DirtyHarry Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Trip: Snow Creek Wall - White Slabs Ice Date: 1/14/2007 Trip Report: This should maybe have been posted in Alpine Lakes Forum, but ... Dan Cappelini and I (Peter Hirst) climbed the right of two nice looking smears on Snow Creek Wall Saturday. The left smear approximately takes the Northern Dihedral Route, and the smear we climbed, the White Slabs or White Slabs Direct line. Apparently, Rolf and Dan had climbed an ice line near this one a few years back. I found thin ice on the first pitch, but the climbing was not too hard. I spotted a good crack to belay from so I stopped short at about 40 meters to belay Dan up. Dan's pitch was the crux - delicate, precarious, and not really any pro. Dan climbed past a pin, then decided to downclimb and set up a belay, making for another short pitch. After making sure there was atleast one bomber pin in the belay I started the next pitch by traversing right to some thicker looking ice and up where I found some decent screws and great climbing. Sixty meters later I was at a sweet belay cave. Dan's next pitch was an absolute gem, with a cool rock dihedral on the left and steep and mostly good ice to climb. This pic doesn't do the pitch justice, but it was one of the best ice pitches I've climbed. The next pitch involved some sketchy steep traversing with tied off icicles for pro to get to a wallowing gulley where I belayed. Dan then led up what we thought would be a class 3 gulley, but Dan had to pull through a very akward 5.9ish snow filled chimney with no ice or pro to top out. I fell out of it following. Well, we topped out in the dark, but the descent was pretty straight forward and probably easier than in the summer. Six pitches, 2 short ones, 4 long ones. Good times. Gear Notes: Blades, Arrows, Screws, Cams. Approach Notes: Trail is a highway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 awesome! might hop on that ride next weekend Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
slothrop Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Nice! Looks like White Slabs Direct, which seems to have water streaks even into summer. Plain ol' White Slabs is an LFC most of the way. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted January 15, 2007 Author Share Posted January 15, 2007 awesome! might hop on that ride next weekend Someone should get after that northern dihedral line before it falls down. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Weekend_Climberz Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Temps are looking good for next weekend. Nice photos :tup: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mountainmatt Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 Nice route! What would you say the overall rating of the route was? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappellini Posted January 15, 2007 Share Posted January 15, 2007 white slabs direct is 5.9+r. i have done it in summer. probably in modern terms, which people have passively grown accustomed to over recent years, 5.10r. plastered whith thin frozen debris it felt about the same as when i climbed it high and dry, in a sportshirt. with the added fear associated with body weight tool placements instead of c4 rubber and a sportshirt. lastly: not as difficult as when rolf guided it last time. that said translate as you see fit. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WageSlave Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Wait, were you there on Sat or Sun, cause someone was climbing the same route as you folks Sunday if it wasn't you. I was across the way top-roping some 30 ft stuff and a couple of us were watching you folks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted January 16, 2007 Author Share Posted January 16, 2007 I was watching you while you were watching me. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
edmona Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Peter - you're carrying the torch well, my friend. I hope your girlfriend is recovering (really). Skip E. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 That's a sweet line. Good work guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WageSlave Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 We were all like, damn thats some sweet ice they're climbing. And you were probably like, damn thats some hideous orange crap those people are wearing. That route looked beautiful from the ground, and it sounds like it rocked the socks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpinfox Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I can TOTALLY hear Cappelini bein all like, "DAMN! I like that gorts and gaiters look....NOT!" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
carolyn Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Sweet! Please dont give me a reason to visit in the winter now! Nice work. Sounds like a nice day. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wdietsch Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
olyclimber Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 Thats some nice climbing guys. I like the part where you couldn't protect most. I felt like I was there with you. But you all were encouraging me on, telling me I could do it. But you know I couldn't, you were just being nice. Thanks. This Cappelini fellow must be really something. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rat Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 "dan is a giant among our people." (mike schaefer) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappellini Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 I can TOTALLY hear Cappelini bein all like, "DAMN! I like that gorts and gaiters look....NOT!" so whats wrong with my gaiters? i was watching you wondering if you understood the gravity of the situation peter and i had gotten ourselves into: "they must me saying wow those guys are really slow, that dude is still standing that spot wetting himself Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sexual_chocolate Posted January 16, 2007 Share Posted January 16, 2007 wow, that looks friggin' fun. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Spud_Bike Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Cool Deal Brother Dan. The kids are ready. Lots of luv from Ohio. Trip: Snow Creek Wall - White Slabs Ice Date: 1/14/2007 Trip Report: This should maybe have been posted in Alpine Lakes Forum, but ... Dan Cappelini and I (Peter Hirst) climbed the right of two nice looking smears on Snow Creek Wall Saturday. The left smear approximately takes the Northern Dihedral Route, and the smear we climbed, the White Slabs or White Slabs Direct line. Apparently, Rolf and Dan had climbed an ice line near this one a few years back. I found thin ice on the first pitch, but the climbing was not too hard. I spotted a good crack to belay from so I stopped short at about 40 meters to belay Dan up. Dan's pitch was the crux - delicate, precarious, and not really any pro. Dan climbed past a pin, then decided to downclimb and set up a belay, making for another short pitch. After making sure there was atleast one bomber pin in the belay I started the next pitch by traversing right to some thicker looking ice and up where I found some decent screws and great climbing. Sixty meters later I was at a sweet belay cave. Dan's next pitch was an absolute gem, with a cool rock dihedral on the left and steep and mostly good ice to climb. This pic doesn't do the pitch justice, but it was one of the best ice pitches I've climbed. The next pitch involved some sketchy steep traversing with tied off icicles for pro to get to a wallowing gulley where I belayed. Dan then led up what we thought would be a class 3 gulley, but Dan had to pull through a very akward 5.9ish snow filled chimney with no ice or pro to top out. I fell out of it following. Well, we topped out in the dark, but the descent was pretty straight forward and probably easier than in the summer. Six pitches, 2 short ones, 4 long ones. Good times. Gear Notes: Blades, Arrows, Screws, Cams. Approach Notes: Trail is a highway Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bug Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Nice adventure climbing! Thanks for the TR. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
montypiton Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 Nice job guys - bigger huevos than I. The Monday party consisted of two representatives of the Old Funhogs Alpine Recreation Troupe - myself and the the ancient jedice master M2D2. After completing the first pitch (average ice thickness a weak 2") on a couple of tied-off stubbies and a partially driven z-peg, we whipped out the wienie-webbing and rapped from the first belay I could build. Old guys like us no longer bounce when we fall - we shatter. After bailing, however, we traversed around to Pearly Gates, where we found a delightful shield of WI3 thick enough to take screws. I'd put a photo here if I could figure out how... Another grandpa-type (John Tarver), soloed the Pearly Gates shield on Tuesday, I'm told. by the way, we found a red-and-white quickdraw with two carabiners at the base of the white slabs smear. I presume you guys must have dropped or lost it? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cappellini Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 i am not as young as you may think, an i am still sore on wednesday.... the quickdraw, yes i saw it inadvertantly tumble by while i was belaying...i consider any lapse in style which leads to loss of equipment to be just that: a loss. therefore if you wish to retain it as booty, its obviously yours by my ethos...but, if youd like to give it back, i'll buy you a beer or an organic fruitjuice depending on your lifestyle...my number is in the book, cashmere. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dr_Flush_Amazing Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 I am feeling a lot of love here. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lunger Posted January 17, 2007 Share Posted January 17, 2007 nicshe work. "a giant among our people," har har! way to tend them rabbits, george and lennie, Lilliputian and Brobdingnagian punks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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