[TR] Chair Peak - NE buttress 5/19/2008

[Alpine_Tom]

Trip: Chair Peak - NE buttress

 

Date: 5/19/2008

 

Trip Report:

I went out Sunday for the first time in months, and figured due to the high avalanche warnings and uncertainly over what the snow conditions would be, I'd do a close, predictable outing. Several years ago I'd solo'd the NE Buttress of Chair Peak, so I figured that would be a good way to break out the rock shoes.

My Lord, there's a lot of snow up there! After a 90-degree day in Seattle, I'd envisioned the Snow Lake trail bare and dry, full of families in shorts and flipflops. Instead, it looks pretty much like you'd expect, say, in March.

So, I ended up slogging around above the Snow Lake trail, getting cliffed out several times, and got to the base of Chair Peak about two hours later than I'd intended.

The snow wasn't too soft -- I ran into a party who said that two weeks ago they were sinking to their thighs, but it was much firmer than that now.

The rock was untenable, at least for a solo attempt. A lot of that green lichen was slick from the melt water, so what had been a stimulating solo in August a few years ago, was unacceptably risky to me. I got about 50 feet up before I gave up, downclimbed and headed out.

 

I was surprised to see the ski lifts still running -- I got the impression that this might have been their last day. I heard people over on The Tooth; I'm guessing the south-facing rock would have been a much more pleasant place to be.

 

Gear Notes:

rock shooz

 

Approach Notes:

No avalanching observed; apparently what could avalanche already has. LOTS of snow; Source Lake is invisible. Ski poles would have been useful.