[TR] Icicle Creek Canyon - Hubba Hubba, aka The Funnel 12/2/2006

[sambataro]

Trip: Icicle Creek Canyon - Hubba Hubba, aka The Funnel

 

Date: 12/2/2006

 

Trip Report:

Photos at:

 

http://isc.astro.cornell.edu/~don/pictures/v/friends/joe/joe_climbing/joe_hubba/

 

It takes some convincing, but I finally convince Ty to leave the split board and the fabulous backcountry turns behind this beautiful weekend for an attempt at finding some ice. While the powder is guaranteed, good ice isn't until you're right under its nose.

 

6am at the 65th P&R is a WAC PARTY. Mark, Aaron, and folks are heading up to Stevens (I couldn't convince them...too bad for them) and Ali and Doug are meeting up with some other folks for some backcountry fun. We head to Leavenworth figuring any ice on the west side of the cascades or up at the passes would be buried in the recent snow.

 

Our first sight is Drury Falls. We dion't have a canoe to get across the Wenatchee and despite looking "in," a ton of water is running down the right side, even at a wopping temperature of 11F. We drive on to Icicle Creek. Careno and Rainbow Falls are looking thin so we keep pressing to Bridge Creek Campground.

 

From the road, Hubba Hubba, aka THE FUNNEL, is looking decent. We hedge our bets and hike up, leaving the snow shoes behind. The hour approach takes us much longer as our "beeline" is more of a zig zagging tunnel through shallow unconsolidated snow over branches and boulders. Ty curses me all the way up saying he could be riding some sweet powder.

 

Racking up for ice climbing is always a B%#^. Nevertheless, I finally make my way to ice, sink a tool, and enjoy a short vertical section before it mellows out. Only issue is the ice becomes thin and hollow. My screws are a joke. I hammer in a knifeblade, place another screw, and ignore the runout til Ty yells up I'm out of rope. I dig out a rock under the snow, clean a muddy crack and hammer in the pick of one tool and squeeze in a nut. The guidebook isn''t kidding when it says "a good portion of the ice is a mere 2 inches thick" and "pitons may be needed."

 

After my slow struggle up the first WI3 pitch, Ty takes the second, enjoys a fun step and clears the rest through snow to a tree. We rap down and clear out. My plan to return the next day with Marcus fades away after I pass out in the passenger seat the entire way back. Thanks Ty for driving!

 

Cheers,

Joe

 

Gear Notes:

Small rack of 10-16mm screws, placed a nut and a knifeblade

 

Approach Notes:

Looks closer than it felt trudging through the snow. Unconsolidated but shallow down to the boulders and shrubs. No avi danger and snowshoes weren't necessary--left em in the car.

[Weekend_Climberz]

W00T :moondance:

 

I wish it wouldn't melt this week

[selkirk]

From NOAA

 

Today: Cloudy. Light wind. High 29.

 

Tonight: Cloudy. Light wind. Low 28.

 

Wednesday: Mostly cloudy. Light wind. High 30.

 

Wednesday Night: Mostly cloudy. East wind 5 mph. Low 28.

 

Thursday: Mostly cloudy. East wind 5 mph. High 30.

 

Thursday Night: Cloudy. Low 28.

 

Friday: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of mixed rain and snow showers. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. High 29.

 

Friday Night: Mostly cloudy. Slight chance of mixed rain and snow then slight chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 20 percent. Low 27.

 

Saturday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 30 percent. High 32.

 

Saturday Night: Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 40 percent. Low 26.

 

Sunday: Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 40 percent. High 32.

 

Sunday Night: Mostly cloudy. Chance of snow. Probability of measurable precipitation 40 percent. Low 28.

 

As It's north facing it might still be in

[Weekend_Climberz]

Shhhhh...... keep it down in here....

[dbconlin]

Leavenworth, 7501 Icicle Road:

 

High yesterday exceeded 40 degF

7am today 33 degF

[selkirk]

bugger.... online has it at having been at or below freezing all week So at 40deg I take it it's completely shot?

 

[Gidget]

Was there on Wednesday and Thursday, ice on Hubba Hubba was not too inspiring.

[bwrts]

snowing here in ltown now. Guess the time has already come to bury all the uninspiring ice of the icicle.