[TR] Del Campo Peak - Southwest Buttress 8/1/2009

[belayerslayer]

Trip: Del Campo Peak - Southwest Buttress

 

Date: 8/1/2009

 

Trip Report:

A slightly more technical variation to the standard scramble route up Del Campo, the SW Buttress climbs up large flakes and incuts on poor quality rock. According to Smoot/Becky, the actual route climbs directly up the buttress and gains the west ridge leading to the summit. Unintentionally, we took a variation of this route.

A late, leisurely start found our team of 4 hiking up the Monte Cristo road at 11:06 am saturday morning. The hike in is nice, steep, beautiful, with views across a deep valley toward the major summits of the monte cristo area. Within two hours, we reached Gothic Basin and had lunch. My first time to this area, I was stunned by the unique geology of the rocks and picturesque hues of the smaller lakes.

We followed the well worn trail up through rock beds, reaching a great vantage point of our objective and Foggy Lake (Crater Lake)

From the lake, the trail takes you past a smaller body of water - really deep and narrow - then east up a mixture of meadow and rock. The views were amazing the higher up we got

The trail leads through a small grove of pine and across some rock beds until reaching talus and a few small snowfields. We hiked up this, skirting around the snowfields and heading leftward from the standard scramble gully. The route starts just to the left and above a prominent rock abutment with several small trees/bushes

We geared up here. I took lead with my sister following behind. Aharon and Alex formed the second following team. Looking back, we should have brought 30 meter ropes. We coiled most of our 60m rope and gave about 40 ft between us. The route supposedly goes at around 5.0 so I figured we would simul-climb most of it. I started up extremely loose class 4 ledges, traversing to my right across the buttress.

The first bit of climbing was interesting, with loose flakes and crumbling rock. I refused the 'blessing of generally sound rock' Fred Becky gave this peak in his cascade alpine guide. It all felt sketchy to me.

Without really paying attention to what was going on above me, I moved us too far to my right across the face, aiming towards a dihedral. I looked around and above me, realizing we had missed the route to the ridge above. A fairly wide ramp-system seemed to lead towards easier ground higher up

I fixed a couple slings en route and reached the end of the ramp. The rock looked horrible above and I was afraid to commit. I took a minute to look around. My buddy Aharon from the second rope team hollered behind me about a possible chimney option to my right and down a few feet. I gingerly traversed off the ledge, down a couple feet and over slabby rock to the obvious chimney formation, finding a perfect belay spot. I even lucked out finding a shiny, solid-looking anchor

Aharon and Alex traversing over to the chimney

I brought my sister over and had her belay me up the chimney. The thing starts real narrow at first, with a couple solid handholds outside. I guessed the first move (and 'crux' of the route) was an awkward 5.5. In stem-pullup style, I wiggled up into the chimney and climbed for about 20 more feet - definitely the best climbing of the entire route! I topped out just below where the scramble route exits toward the summit. Blocky class 3/4 would bring us to the top.

Becky coming up the chimney

On the summit. Beautiful day, beautiful views

 

back to the car after 8:30 pm - over 9 hrs car to car (we moved pretty slow). Great time in the mountains but definitely not on my repeat tick list

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

long slings

[scottgg]

Looks cool dude! Though still not buying into the whole "alpine-start" thing, eh?

[EastKing]

Good job on the what turned out to be poor rock. Great TR and photos