[TR] Abiel Peak - North Face 1/13/2007

[slothrop]

Trip: Abiel Peak - North Face

 

Date: 1/13/2007

 

Trip Report:

Ben (wbk), Mike (colt45), and I climbed a route on the left side of Abiel Peak's North Face on Jan. 13. After looking through the threads from last year, I think we climbed the route Mark_L describes. After a pitch of ice, we went right up a broad, curving snow gully where the line in his photo bends left:

 

 

 

There was only one 200-foot pitch of WI3 on this climb, with some snow (squeaky to sugary) the rest of the way up. It was Mike's first time ice climbing and he got introduced to two important aspects of the sport: suffering in the cold and getting hit by chunks of ice. Our route didn't turn out to be that great--just one pitch of ice--but it was good to get out. A lot of other lines on Abiel are lookin' good.

 

 

We left our skis and extra gear in the trees above the lake, then carried packs up and over, descending the West Ridge to an obvious wide gully, an easy downclimb that we wished we'd lugged our boards up for.

 

After sifting through the threads from last year's activity and AlpineDave's page, I put together this topo showing all the routes on the North Face (click for larger version):

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

4-5 shorter screws, picket, no pins. Screamers and double slings. First belay is a tree and a screw in the best ice of the route, at 200 feet.

 

Approach Notes:

Up Annette Lake trail, then turn right at the Iron Horse trail (road) to the open slopes on the right side of Humpback Creek. Good ski route, not so good on a snowboard.

[Alpinfox]

 

Nice!

 

Thanks for the report.

 

 

[wbk]

Here's a shot from the right pitch (photo credit-Mike Schmit)

 

[MCash]

That looks nice!

[Weekend_Climberz]

More like Snice!!

 

Looks good up there these days

[kevbone]

You guys and your ice climbing.....burly! Great job.

[spotly]

I like that 3rd shot - very nice.

[scottgg]

Cool! Quite the hidden gem!