[TR] Burgundy Spire - North Face/Ridge (5.8) - 9/27/2009

[Steph_Abegg]

Trip: Burgundy Spire - North Face/Ridge (5.8) -

 

Date: 9/27/2009

 

Trip Report:

To cap off a great summer of climbing, David and I headed up to climb Burgundy Spire, which is one of the Wine Spires that can be seen just east of Highway 20 near the Liberty Bell group. Beckey calls Burgundy Spire the hardest principal summit in the Cascades to be reached via any route. Of course he means from a technical aspect rather than overall grade (now in the days of rubber climbing shoes and cams - coupled with road closures, oreos, and video games - it's often the approach rather than the climbing that is the route crux!). But it is an interesting bit of trivia.

 

I always relish the opportunity to spend a night in the mountains doing some night photography, so David and I hiked up to Burgundy col the day before, slogging up 6L of water each (that's 26.4 lb of water!) due to the late season dryness. We enjoyed a beautiful sunset, moonrise, moonset, Big Dipper, and sunrise before setting off on the climb up the North Face of Burgundy Spire.

 

As usual, I've posted a full trip report on my website:

http://sites.google.com/site/stephabegg/home/tripreports/washington/northcascades/burgundy

 

Photo overlay of North Face/Ridge route on Burgundy Spire:

 

David leading up some fun 5.8 climbing....

 

Labelled panorama of North Cascades view from the summit:

(Click here for link to larger image.)

 

They look even cooler with a 2x vertical stretch...

(Click here for link to larger image.)

 

Cars on Highway 20 at night (13 minute exposure):

 

Again, the link to the full trip report on my website:

http://sites.google.com/site/stephabegg/home/tripreports/washington/northcascades/burgundy

 

Edited September 29, 2009 by Steph_Abegg

[curtveld]

Dang Steph, you ought to get into the guidebook business!

 

Nice twilight photo with the Hwy 20 headlights. Kind of a bummer how much road noise carries up to the that bench.

[Buckaroo]

Another nice TR

 

""Beckey calls Burgundy Spire the hardest principal summit in the Cascades to be reached via any route. I'm not sure I agree with this for a climb that can be done car-to-car in a day (what about something like Swiss Peak in the Pickets?)""

 

Beckey means from a technical aspect not overall grade. The easiest way up Burgundy is 5.8

 

it didn't have a free ascent until 1973

 

the easiest way up Swiss Peak is class 3 from the South.

 

very few peaks have no walk-up.

[Steph_Abegg]

the easiest way up Swiss Peak is class 3 from the South.

 

Does 5.9 bushwhacking count?

 

Back in the days of stiff mountaineering boots and and hexes, I'd bet the grade of the route had a much bigger significance than the approach. Rubber climbing shoes and cams are making us soft....

 

Edited September 29, 2009 by Steph_Abegg

[dberdinka]

Really nice photos as usual.

 

Based on TRs and Select guidebook descriptions no one seems to do the ridge finish to the climb. I did it a couple years ago as a completion to a different route and found it to be really fun and asthetic. Highly recommended and much better than the usual ledge traverse-to-wide cracks IMO.

 

You might edit your beta photo as well. You access the ridge climb at the flat shoulder in sunshine about halfway between the words "Cracks/Flakes - 5.8" and "Ridge Option - 5.7"

[Tom_Sjolseth]

Nice work, Steph. I especially like your night photos from camp. You've had a good year.

[Steph_Abegg]

You might edit your beta photo as well. You access the ridge climb at the flat shoulder in sunshine about halfway between the words "Cracks/Flakes - 5.8" and "Ridge Option - 5.7"

 

Thanks, I corrected the photo overlay! Is there still an upper offwidth on the ridge finish?

Edited September 29, 2009 by Steph_Abegg

[dberdinka]

At first you follow the exposed ridgecrest including a really cool handcrack through a roof. Right before the summit you end up climbing down and around the west side of some pinnacles. The final bit to the summit might have some wide cracks but nothing that requires the Oh-dubya~!ing. I think gear to a #3 Camalot was entirely adequate.

[el jefe]

love that panorama shot!

[counterfeitfake]

Yeah, those panos are AWESOME. Thanks for making them!

[curtveld]

Highly recommended and much better than the usual ledge traverse-to-wide cracks IMO.

Actually Darin, Steph's 'far right crack system' is farther over than the wide cracks you're thinking of and a fantastic pitch - a long corner with nice finger locks everywhere you want one.

 

But the ridge option sounds like it's worth going back for too!

[LostCamKenny]

Rubber climbing shoes and cams are making us soft....

 

True dat