Strobach Questions?

[Jens]

I've never climbed ice at Strobach and am considering going. I'm seeking some beta.

Here is what I am getting from a lot of folks: Many say Strobach is totally lame (even in a good year) and perhaps the most overhyped lameness in WA. And many others say it is the best thing since sliced bread! I never hear anybody in the middle on this area. I know, I know, I should just check it out for myself- but kinda weird reports! I guess I've resisted going for all these years because if you count minutes from your front door to swinging tools, Lillooet is quicker to be climbing at.

Flame away! This ain't no troll.

One of my old climbing buddies discovered the ice at strobach.

[eric8]

The real question is it going to be worth going there this weekend with all the snow?

[AlpineMonkey]

Jens,

I don't know how you plan on getting in there, but we've been doing it on foot. No snow machines. When we were getting many of the climbs done, we had punched in a good trail which allowed us to get to the climbs relativly quick (2 hours of solid uphill walking). With the new snow I would perdict 3 or more hours of walking to get to the climbs. 1 hour of walking on a road and 2 or more hours of breaking trail. And, we know a very good way to get there, having been there many times. If its your first time going in there it could be a real bitch, getting lost and postholing in snowshoes in the woods all day. As far as it being good or not, it depends on the season. This season its the best thing since bread. There are so many climbs all really close to each other and there all in. I've been there on some occasions when nothing was in hardly and yes, then it did suck. Perhaps thats why you've only heard really good and bad things, because Strobach is eaither in or its not, there is no inbetween. We've been driving from eburg so the drive time is quick for us too.

Edited January 5, 2007 by AlpineMonkey

[Kevin_Matlock]

we know a very good way to get there, having been there many times.

 

ok, so spill it! directions, beta, approach notes, etc etc etc.

never been, but like to at least scope it.

 

thanx!!!

[Dannible]

I second that, any advice for the approach would be nice.

[sobo]

All the beta for the approach is in Alex's and Jason's guidebook that came out about 3 years ago or so. I've been in there plenty of times myself when I used to live in Yakivegas, and there are really only three ways to go in and not spend a day in the doing, depending upon which end of the cliff you want to end up at.

 

Read about it here.

 

With the snow the way it is now, AlpineMonkey has the timeline down... it's about three hours one way on foot. And I've always gone in on foot. Sometimes skis, sometimes snowsoes, sometimes I just booted it in. Depends. If you're headed to the Septum/Split Rock Camp area, take skis, cuz you can rip it up for a little ways from the cliff base down to the trail that leads to the beaver dam crossing. Then when you hit the road, put 'em back on, and you're down in minutes!

[Know_Fear]

Any updates on this thread? Would it be possible to stay at White Pass and do the approach each morning? Or, do you generally bivi near the wall?

[Dannible]

Me and another guy went up today. The road is groomed for snowmobiles so you can walk or ski in, but if you walk you will be post holing once you leave the road, and you won't be able to get down nearly as fast. It took us over three hours to get to the wall (with overnight gear), so I personally would not want to do the approach both mornings. There are plenty of good places to camp.

 

We are not sure if we went far enough to the right once we got to the wall, but we only saw a few thin moderate routes, and a bunch of long steep ones. We both took a few swings on one route, but both bailed because it was thin, hollow, and had a rotten crust. Two other guys got discouraged by all of the post holing and lack of good moderate ice and headed off to Leavenworth before they even swung a tool. It seemed like there was a lot to do for a solid WI5 climber, but not much for the rest of us right now.

[Alex]

Gotta bring snowshoes or skis for the final hike through the boulderfields!

[Dannible]

Yep, I made the mistake of leaving my skis behind in the woods because I felt like they were slowing me down in there, and the other guys left their snowshoes way down the road since it was groomed.

[Alex]

One year when Jason, myself, Gene and Zulinke went in, Zulinke decided to leave the floatation behind at the end of the 609 road. He must have burned 2x the number of calories as the rest of us! If the path is kicked in (rare, but it happens) then its not terrible. But this year with all the fresh snow we are getting weekly, it's def recommended to take snowshoes at the least.

 

If you are *on foot*, with snowshoes (not skis), I highly recommend taking the second approach discussed in the book: the one that takes you direct from Tieton River road to the Split Rock, not the snowmobile/ski run/groomed trails approach up from Milk Creek. It's very direct and basically 1.5-2 miles of X-C travel with snowshoes, compared to the 6+ miles one way by road. Once you've done that approach once and know the area better, it will be very efficient in the future.

[sobo]

IIRC, Alex is talking about the "middle approach option" that I mentioned above that crosses a beaver dam a ways after leaving the groomed road. Skis are kind of a bitch to get through the brush, as Dannible noted above, but you'll appreciate having them for the return, especially for the turns right below the cliff and back to the woods.

[Jens]

I had one friend try a day trip to Strobach. The roads were icy and he had to drive slow. His drive time was 4 hours. He and his partner ran into lots of deep snow on the approach to the climbs. The approach on snowshoes was 4 hours.

His total time from Seattle to swinging tools was 8 hours. I know a dude that made it from Seattle to roadside Banff ice in 9 hours from Seattle.

[sobo]

Strobach is never my "first choice" for a day trip. Given the approach time and the slogging required after leaving the road (usually), it is best to consider this area as "overnight camping mandatory" if you expect to get any real amount of ground covered.

 

Unless you're a real PNW hardman and you hit the trail at 0300 hrs. and return within 24 hours later, having eaten nothing other than cold MREs.

[Alex]

I had one friend try a day trip to Strobach. The roads were icy and he had to drive slow. His drive time was 4 hours. He and his partner ran into lots of deep snow on the approach to the climbs. The approach on snowshoes was 4 hours.

His total time from Seattle to swinging tools was 8 hours. I know a dude that made it from Seattle to roadside Banff ice in 9 hours from Seattle.

 

I've only ever done day trips to Strobach, always going from Seattle. My drive time from the door to parking is usually around 2.5 hours. Sometimes in early season you can easily drive to the end of the 609 road (but not this year) and hike in with not much snow on the ground. In these cases front door in Issaquah to rope up is around 3.5 hours. Which compares to stuff like Banks Lake from Seattle. In heavy snow years my approach time with snowmobile and snowshoes is 45 min to rope up. With skis longer, but it gets done routinely. Whatever your mode of approach, you need to not be lazy and be heading up towards the ice from your car while its still dark. Climb all day. Head down in the dark.

 

To this day I don't understand the bellyaching. This area and its approaches have been known about for 9-10 years now and detailed approach and beta published in the guidebook since 2003. The fact that people still feel anxious about going in there is pretty weird, its like being anxious about going into Colchuck Lake.

 

Climbing at Strobach is not about bumper belay easy access ice climbing. Its about solitude, FAs, a concentration of steep ice routes, and the beauty of the area. I've been in there probably more than 12 times now, and have always had a good time. Yes, there are going to be times when you spend most of the day getting acquainted with the area - sounds like your friend who took 8 hours hit Murphy's Law. We've all done that. Take the knowledge and make the next trip a success.

[dbb]

I think you guys all need to go climb in Goat Basin.

oh wait, y'all have, once!