulling monkey.

[cappellini]

hmm...your dots don't show this

 

i dont recall any big jugs when standing on the flake...i remember crimping and a fear of falling quite far...up and down up and down...down i want mommy

[AlpineMonkey]

The truth being, I'm really not so burley and I put up a 4 bolt lader. They're removeable bolts and I thought long and hard about striping them on the way down, thinking some ass would take them anyways. But in the end I decided that others might apreciate them and left em. I placed everyone on the top step of my aiders the first day I climbed it solo, there all about 5-6 feet apart and I spent a lot of time and hard work putting them in. I'm now a white trash low life looser. But in the end, I think they were needed. No sense in trying to throw ropes and shit over the top. I found a rope stuck in the crack at the top even.

[Tony_Bentley]

Bummer.

[cappellini]

i planned to do the same from atop the flake..that way theyre guarded by the ow...i hope thats where you put em....

[cappellini]

before a debate starts...i meant climb ow, stand on flake, place bolt high...freeclimb to summit if all goes well...otherwise stand on bolt, drill another bolt...freeclimb to summit..

 

i assume monkeys ladder went free, he sayd "5.10 and we summmited"...otherwise its a0, and needs to be freed....

[bwrts]

what about the already placed 1/4 " w/o hanger next to OW..?

I vote leave it the way it is and buy/bring a big cam...

 

Nice work craig. Man that eface is great. Your line looks very similar to where dan and i ventured. Cheers

[Lowell_Skoog]

The Mountaineers have a 1949 film of the 2nd ascent of Lighthouse Tower by Fred Beckey, Pete Schoening and others. A description of the film can be found here:

 

http://www.mountaineers.org/history/notes/movie/mtneers-1949-lighthouse.html

[rainier]

My Dad, Don Moody, came upon this information on Lighthouse Tower. He was active climbing in the "Rat Lakes" in the early 1950's. He says the paper in the photograph was left by them.

The July paper is the one I wrote when Verl Rogers and I did a second ascent of Lighthouse Tower.

 

He also has stories of attempting Mt Stuart once with Pete Schoening. There was a ton of snow so they were slow, then Schoening had to leave for the K2 climb. Unfortunately he also took the rope. My dad says they got up to the false summit but there was so much snow, that without a rope, they didn't want to traverse.

 

Lots of stories. I followed some of his climbs much, some are captured in my

Climbing Photos,