North Face of Larrabee

[cheamclimber]

 

Hey do you guys know if the North face of Larabee has had a winter ascent? Also is it easier to approach it from Slesse Creek or the States?

Edited October 26, 2007 by cheamclimber

[G-spotter]

There are easier peaks to get to in winter...

[cheamclimber]

^ Would you have any good suggestions? ^

[cheamclimber]

^ Would you have any good suggestions? ^

[layton]

didn't beckey do that in winter?

[cheamclimber]

Did he? It looks really fun!

[Don_Serl]

cheam,

 

per any of the relevant guidebooks (Culbert '74; Fairley '86; red Fred), the N face was climbed by Fred and Jim Douglas in 1968. i have never heard of a 2nd ascent of the face, much less a winter ascent - anybody know different?

 

there was a winter ascent of the peak made in March 1958 by Hank Mather and Elfrida Pigou, but that was via the E buttress, during a traverse of the full Pleiades/Larrabee group - now, THERE's an outing that was ahead of its time!

 

as for getting there, once the valleys snow in, you're faced with very long approaches up Slesse Ck, Tamihi Ck, or via Twin Lks/High Pass. and considering the commitment involved, you'd definitely want to have done the route in the summer so u were aware of where it went (which is not very clear from the guidebook descriptions) and what kinda of climbing and gear were involved. I suspect lotsa face climbing, and lotsa thin pitons, but that's a wild-ass guess...

 

good luck,

cheers,

Edited October 28, 2007 by Don_Serl

[cheamclimber]

I think the route takes the butress on the left side of the face and is mostly call 4 but the approach would be crappy. I would take a snowmobile up the road (slesse) But I would do it in a weekend trip along with American Border Peak and the Canadian Border Peak

[Bill_Simpkins]

Larrabee's summit is really easy during the summer from Twin Lakes. Takes about 3 hours round trip if you walk really fast. That being said, if you can find a way around to the base of the face from the south side, the USA way should be pretty fast and effortless if you can drive or ski into Twin Lakes. However, from experience, Larrabee is the biggest choss pile in the the Cascades. It is held together by magic. So if you do that face, make sure it is really cold.

Before you traverse over to the standard routes 4th class gully on the South side you can head up right to get a good look down the less step section (you can see that in the picture on the far left). Might be possible to scramble down through there to the face. I don't know.

[plexus]

However, from experience, Larrabee is the biggest choss pile in the the Cascades. It is held together by magic.

 

Therefore it is wise to have Harry Potter to be your climbing partner.

[AlpineK]

Back a few years ago I scrambled up the south side of Larrabee from Twin lakes. It was pretty easy but fun. My friends dog came along.