Easy Icy Stuff in Alpine Lakes

[Braydon]

Okay so I'm looking to get a solid winter/spring alpine foundation this season and am looking for some easy, confidence building, low commitment routes (even though none of these apply to winter climbing ) Anyways I've kinda come up with a little list and would appreciate any tips, suggestions, etc.

 

Also, can you climb any of these type of routes soon...

 

Chair Peak - North Face, NE Buttress

 

Snoqualmie - NY Gully (maybe a little too much), isn't there another easier ice route on the mountain?

 

Tooth - NE Slabs

 

Dragontail - North Face, Triple Coulirs

 

Colchuck - NE Couloir

 

Guye - South Gully

 

Hood - North Face (okay i know its in oregon, too much?)

 

Stuart - Stuart Glacier Couloir, Ice Cliff Glacier(spring for both)

Edited November 27, 2008 by Braydon

[Dane]

Once we get a couple of good storm cycles you'll want to check the approach times again.

 

Right now there isn't much snow up high. That will change quickly and make some of these climbs a much bigger affair.

 

Which is why most just drive north to Canada

[marc_leclerc]

Braydon, you should stay up here for a while again... theres lots of easier winter climbs up here (Blanshard, Rexford, Needle...) that you would like.

[Peakpimp]

Sounds like a sweet list to me! When are we getting started?

[Ade]

These are all good routes. NY Gully is significantly harder than the others though. The Alpental valley has some significant avie hazzard that makes approaching the routes up there more serious than it might seem giventhe proximity to the ski area - be careful.

 

Approach times get a lot longer. Now you can get into the base of Colchuck/Dragontail in three hours. Once the road shuts and the trail snows in it's more like six.

 

Other things you might want to consider:

 

Stuart, NW face

Colchuck, the other couloir

Cutthroat, NW couloir (spring)

Abiel peak (numerous possible lines)

Eldorado, NW couloir

 

More ideas/alpine porn here:

 

http://www.ademiller.com/climbing/gallery/cascades/index.htm

 

[kevino]

Go climb ice cliff now and it'll be a lot more ice than snow compared to spring.

 

You can also through in Mt. Kent when abiel peak is in.

 

But after last weekend, I have to agree with Dane, just drive to Canada.

[Alex]

It really sounds like that NE "Flavor of the Month" Couloir on Dragontail is destined to be an early-season classic, if no ice is required. I havent done it yet but am definitely jazzed to try it now thanks to the great TRs!

 

Stuart, NW face

Colchuck, the other couloir

Cutthroat, NW couloir (spring)

 

Those are good additional suggestions!

 

Northwest Face on Stuart is a great route guarded by a pretty dang long approach, that will be pretty condition dependent. With Stuart Gl Couloir and Sherpa Gl next door and lots of other stuff to see on that side of the mountain, though, there is always a bail out plan if you commit to the approach.

 

The North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck is significantly easier outing technically than the NE Buttress on Colchuck, but really highly recommended: great day out in the mountains!

 

The Cutthroat route is actually the E Couloir, covered in Nelson's guide, and is in shape only a short time in the Spring. It's also a bit trickier (IMO) than most of these other routes, as there is a pretty legit thin WI3+/4 pitch on it, where most of these other routes are not close to vertical.

 

Ade has pretty much the compendium going on his site there, its a good resource!

[Braydon]

Go climb ice cliff now and it'll be a lot more ice than snow compared to spring.

 

You can also through in Mt. Kent when abiel peak is in.

 

But after last weekend, I have to agree with Dane, just drive to Canada.

 

Is ice cliff snowed in by now? Are any of the fall alpine ice routes still doable righ now?

[TrogdortheBurninator]

there is very little snow in the stuart range as of this past weekend.

[DPS]

Are any of the fall alpine ice routes still doable righ now?

 

I am willing to bet something like the North Face of Mt Maude would be in this weekend.

[kevino]

got any other ideas you are willing to bet on?

[Alex]

There's an alpine ice route on the NE side of forbidden awaiting it's FA!

[Braydon]

alright guys thanks a lot.

 

if anyone wants to get on one of these routes this weekend pm me!

[jmace]

Seems like this weekend may be similar to last weekend wrt to temperatures and freeezing levels..

 

.THURSDAY NIGHT...PARTLY CLOUDY. FREEZING LEVEL 9000 FEET. SOUTHEAST

WIND IN THE PASSES 10 TO 15 MPH.

.FRIDAY...INCREASING CLOUDS. FREEZING LEVEL 11000 FEET. AFTERNOON

PASS TEMPERATURES AROUND 40.

.FRIDAY NIGHT...MOSTLY CLOUDY WITH A CHANCE OF RAIN. SNOW LEVEL

10000 FEET.

.SATURDAY...RAIN LIKELY. SNOW LEVEL 8500 FEET.