[TR] February Buttress - Ground Hog Day 5/18/2008

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Trip: February Buttress - Ground Hog Day

 

Date: 5/18/2008

 

Trip Report:

 

Due to the ridiculous temperatures and extreme avy forecast my friend Cary and I canceled a planned trip up the Fuhrer Finger and opted for some Leavenworth cragging on Sunday instead.

 

We met at 7 am at a P&R in north Seattle and due to the hellish heat from the day before expressed some concern that the day would be miserable on hand-frying rock, but hell we got up early already as it was, so might as well go for it.

 

Temps were already closing in on 70 when we got to 11worth, we stopped at the gas station at the Icicle Creek turn and oriented ourselves, with our "Leavenworth Rock" book in hand. We couldn't pick out the buttress and route clearly from there but decided to drive to the first turnout west on Hwy 2 and hope that was right. It was.

 

We hiked up the loose crap with rock and spotted a couple of bolts - Ain't Misbehavin's start. We went uphill and to the right a short distance, geared up and headed up. Cary led the first pitch. It was very fun, but meandered a bit (were we off route?) with mostly good pro, but spotty in places. Lots of face climbing on 60 degree or more rock with some cracks mostly for pro.

 

I lead the second pitch which was very easy. It had a lot of rope drag and wound around the rib of the buttress to a 2nd set of bolts and chains. The pro was very good.

 

Cary led the final pitch which was probably the coolest and most fun. Very easy to follow. It was more of the same - 60+ degree face climbing with cracks. Pro was good.

 

At the third set of bolts and chains we were not at the top of the buttress and wondered if there was a view at the top or why the route ended short of it. There was definitely some more of the same of what we had just climbed just above us. But the route description said three pitches and we were not feeling *that* adventurous.

 

The first rap takes you about 2-3 feet above the 2nd set of chains. It's exactly 100 feet and a little bit disconcerting. The second and third rappels are also close to 100 feet, but don't come up short in this way at all.

 

We ate lunch and chugged water. Mine was nice and warm with a tinge of Nalgene plastic taste. Great... We then decided to go up "Ain't Misbehavin'" for comparison with the first pitch of Ground Hog Day. We had to wait for about 50 minutes for a party that had just come up the trail. They were the only only folks on the route the whole day. I led the pitch. It was definitely a fun one with several bolts mixed with cracks for pro. We rapped down, headed for the cars and drove home in time for dinner.

 

Oh, and the weather? Awesome! Sunny and warm, but there was a nice steady wind most of the day which kept us very comfortable and the rock was not hot at all. A great day in the Tumwater and we almost had the rock to ourselves.

 

Sorry, no pics this time...

 

Gear Notes:

Mostly gear up to 2 inches. Nuts, hexes, tri-cams, cams up to C4 #2.

 

Approach Notes:

Steep climbers trail with loose dirt and rock.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

One other thing... it was awesome to watch the Wenatchee today. Holy shit the snow was melting. Nobody was kayaking today that I saw. As for evidence of huge slides... I didn't see any on the mountains on the drive in (highway 2).

 

[Sherri]

Nice one! Not many folks seem to do Ground Hog Day, but it's definitely a fun, cruisey route. Did you rap with a 70m? If I remember correctly, even with a 70m, you're still short from reaching that one anchor.

[plexus]

Mine was nice and warm with a tinge of Nalgene plastic taste. Great...

 

Honestly, to me that is the best taste in the world. It means I'm out someplace remote, doing what I love in beautiful weather (well it has to be to get warm).

 

Just like today walking back to my truck after a day of bouldering and a couple free solos, I wiped an itch on my nose and smelled the greatness of lichen-tinged granite splashed with chalk on my hand. Better than a bouquet of flowers.

 

And nice climb. 11worth was a great place to go this time of year when I lived out there; you've just reached the end of your rain/snow threshold and just want sunshine and dry rock.

 

 

[TyClimber]

My brother and I did that last fall, it was pretty fun. It happened to be a fairly warm day and due to the aspect of the crag we were climbing without a shirt on at the end of October. Craziness!

 

I am actually surprised it doesn't see more traffic given its short approach and fun moderate climbing.

[KaskadskyjKozak]

Nice one! Not many folks seem to do Ground Hog Day, but it's definitely a fun, cruisey route. Did you rap with a 70m? If I remember correctly, even with a 70m, you're still short from reaching that one anchor.

 

We had a 60 m rope. It is about 2-3 feet shy of the chains for the first rap. It's fine for the other two (but not a lot of room to spare, so it's good to orient the middle of the rope in the chains).

 

[Sherri]

We must have had a 60m when we did it last year then, too. I'd like to get on that one again sometime soon(I'll pack the 70m this time.) Thanks for bringing it up.

[peter57]

Last Wednesday we did GHD and kept going past the 3rd pitch. Very easy climbing. Some might not want to spend time due to easy of climbing on the 4th pitch. At almost exactly 1/2 rope length there is a shelf and a large boulder which now has a sling and rap rings.

 

Hint: take a 30 feet of webbing and put some redundancy to that rap station.

 

Beyond that there appears to be great 4th class low 5th scambling / big blocky climbing to what might be the summit. When time permits I'm heading back to finish off the climb ot the apparent summit.

 

Also, I've climbed GHD twice now and both times rope got stuck on the rap from the 2nd rap station to the 1st. There is a ledge interfering with the rope pull

 

Next time I'm climbing it and going to end that rap at the obvious ledge and scramble down to the anchors at top of Ain't Misbehavin or top of 1st pitch of GHD and then continue the descent.