Matt_Alford Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Trip: Gunsight Peaks - Various Date: 7/18/2007 Trip Report: Darin Berdinka and I spent July 13th-17th in the Gunsight Peaks doing the best we could. On day two after a nasty approach up Agnes Creek we climbed the South Ridge of the South Peak (II 5.8). The climb was in a classic position, but was not very clean and a bit loose. Darin on one of the log crossings. Darin following pitch one of the South Ridge of the South Peak Darin on the second pitch of the South Peak The next morning we woke to some fickle weather and light rain. We hung out at camp until the weather cleared and then went and climbed Sol and Martin's new route on the NE Face of the Main Peak (III 10c). These guys really plucked a plum with this line. Five pitches of quality clean climbing. Pitches two and three could have been pulled directly off of the lower town wall at Index. Stellar line well deserving of more attention. Both Darin and I agreed it was one of the best lines we have climbed in the mountains anywhere! Pulling the 10c roof on the NE Face of the Main Gunsight Darin following the 5.9r 4th pitch of the NE Face of the Main Gunsight. After a little celebration and relaxation Darin and I woke up to more unpredictable weather Darin and I walked around to have a go at the West Face of the North Gunsight. Darin under the West Face of North Gunsight. Darin led a pitch of 10- to a KB/nut hanging belay. I led pitch two which starts out moving left on committing 10- moves into the C2 crux of the route. More aid and free climbing followed to a micro cam/nut hanging belay. Darin leading pitch one of the West Face Me on pitch 2 Darin led on to hard 5.10 climbing and a few moves of aid to a hanging belay off a #11 hex. I led through a roof on aid and finished the pitch with free climbing at 10b/c on shitty granite. Darin on pitch 3. Darin led a 5.8 pitch to flat ground and I finished the climb by leading a 5.7 chimney to the seldom visited summit. Berdinka and I on the summit of the North Gunsight. Four perfectly clean rappels brought us to our packs and one more took us across the shrund to the the snow. We didn't find any of Nelson's bolts on the route and it seems we climbed a little further left on the first pitch. This route will likely go free at 11c/d by stronger climbers than I. Although in a classic position, the quality of rock on the route was nowhere near that of the NE Face of the Main Peak. Power laybacks on crumbling granite await the FFA. More traffic will likely help the route. After a little celebration Darin and I crashed for the 4:15 wake up to make the heavily medicated hike out. After a few beers and a close encounter with a police dog in Stehekin we caught a flight back to Chelan to end our trip. Thanks to Darin for our first and most excellent trip together. A great partner to spend time with in the mountains who continues to 'keep the quality high'. A few more photos. Approach Notes: Agnes creek has at least 500 windfalls in the first 9 miles. Really a mess in there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wayne Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Yikes, Good job, misters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ken4ord Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Fuck A right!!!!! Thanks... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
John Frieh Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Nice work guys I don't know if I would call the west face of the north peak "crumbly" or "shitty"... the rock is as sound as anything on stuart... it just has what looks like an "onion skin" that makes gear placements and smearing difficult... I personally never felt like I was going to rip something off in my hands. Yes it isn't clean Index granite... but you were only the 3rd ascent. Great TR! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dberdinka Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Matt actually ripped an apple size chunk off in his hands on P4. But then again he's a buff dude! Both routes were excellent but Sol's route really has the best rockclimbing I ever done in the alpine. It is freaking rad. Nice photos Matt. Good times, good times.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marcus Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Outstanding work Papa!! Sounds like a fantastic week out in the hills... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sol Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 you guys. Gunsight fever. We had originally used the hanging belay on top of pitch 3 to re-direct the ropes away from some serious belay-slayers that we later trundled. Seems like folks are linking p3 and 1/2 of p4 to a belay at the base of the slab. Nice. Cool to meet you just before your adventure with d-dog, matt. Again, nice job you guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
goatboy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Glorious. Christ. What am I doing in this desk job.... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Choada_Boy Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 SWEET!!! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Matt_Alford Posted July 19, 2007 Author Share Posted July 19, 2007 (edited) Nice work guys I don't know if I would call the west face of the north peak "crumbly" or "shitty"... the rock is as sound as anything on stuart... it just has what looks like an "onion skin" that makes gear placements and smearing difficult... I personally never felt like I was going to rip something off in my hands. Yes it isn't clean Index granite... but you were only the 3rd ascent. Great TR! Yeah John, you're right. Shitty wouldn't describe to overall quality of the rock on the West Face. As Darin pointed out though, I pulled off a large chunk at the start of pitch four and the free crux lb high on pitch 4 felt was like 10c on a kitty litter lb. The start of Aid on pitch 2 has a HUGE expanding flake on the left before your transition into the right crack that takes you up to more moderate free climbing. I slotted what I thought was an A1 piece and stepped into the aiders and placed a mirco cam high when I noticed the nut pulling and the whole thing expanding! I quickly pulled over and slotted a steel nut into the crack to the right and stepped on it. Exciting! The climb will become more classic with a bit more traffic and the position is unbeatable. Thanks for the feedback Edited July 19, 2007 by Matt_Alford Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
layton Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 NICE! I gots to get me there and the cathedrals and climb some clean granite! Hell of an effort in there, looks super fun Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rad Posted July 19, 2007 Share Posted July 19, 2007 Next step: chopper to the glacier. Pack the cooler! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blake Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 On the 2nd to last pitch of the East face (Slab pitch) you can climb up to the very top of the slab part where it steepens and then go straight left. You can get in protection in 2 or 3 places to protect yourself and the second climber on the later part of this pitch if you do that. I noticed a bail biner up above the slab in the steeper section of the E. face, but it did not belong to Sol's group. Either someone did the route as an unpublished FA or its an old relic from the Skoog route. I am pretty sure it was an old oval biner, which would suggest something from the older line, but it'd be interesting for the next group up there to climb up to it and take a look, or rap down from the summit. You can see it between yourself and the summit if you look up while climbing the 1st half of the slab. On the West face, I think the rock is just so untouched that there are some scaley/skin sections which should be flaked away with a wire brush or climbers. There anre't just jumbles of blocks or giant chunks ready to blow. Way to go guys, looks like a really good time. Glad you enjoyed all the windfall as much as we did! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tvashtarkatena Posted July 20, 2007 Share Posted July 20, 2007 Beautiful stuff. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dannible Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Nice job guys, glad to hear that the weather worked out for you for the most part. I'm the guy that you met at the bakery with Blake. Some of those pictures look so familiar; I think we may have swung across that same moat. And yes, the east face is very nice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
curtveld Posted July 23, 2007 Share Posted July 23, 2007 Wow, some cool stuff up there! After putting off Gunsight this many years, I'll just wait a little longer and the place will have its own guidebook. Darin on one of the log crossings. And the log crossings over Agnes are getting easier. Back in the day, they belayed over logs with pins for pro. Check out page 15 in Beckey's Challenge of the North Cascades (I'd scan it for yall if I had the technology at home). Great TR guys. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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