G-spotter Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Trip: Stonerabbit Peak (Chehalis) - SE Face (900m 4th Class) Date: 9/28/2008 Trip Report: Chris Hood and myself took advantage of a brief window of opportunity created by the reactivation of Skwellepil Creek road for logging to tag this great route in the southern Chehalis. Four other climbers including Marc Leclerc were a couple of hours behind us. The SE Face of Stonerabbit was climbed by Reinhard Fabische and cc's own stemalot in 2004 or so and is notable for being sustained 3rd and 4th class for 900m with no bush at all, just quality easy climbing. It has had a couple of repeats and is becoming known as one of, if not the best, scrambling routes in SW BC. The only downer is the Skwellepil road which, like most of the Chehalis, is rarely driveable necessitating usually-long approaches. We left the Sasquatch Inn at 5:30 and were hiking by 7 or so. After half an hour or so, we caught some pretty alpenglow Soon we reached the creek coming down from Stonerabbit and headed straight up the drainage, the first 500m or so of the route follows this watercourse on smooth, waterworn slabs, and is generally sustained 3rd class with boulder problems, sometimes wet. After the first 500m or so up the drainage you reach a halfway point with pools of water and a talus ledge where you leave the drainage and start climbing the face proper: Looking up Route line from the talus ledge to the top Now you are on dry slabs with chickenheads and the climbing is fucking awesome. It gradually steepens and gets harder as you ascend, near the top, a rising traverse to the left takes you a long way along a delightfully incut, grassy joint line. Then up and back right to gain the hanging talus patch high on the face. Lots of exposure here. From the talus patch we cut left up the upper south ridge to the summit although you can also go straight up to the upper East ridge (FA party as well as the group following us went this way) The summit is a pretty cool place, great views of Robie Reid, Judge Howay and the Chehalis peaks The we descended the west ridge, cut back under the SW Face (10 pitches 5.6) and descended the lower drainage back to the road and out to the car. 9 hours car to car, never needed to use the headlamps and were back at the Sasquatch by 5ish for beer and burgers This is, despite being a bit easy for a "climb", a 5 star alpine route - possibly one of the best in SW BC. wWll worth doing. Gear Notes: Go light! Sticky rubber approach shoes is pretty much all you really need, a helmet is good too. Steve says you can fly back to the car in 15 mins if you take a paraglider up. Approach Notes: Chehalis FSR to 30km is 2wd. Skwellepil Creek Road is 4km of high clearance 2wd to 4km (active logging) then 40 minutes of walking to the start of the route. Skwellepil Creek will be washed out over the coming winter and the existing Bailey bridge over Skwellepil Cr. on the Chehalis mainline will be removed, probably in November. Once removed it will be a 10km hike plus a creek ford to get you to the route. still well worth doing, but much more of a daytrip for the next month or so, so go do it now. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 That looks like splendid fun, great looking rock. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
marc_leclerc Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 Sure was a great route, even though its easy I still highly recommend it. I took my GF on it for her first trip in the mountains and she loved it, the 10m rope we carried stayed in the pack and we cruised up in a bit over 4 hours. 7-8 hours car to car. All four of us (me ,tamara, and two clubtreaders) had an excellent time. The lower slabs are friggin amazing! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AlanB Posted October 1, 2008 Share Posted October 1, 2008 I guess I'll come out of the shadows and say I was one of those "clubtreaders" It's a killer route and I have never seen a face that big on that type of rock. Loved every minute of it and I agree it should be up there with on of SW BC's best scrambles. Nice photos. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_rutl Posted September 9, 2009 Share Posted September 9, 2009 hey G...any update on the approach? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 Gated till Sept 13ish, then deactivated soon after. BCMC trip got thru the gate with special permission and said upper Skwellepil road was a mess, they had to walk the last 6kms. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
G-spotter Posted September 9, 2009 Author Share Posted September 9, 2009 http://www.clubtread.com/sforum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=32350 BCMC trip a couple weeks ago Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jmace Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 said upper Skwellepil road was a mess, they had to walk the last 6kms Ya but they were in cars....everything is big and scary on a FSR when your in a car.. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Off_White Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 "mountain grammar police" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shapp Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Intersting peak name, is it a rocky member of the Leporidae family (stone rabbit), or a toking monk (stoner abbit)? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
t_rutl Posted September 10, 2009 Share Posted September 10, 2009 Gated till Sept 13ish, then deactivated soon after. BCMC trip got thru the gate with special permission and said upper Skwellepil road was a mess, they had to walk the last 6kms. thanks G...will have to wait til next year then...but looks like kick-ass outing! nice TR and pics btw Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
TamaraSlade Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Awesome! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andyrew Posted September 30, 2009 Share Posted September 30, 2009 Intersting peak name, is it a rocky member of the Leporidae family (stone rabbit), or a toking monk (stoner abbit)? Hah, that would be a stoner abbot, I think. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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