Good steep spring routes in the Olympics?

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Ok, so I'm thinking I haven't been in the Olympics much for a while and I need to get out in the spring. We have great steep couloir routes in the Cascades like Triple Couloirs, etc. What is the closest I can come in the Olympics?

 

How steep does the couloir in route 1A on Constance really get? How about the north side of Alphabet Ridge from Charlia Lakes? Ridge of Gargoyles? There has to be some nice spring snow/ice somewhere.

[Dannible]

Go check out the Buckhorn area. I went up earlier this winter just to have a look around and while I didn't get very high because of the wind, there is a lot of potential. There was a tree blocking the road 4 miles before the TH in december, but it probably has a lot of snow on it now anyway.

[Macson]

Winter direct route on Washington

[OlympicMtnBoy]

Damn, that's all we can come up with? This forum just dies every year come November. I know there's more to do in the winter and spring than that!

 

Damnible, what are you thinking of in the Buckhorn? I was up there in fall year before last and did both buckhorn peaks, didn't look like anything vaugely steep up there would be long enough to justify the hike.

 

I've been thinking about the Winter Direct on Washington. Anybody interested in heading up there with me this weekend or next (weather and snow providing)? Or hitting anything else?

[AJScott]

Washington has some steepness...I assume the winter direct route is the standard summer route but including the steep gully...its not that long though. We skied it this year on presidents day weekend Route 1a on Constance is a really fun little chute, its tucked away back in there and you cant see it until your right underneath it. I want to go and check out Deception from the Deception basin...I think there may be some TC style chutes that connect together on that face. I would be into going and checking it out this spring but im bringing mah skis!

 

Warshint0n:

 

 

Constance 1a:

 

 

 

And Deception:

 

Almost looks like Dtail if you squint your eyes!

[Dannible]

The routes around Buckhorn aren't super long, but this is the Olympics so we can't be too picky. On the south face of the east peak there are a couple of gullies that I have climbed in the summer (death choss) that I think would be about 50-60 degree snow/ice with a handfull of steeper steps (low class 5 in the summer) thrown in. The easternmost gully has a short pitch of 5.7 near the top. I climbed a zig-zaging route on the south ridge in the fall of 2005 (grade III 5.4x) that could be a worthwhile mixed route when the loose stuff is frozen solid. I think that all of these routes are 1000-1500 feet long. If you look at the peaks across the valley to the south you will notice all kinds of steep gullies and faces about 500-1000 feet tall. The hike in is not unreasonable depending on how far you can drive up the road, so I would think that you could do a couple of routes in a long weekend.

The pictures that I took this winter don't show much because it was snowing.

I could be talked into heading to the Olys for some exploring this spring if anyone is interested.

[MCash]

Has the Washington - Ellinor Traverse been done in winter? I bet that would be a fun one.

[Drederek]

I'm sure it has. Today would have been a good day to try if the rain would have held off. Some steepness off the NE side of Ellinor, towards Mildred lake. I think peeps ski down and hike back up.

[philfort]

 

 

Nice photos!

[OlympicMtnBoy]

AJScott, thanks for the nifty pics, gives me some good encouragement there. The winter direct listed in the new Olympics guidebook is different from the summer route, it goes climber's right of the SE ridge and has mixed potential depending on snow conditions (according to the book). The summer route is way on the other side of the ridge. Deception looks like it could have some fun potential in the right conditions. I've never been up there before.

 

Damnible, sounds fun if the road is open high enough.

 

Spring cc.com party in the Olympics anyone? Maybe after this next bit of snow settles?

- OMB

[AJScott]

Thanks philfort...I got a new camera this summer(olympus stylus 720sw) and it takes a lot better pictures than my old 2 megapixel camera I used to have. I think I will always be a point and shoot kinda guy though...

 

I need to get the new olympics guide book...sounds like im missing out on a lot of good info. My partner and I have been slowly tick'n off the east side peaks on skis, there is a ton of ski potential in the olympics! I love looking straight down on the sound while skiing, its pretty unique!

[mneagle]

This is a new route I submitted to the new Olympics guide (not sure if it made it in). It's to the left of the regular route. Pretty steep in places. I did it alone and mostly at night by headlamp. I slept on the ridge crest and finished the traverse the next day. I tried to traverse all the way to the north peak but the snow was too unstable.