[TR] Guye Peak - West Face 8/2/2008

[mkporwit]

Trip: Guye Peak - West Face

 

Date: 8/2/2008

 

Trip Report:

Four of us went out to do some quick and easy alpine on the West Face of Guye on Saturday. The weather report had called for the clouds clearing by around 11am, so we were hopeful.

 

We got to Alpental at 7:30 and it was socked in. About 30 minutes later the drizzle we had passed in North Bend caught up with us as we were making our way up the talus slopes. We hit a headwall and started traversing left under it, like the route description says. We found what we thought was the furthest north gully and headed up. The visibility was poor -- probably 100' on average, so we were guessing. We guessed wrong. At ~4200' we decided this was not the way and bailed. We found some rap tat and reused it.

 

We came to the conclusion that we had come too far north, so we headed back south. After finding what we thought to be the chossy ramp leading up and to the right, we followed it until it narrowed into a class 4 gully. The rock was very loose, and the mist and drizzle made it slick, so the unroped scrambling was attention-getting to say the least. Again we decided this was not the way. This time we figured we were climbing up the Northwest Chimney route, so we bailed off that route. The thought of class 4 slab climbing at the top of the route on this slick crap was not appealing. Two raps, ~20 and ~160' got us down to what we were convinced was absolutely the correct ramp.

 

We headed up the ramp. And then we came to the realization that we were at what looked like the start of the Improbable Traverse. Not feeling like doing that in mountaineering boots in the rain, we retreated down to the car.

 

I'll have to come back when the visibility is better so that I can properly locate all the route starts. Photos to follow once I get them, though butt shots in the fog will probably only qualify them for the bad photo contest.

 

Gear Notes:

Light alpine rack which never left the pack -- 3 large hexes, a set of nuts, and cams in 0.5-2.

 

Approach Notes:

Steep and loose.