[TR] Kyes Peak - Northeast Ridge 9/7/2008

[DHC]

Trip: Kyes Peak - Northeast Ridge

 

Date: 9/7/2008

 

Trip Report:

Climbers: Juan L. and Dave C. (scribe)

 

I’ve hade this route in my cross hairs for some time, which is described in the Beckey Guidebook as “an enjoyable alpine route”. Juan and I rendezvoused at the smokestack in Monroe at 6 AM and departed the Quartz Creek trailhead (2,500 ft) a little after 8 AM for Curry Gap (3,900). We covered the distance of four mile in 1 ½ hours, actually departing the trail before the gap in order to shave the corner.

 

As we approached the first of many local highpoints along the NE ridge, it quickly became obvious that it would be futile to traverse around the local high points to avoid unnecessary elevation gain and loss. Knee high huckleberry bushes, heather, and exposed roots would make side hilling extremely awkward. So we headed straight up to the steep slope, via green belays to point 4,958. We continue to follow the ridgeline with the aid of a goat path. As we topped out the next high point at 5,200 ft, we skirted around an interesting feature along the ridgeline. I’ve seen cannon holes in rock formations, but never a cannon hole through sod and soil, which was about 15 feet in diameter! In order to clear the step terrain of the next high point of 5,527, we descended to 4,900 feet on the south side, then regained elevation to 5,400+ feet. The roller coaster ride continued over point 5,779 which involved down climbing class 3 rock, to bottom out at the next saddle at 5,600 feet. Up and over the last local high point at 6,000+ feet, then down to 5,880 feet finally ended the 2 ½ mile approach. All along the vistas of Sloan, Monte Cristo, not to mention Kyes Peak continued to improve.

 

At 6,000 feet we hung a sharp left turn along a ledge to reach the base of firm snow. After donning crampons, we ascended the 30 to 35 degree slope along the left hand side of the glacier for 700 feet to the base of the summit tower at 7,000 feet. We found a nice, flat rock ledge to get saddled up for the rock climbing. I lead the first rock pitch (class 5.5), which involved climbing a slab for about 40 feet before intersecting a dihedral. About 20 feet up the feature I encountered two pitons, with a rap sling and locking carabiner. Continuing up the splendid firm rock, I slid leftward for five feet around a head high block of rock, then continued rightward along a ledge to a belay station. After reeling in Juan , he continued up and leftward on a class 5 slab, which took him around a minor rib onto easier class 3 terrain to complete his lead. At this point I briefly lead out climbing under belay, but when the climbing turned to easy scrambling, we un-roped and dashed across the top of snow field on the south slope of Kyes Peak. We intersected the south ridge then scrambled unpleasant, loose rock reaching the summit at about 4 PM.

 

After a short stay on the summit we descended the south ridge of Kyes Peak towards the Lake Blanca trail. This involved tiresome side hilling and re-gaining elevation to the ridgeline, eventually reaching the trail near Virgin Lake at 7:15 PM. We reached the Blanca Lake trailhead around 8:30 under candle power. Juan graciously agreed to hump the 2 miles up the road to the Quartz Creek trailhead to retrieve his Jeep. Along the way he walked past a group of “devil worshippers” dancing and singing around 5 large fires, who fortunately didn’t notice him.

 

Time: 12 ½ hours

Elevation gain on ascent and descent: approximately 6,000 feet.

 

I’ll post a few photos later.

 

 

Gear Notes:

Crampons, ice axe, rack of 12-15 pieces will do.

 

Approach Notes:

See trip report.

[Tom_Sjolseth]

It looks like you're getting in some nice climbs this year, Dave and Juan. Thanks for the report.

[pope]

Nice! We turned around high on that approach ridge one afternoon (after a terribly late start) when we decided we would probably run out of light. Not looking forward to descending down the approach's remarkably steep timber, we gambled on hiking out Quartz Creek. With low water in late summer, this turns out to be a pleasant boulder hop.