[TR] Mighty Tooth - S.F.B.B 6/30/2007

[scottgg]

Trip: Mighty Tooth - S.F.B.B

 

Date: 6/30/2007

 

Trip Report:

Having recently joined the ranks of Fatherhood, I find my forays in the mountains infrequent at best. So this past Saturday, when a bit of free time coincided with a weather window, I knew I had to exploit it by attempting the Mighty Tooth! I approached my usual partner with this bold idea, and he belched his agreement. Standing just over three inches tall, this portly fellow lives in our fridge and refers to himself as Beer Troll. He actually hails from a proud ancestry of Norwegien Beer Trolls, though the family name has deteriorated in recent years.

 

Beer Troll on lead, Great Northern Slab, Index.

 

I went to bed Friday with the usual butterflies, but what really kept me up was the barely audible din coming from the kitchen. I knew then that Beer Troll had got into my Alaskan Amber, and that he would be less than refreshed when I woke him in a few short hours.

 

Sure enough, when I opened the fridge at 4:00am, he was naked as a plucked turkey, and surrounded by several half emptied bottles of his favorite brew. After a brief tongue-lashing, I tossed him in the car, and we were off! He demanded we get coffee and pastries on the way to Alpental, and when we finally arrived at the empty trailhead he announced he would not be joining me on the climb. He cited a searing hangover and generally lethargy as his reasons, but I was unconvinced. After much threatening, humiliation, and general abuse, he finally agreed to “come for a little ways”.

 

We loaded up our fanny packs, synchronized our watches, and started jogging away just before 6:00am. The trail went quickly, though the gasping and wheezing coming from somewhere behind me became louder and louder, until Beer Troll finally collapsed upon reaching the slopes above Source Lake. He dramatically announced his highpoint, and said he would meet me back at the car. But fearing a wild snaffle may find him first,

I decided to make room for him in my already stuffed fanny pack.

 

The snow above Source Lake was nice and firm, and despite the extra weight in my pack I still made it to the base of the South Face in good time. Upon hearing voices above, I threw out my half-hearted plans to do the climb nude, but enjoyed myself nonetheless. The descent involved much slipped and sliding, but we still made it back to the trailhead in just under two hours round trip, 1:57:20.

 

In all seriousness, two weeks ago I ran up the Mighty Tooth with Mark Bunker, and we both round-tripped it in a little over two hours. I pared my gear down, got in some good training runs, and watched my food and beverage intake (much to Beer Troll’s dismay) this past week, and I was stoked to get it done this time in less than two hours.

 

[skykilo]

Sounds speedy. I may have to run at it some day just to get an idea of how quick that is.

[Marko]

It's pretty quick right now what with the snow hanging around...

[glm]

I'm impressed! I did a bunch of trail running over the weekend and that's a good bit of elevation gain/loss, given that you had to take at around 20 minutes for the climb and probably 15 minutes for the raps back, or did you downclimb it to avoid the weight of a rope? I don't think I'd like to downclimb the catwalk unroped, but I'm not as good at this as many.... Anyway, car to base of tooth to car in, let's say, 1:25:00 is pretty snappy.

I'm sure the snow hurts on the way up but may help on the way back down.

[scottgg]

I carried a fanny pack with: 20oz of Cytomax, 2 GUs, and a sawed off trekking pole. Yeah, I agree that down climbing (or up climbing for that matter)the catwalk unroped would be spooky! I went up and down the detached flakes to the right. Another option would be to down climb the North Ridge, but I haven't gone that way before.

Here are my splits, if anyone is interested in what to expect:

18:10 Snow Lake Cuttoff

1:01 Base of South Face (accessed via 3rd class gully)

1:03 Start up SF

1:12 Summit

1:21 Base of SF

1:57:20 Back at TH

Snow sure helped on the way down! Great way to experience the mountains! As an aside, a few years ago (2002?) Jens K. approached via the Alpental chairlift, climbed the Tooth, and skied back to the car in 1:27!! (source: Speed Climbing Records

[mvs]

The North Ridge is a fine and quick way down if you are soloing. Just a bit of "using your hands" and then steep scrubby goat trail terrain. I wish you could just drop into the snowy basin from the col, but it looked steep and I don't know if it's possible. I walked back to Pineapple Pass along the west side of the rock.

 

Can't believe your time, that is amazing!

 

[matt_warfield]

If everybody keeps talking about it, we'll get Danny H. up to the Tooth for a go!

[ScottP]

Beer trolls are aid.

[scottgg]

If everybody keeps talking about it, we'll get Danny H. up to the Tooth for a go!

 

Is Danny H. "Off the hook" on this website?

Edited August 22, 2007 by scottgg

[lizard_brain]

OnBelay Barbie is unimpressed.

 

[DPS]

Wow, I thought my best time of 2:15 was fast, but sub 2 hours is very impressive.

[ericb]

If everybody keeps talking about it, we'll get Danny H. up to the Tooth for a go!

 

Is Danny H. "Off the hook" on this website?

 

No....if you go to off the hooks profile (and website), he reveals his true identity, academic credentials, pedigree, etc.

[scottgg]

Now is a great time to go if you are looking for a speedy ascent of this thing...

[esugi]

Climbed South Face on Fathers Day. Very easy romp on a beautiful day. Can approach via winter route still. We did not take flotation but we did not post-hole as much on way out. Everyone we passed had skiis though...

 

got home early enough to take a nap...then enjoy my fathers day dinner.

[olyclimber]

you were passing people who had skiis on!!! Speed walkers?

 

i should drag the ancient mariner up there sometime, have ulee ropegun it.