tbyrnestl Posted July 20, 2009 Share Posted July 20, 2009 Trip: Tooth - S Face and bivvy (w/ drink) Date: 7/18/2009 Trip Report: After a year of talking about it we (Phil and Tim) finally got around to a bivvy-jam-drink night on the Tooth. We left Seattle at 3:00pm, started out on the Snow Lake Trail at 4:00 and were on top by about 8:30. (Tim has been dieting and didn't eat enough for lunch, hence a rather slow approach). We climbed in 35lb packs, each tricked out with Martin Backpacker guitar. Climbing with the packs was realtively hassle free, even on the 5.6 direct option on the last pitch. There aren't any out of balance moves on the route. There were a couple of moves up through grooves that I (Tim) avoided on lead by making thinner face moves around them. Phil was able move through them following though, so maybe the standard route is entirely pack friendly. Up top we had a nice dinner of wine, cheese, olives and fried tofu washed down with a bottle of Las Vals Vin de Pays de Hauterive and a bottle of Unibroue Trois Pistoles. Then we broke out the guitars and played for a few hours by headlamp. We opted for the summit block for our bivvy, and since it was a bit angled we tied in. We didn't get much sleep. The park service might have done a better job with the summit block. If it were just a bit more level it would be better for all-night partying. We (actually Tim left it out) discovered that packrats are not really big fans of derby-sage cheese. They are however quite fond of baguette, though they left even a piece of that behind after their raid. No insects though, only a light wind, nice temperatures: all in all a very nice night to be up das toof. All in all the tooth is pretty nice bivvy-picnic location. There are about 4 comfortable bivy spots below the summit block, another two that would work for passing out while sitting up, and the summit block would probably hold 6 on the section that is reasonably flat. Everyone on the summit block would want to tie-in for the night (if you use a Munter Mule you can adjust your location more easily than if you simply clove hitch in). Gear Notes: Martin Backpacker guitar, beer and wine to 2". About 35lbs works nicely for the summit pack. It holds plenty of wine, water, food etc. along with bivvy gear, and it provides a nice platform to strap a guitar to. I had a CCW Chaos (3800 cu in), and Phil had a CCW Valdez (2400 cu in). The Valdez was really to small for a proper drinking/jamming bivvy climb. The Chaos was a bit large. 3200 cu. in. is probably about perfect. Oh, and you'll want nice daisy chains for lashing down the guitar. Approach Notes: It can be tricky carrying a 35 lb pack with a guitar strapped to it through the trees on the approach trail, but only in a couple of spots. The approach is mostly melted out, all exposed talus and trail until you get past the big erratic bands at the base of the hanging valley. You can climb the valley on snow until maybe 500' before the approach gully, then talus again. Snow is firm and wet. Ice axe worth carrying. Glissading a pain the rear with all the suncups, wet snow and crud. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
spotly Posted July 21, 2009 Share Posted July 21, 2009 Nice. I climbed it by moonlight a few years ago and spent the night sprawled out on the rock sofa of the summit. I have a feeling my night was a bit quieter than the commotion you guys endured Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tbyrnestl Posted July 23, 2009 Author Share Posted July 23, 2009 Oh, and I wrote a song while up there - revised a bit since The tooth is much cooler than Everest 'Cause you don't need no oxygen mask No camping for weeks with Ed Viestur's smelly feet You just dash up to Pineapple Pass No jumars, no fixed lines, no trudging all day With well healed clients quaking in fear You just climb free and gay with you friends on belay And then toss back some vino and beer The tooth is much cooler than Everest 'Cause you don't need no sherpa or yak You can eat what you want and drink what you will You can summit with a 40 lb pack No kumbu, no ladders no Hillary step, Just cracks, flakes, jugs and big blocks There's even third class, so get drunk off your beer Then bivvy passed out right up on the top. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
LostCamKenny Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 Very nice! Now - I wonder - if either of you had injured your strumming hand too badly could you have flipped the guitar around and played it with the other hand? That would really have added spice to your TR if you could have reported that... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Macson Posted July 29, 2009 Share Posted July 29, 2009 sounds very, um, romantic. glad you boys had fun up there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pilchuck71 Posted July 30, 2009 Share Posted July 30, 2009 That is a stylish sounding trip and I must say "rock on" fellow mountain players! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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