[TR] Slesse - NE Buttress 8/14/2008

[bstach]

Thanks for the info, G-Spot. I am planning a one day ascent from a bivy on Nesakwatch Creek Road. I am uncertain about navigating the Crossover descent route in the dark. Is it pretty straight forward or would route finding be difficult if we had to do it in the dark?

 

jumar stealing

[marc_leclerc]

how long is Slesse creek rd to walk out?

[jshamster]

'bout 5-6 km., but you don't what to have to walk anymore

after going down steep ass trail to Slesse Creek.

[Buckaroo]

"I am uncertain about navigating the Crossover descent route in the dark."

 

It would be tough in the dark. The key is a tree canopied rock gulley that goes down from the bench below crossover peak. You follow an indistinct stream/water course(seasonal) down through the forest on the bench until it dumps out into the rock gulley that empties into the basin below the NE Buttress. If you don't hit this key gulley it's bushwack central for a 1/4 mile.

 

I recon'd it the week before we did it and marked it with cairns but it would have been really hard to find in the dark because after a week had gone by the stream had dried up.

 

I highly recommend the crossover descent, as a better descent and as a worthy alpine ridge traverse in and of itself but it does take some routefinding. If you want I can draw a map with landmarks and elevations because we went a little different(easier) way from the Becky description and he doesn't tell about the bushwack bypass gulley.

 

This is an old TR with some pics of the Crossover descent.

 

Slesse NE Buttress TR

 

 

[bstach]

Calling JMace....

 

I noticed you changed the weather for Chilliwack ...well someone at EC changed it. Now it looks better for a Sunday/Monday climb. I really appreciated the extra insight you were able to add last time...are you able to provide a bit more detail on what its looking like now?

[Buckaroo]

the weather network has specific reports for National and Provincial parks.

 

Here's the 5 day forecast for Manning Prov Park which is about 20 miles east of Slesse

 

LINK

[G-spotter]

The Weather Network forecasts can be printed out and used for toilet paper. They have no other use.

 

Also from Manning to Slesse is 80km (50 miles)

[moronbros]

not sure what to do about the pics but..

 

I climbed the NW Face this weekend with some friends. We parked right off Chilliwack Lake Rd. at the gate (thanks for the heads-up BTW).

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3030/2800875080_5bc8ca96b4.jpg?v=0

 

The gate is right in the pull off from chilliwack lake road and I talked with a lady there that had a key. She said the blasting company locks it whenever they please. bastards.

 

And yes, I mapped out about 5-6 KM from the gate to the "trailhead" that starts into the woods. The walk sucks!

 

Just about 1km before the former parking lot, there's a bridge that got worked. It's a total mess.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3259/2798273707_cecafd4fc7.jpg?v=0

 

I'm killing myself knowing that I could have brought a mountain bike. It's the most pristine beat-in logging road I've ever been on up to the washout. It would have been rad to ride a bike past the gate and stash it at the former parking area.

 

Oh and by the way, some asshole decided to siphon my gas while I was parked off Chilliwack Lake Road. Watch out. Those mouth-breathers up there will do anything for a liter or two. We fixed it though.

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3067/2806379806_2fb2a46f30.jpg?v=0

[jordop]

moronbros said:

Oh and by the way, some asshole decided to siphon my gas while I was parked off Chilliwack Lake Road. Watch out. Those mouth-breathers up there will do anything for a liter or two. We fixed it though.

 

 

 

Edited June 16, 2021 by jordop

[moronbros]

Yeah. We used a bolt, a rubber washer, and some seal-all. That did the trick.

 

If we would have caught them in the act, there would have been a ROYAL RUMBLEEEEEEE!!

[jmace]

Heres my thoughts on the forecast

 

Once the last front passes through tommorrow late day we should start to see some clearing. However we are left with an upper level low, this looks pretty dam dry but essentially keeps it unsettled.

 

Saturday, Mix sun cloud and a slight chance of a shower mainly in the morning is about right.

 

Sunday, originally it appeared as though the ridge would build in Saturday night but now its through the day on Sunday. I cant guarantee there is not a early morning sprinkle or clear skies until Sunday afternoon when the ridge builds in.

 

40% POP for both days is too high but there has to be a mention of a chance since the upper low is there.

 

Monday looks great now with a weak front arriving late Monday night/Tuesday I think you will begin to see some high cloud late in the day.

 

These upper lows are tough calls and even tougher when your dealing with big peaks like Slesse. Personally I would probably plan on doing it and just make the final call on Saturday.

 

Your right though Sunday/Moday are best looking

 

When using the EC web site 4pm update is based on the 12z model and the 5 am update is the 0z model, the 11am update is just cleaining it up if observations are disagreeing with the forecasts.

 

Good luck and we can have one more look tomorrow

Cheers

 

Jesse

 

ps finally a nice looking ridge is being advertised for middle next week so hopefully a return to summer!!!

 

[Buckaroo]

The Weather Network forecasts can be printed out and used for toilet paper. They have no other use.

 

Also from Manning to Slesse is 80km (50 miles)

 

I stand corrected. My map shows 45k (28 miles) to the border of the park so it probably is 50mi to the center.

 

So what weather page do you use Dru? I can't find anything that gets as close location wise to the stuff in Canada I like to do like the Icefields parkway.

[TrogdortheBurninator]

how about squamish outlook for sat-sun?

[G-spotter]

Use the Environment Canada weather pages and use the forecast for Yoho Park for the Icefields. Use the Chilliwack forecast for Slesse. From experience if POP for Slesse is >30% it will be raining on Slesse.

 

Lillooet looks nice and dry and sunny for the weekend, that's where I'm going.

[jmace]

Slesse makes its own weather for sure, Drew is probably right about >30%

[bstach]

Thanks Jesse. I'm going to make the call Saturday...i really want to get on it, but on the other hand its not going anywhere.

[LeeLau]

jesse - I've been using this for weather http://weather.unisys.com/

 

would you or anyone ever consider doing a class on weather for dummies for mountains? I just kind of bumble along and could use a lot more education

[moronbros]

you might consider the avalanche handbook from mountaineers press. I supplemented what I've learned about weather a bit with that book. Weather is a huge factor in assessment of avalanche conditions and it's fun to learn about it in a context that is useful to me as a snowboarder/mountaineer.

[jmace]

Unisys is good, there are so many sites with so much information its hard to say whats the best.

 

I can help you with some specific questions about maps and models but as far as a class goes..well that may be an option in the future but right now I am too busy.

 

This fellow here comes highly recommended, in fact Dave Jones just sent this to me to pass out yesterday. I dont know much about it though.

 

http://www.mountainweatherservices.com/about.html

 

I am leaving for the Dolomites and High Atlas in a few hours but I would be willing to provide some links when I get back in October. For now this link is probaly the best link out there as far as getting a briefing on weather which will allow you to fine tune which maps you look at when visitng the unisys or UW or MM5 sites.

 

http://www.wrh.noaa.gov/sew/gafd/latest_webafd.html

 

and if you like stats you can naviagte through some probabilities here

 

http://www.weatheroffice.gc.ca/ensemble/index_naefs_e.html

 

Cheers and have a great fall, also the weather forecast for Slesse contrary to EC still looks good for Sunday/Monday

 

[bstach]

Conditions as of Aug 31, 2008

There is still snow at the bottom of the notch, another patch about halfway up the couloir and right at the top. First two pics are from the base of the tree ledge (right beside the upper patch), the 3rd is taken from the top of the tree ledge.

 

It is possible to run across the bottom in tennis shoes and then ascend to the tree ledge on the far side in relative safety. Note the upper portion seems to be sitting on somewhat of a ledge. Nothing slid while we were there, so it seems relatively stable. That said, be careful if you go, i'm sure it could still slide right off (especially the lower portion).

 

Marc and I headed up Sunday morning and froze our asses. We retreated after a snow storm below the bivy ledge.

 

 

 

[bstach]

If you happen to run into the bushy tailed wood rat just below No Way Ray buttress, tell him I want my jumars back.

 

 

He said "No fucking way!" Sorry.

[ScaredSilly]

Why are so many folks so hot on running the Pocket Glacier gauntlet? In less than 2 minutes we walked under the Slesse Glacier and casually walked up to the base of the buttress.

[G-spotter]

Maybe oh hmmm because of the magical moss carpet on the direct start?

[marc_leclerc]

Why are so many folks so hot on running the Pocket Glacier gauntlet? In less than 2 minutes we walked under the Slesse Glacier and casually walked up to the base of the buttress.

 

Then you are threatened not only by the very same pocket glacier, you are in the firing line of the north glacier as well.

[ScaredSilly]

Maybe oh hmmm because of the magical moss carpet on the direct start?

 

We by passsed that ...