[TR] Lillooet: Swiller Pillar, Texas Two Step; Jan26-7

[Don_Serl]

Trip: Lillooet: Swiller Pillar, Texas Two Step; Jan26-7

 

Date: 1/26/2008

 

Trip Report:

Graham and I flogged up to the Swiller Pillar on Saturday. The snow was the worst I've ever encountered on an ice climbing approach - it took us 4 hours (!) to reach the climb from the car, and while the somewhat optimistic guidebook suggestion that it's "about 1 hour to the routes" would only be possible in perfect conditions, it IS only just over 1km and 400m in elevation gain.

 

The route started with a 6 or 8m vertical step, which brittle surface ice made tricky. Lower-angled, poorish ice with shitty pro led to a pull thru some mushrooms (luckily with a good screw, at last) and a belay at 30m behind a column. Graham set out onto the second section, but after getting 3 or 4 body-lengths up it, and having placed two screws which mostly just dialed into air, he came down and we rapped off.

 

It only took an hour to flail back down to the creek, but my trash bag waders leaked badly on the crossing out, so the day ended with miserable, cold, wet feet - the perfectly rounded coastal ice experience, all told!

 

I couldn't stand another big flail Sunday, so we went into Texas Creek, which offers a very pleasant ambiance. There is a GUIDEBOOK ERROR in positioning Texas Two Step - it is just around the corner beyond the 1km sign (say, at 1.2km), well short of the 2nd bridge at 2km. We split the climb into two pitches: the 1st was a bit wet, but very entertaining up a narrow channel - MUCH less ice than in the guide photo on pg220. The 2nd step is only about 15m high, and we left the pull-out finish MUCH less bushy than we found it. A single 55m rap took us back to the packs on the snow - the climb is considerably shorter than the guidebook claim of 80m. Highly recommended, however, for parties looking for an aesthetic easy route.

 

We soloed up and down Lone Star in about 10 minutes on the walk out - this probably qualifies as the least significant "route" in the guide, but could be an OK place to take a couple beginners. (Correctly guide-book-placed just before the 1km sign.)

 

Jesse and Jeff got a bit twisted on the approach to Last Call on Saturday, but eventually found the correct approach ramp. They followed this all the way to the ice, bypassing the 1st pitch, then climbed pitches 2 and 3, planning on rapping into and reclimbing pitch 1 on their descent, but by the time they were descending the day was wearing late, and they headed for the car.

 

They found Spray Ck Falls to be "not in" on Sunday, then climbed at the Tube, which reports have as wet but do-able.

 

I'll get you some photos when G forwards something to me.

 

P.S. We drove the D'Arcy road on Sat morning to scope. Roadside Attraction looked do-able, but sported some big holes. Candlewax did not look inspiring. The Plum looked great. Valentine had lots of holes in the 1st tier. There's a lot of ice on the White Blotter cliff, but it looked very 'strandy' and hard from the road, especially the 2nd tier. Since it usually looks OK from the road and turns out to be the hardest '5' on the planet, it's probably in very 'tough' shape right now.

 

Cheers,

 

Approach Notes:

gawd, the crust is awful up on the Duffey!

Edited January 30, 2008 by Don_Serl

[G-spotter]

There is a GUIDEBOOK ERROR in positioning Texas Two Step - it is just around the corner beyond the 1km sign (say, at 1.2km), well short of the 2nd bridge at 2km. We split the climb into two pitches: the 1st was a bit wet, but very entertaining up a narrow channel - MUCH less ice than in the guide photo on pg220. The 2nd step is only about 15m high, and we left the pull-out finish MUCH less bushy than we found it. A single 55m rap took us back to the packs on the snow - the climb is considerably shorter than the guidebook claim of 80m. Highly recommended, however, for parties looking for an aesthetic easy route.

 

If Texas Two Step is at 1.2 km, what's the two pitches of ice just before the second bridge at 2km?

 

Having climbed a lot in Texas Creek (4 times now), and never having seen any ice at km 1.2 before, although I know there's a dry gully there, and having climbed the aforementioned two pitch 80m WI3 at the second bridge twice now, it sounds a hell of a lot to me as if you mistook a new & rarely formed route for Texas TwoStep. Let's see the pics!

[Don_Serl]

first a few shots of the Swiller Pillar approach to whet (wet?) your appetite:

 

 

 

 

...wasn't that FUN?!?!?

 

but, finally, there's the waterfall - NICE!

 

 

...and the 1st pitch is pretty snappy...

 

 

...but the 2nd pitch seemed to consist of about as much air as ice (oh, did i forget to mention the spindrift that started to hose down?) - so we bailed.

 

 

 

then over to Texas Creek. nice scenery on the walk in:

 

 

Texas Two Step - the same formation as shown in WCI on pg 220. whatever Drew's done further up the canyon, it's not in the guide! (btw, the only ice there at the moment is just BEYOND the 2nd bridge, and is currently not in climbable shape. there is no ice at all just BEFORE the bridge! obviously a pretty changeable drainage...)

 

 

Graham on the 1st hose - wet but fun:

 

 

...and me leading the 20m 2nd pitch:

 

 

what a contrast between the days!

 

so what are u gonna name 'your' new route further up the canyon, drew? something to remind us all of Texas? like, say, capital punishment? or David Koresh? or George Bush? or the Columbia 'landing zone'?

 

(course, it ain't ALL like that: there's Z Z Top. and steak. and "Giant". and "The Yellow Rose..." etc)

 

cheers,

 

[Choada_Boy]

so what are u gonna name 'your' new route

 

Perhaps: "Leading the World in Executing Retards"