[TR] Alpental - unknown and kiddie cliff? 1/22/2010

[alpinebumm]

Trip: Alpental - unknown and kiddie cliff?

 

Date: 1/22/2010

 

Trip Report:

Headed up to Snoqualmie Pass to see if some waterfalls were in and we found some ice that we know nothing about, anybody know what it is? It was on the SE lower section of Chair pk right on the other side of source lake. We climbed up a little couloir to access the climbs these are what we saw.

 

 

 

Anybody know what these are? Do they come in reliably?

 

We climbed this one, it did'nt look like WI3 but it was steep enough when we were on it to assume that it was a justifiable 3, it actually felt like we were climbing some hard to protect alpine ice. The screws were pretty much worthless but it made the climb interestingly fun. We only had 5 screws and with keeping one for the threads up top it made the 50M climb seem spicy (we were geared up for the NE on Chair but the upper bowl looked bad).

 

 

 

 

We then went and climbed what we thought was the kiddie cliff, the same route that the others posted that they climbed the same day( we walked past them to the other falls).

 

 

 

 

Overall not bad during a time when there is little ice to play on

[summitchaserCJB]

Yep we climbed the last route you posted on the same day. Fun times.

[Ed_Hobbick]

I've been sort of checking out the ice climbing in that area and have yet to identify the climbs.

If anybody needs a partner to climb some of these routes let me know.

[unklehuck]

The last two pictures are of Bryant Buttress Right, I believe.

[spiderman]

Second photo down from the top is Source Lake Line. I thought it would be melted out by now. Thanks for the photo's.

[Alex]

spiderman's right that second photo down from the top is Source Lake Line. The last two pictures are actually "Not Quite a Plum", it comes in very reliably and if not buried in snow offers fun moderate climbing. And the big fatty tree is nice. There is sometimes/often a second pitch that starts near the tree and goes up around a corner.

[Dane]

Your top photo...

FAT

 

Not FAT '09 (2nd) corner pitch shown above

 

This is the bottom 2 pitches of Flow Reversal in way, way fat and easy conditions. Two longer and more moderate lines on climbers right here as well.

 

The "one pitch wonder" you guys climbed on climber's left of FR can be moderate mixed or solid WI 3 when lean. Love the last little shield of ice on this climb. This one is way fat as well right now and a great climb. We generally get a full 60m+ pitch out of this one. Nice work!

FAT

http://photos-g.ak.fbcdn.net/photos-ak-snc1/v2588/210/0/1099338977/n1099338977_30396515_6295041.jpg' alt='n1099338977_30396515_6295041.jpg'>

 

More climbing left and right of this line as well in these fat conditions.

 

Here is what they looked like last year in mid February.

 

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=867796

 

[rocketparrotlet]

Snoqualmie Pass ice is fat right now? How protectable is it?

 

-Mark

[summitchaserCJB]

Forgive me if I am mistaken, but fat usually means very protectable. Of course, there are always exceptions to the rule.

And, with the exception of mixed climbing (using trad gear/pitons), the inverse is true (thin= usually bad ice pro).

But really from my perspective Todd and I were up there like a week ago and everything was ready to go.

[genepires]

"fat" is relative. "fat" for washington means it is still there after a week, thick or thin.

[rocketparrotlet]

I saw that the OP mentioned that the screws were pretty much worthless, that doesn't make much sense if the ice was fat and the temps were below freezing. Good to know there is ice though, I might take a trip soon!

 

-Mark

[marc_leclerc]

It can be fat but aereated... or overly mushy... hence shitty screws.

[summitchaserCJB]

I agree Mark. That doesn't make sense. All the fat WA ice I've seen (not that much to tell you the truth- I'm relatively new to ice but have seen plenty of rock) was thick, fat water ice. I've seen some less than favorable ice but it always was covered with snow.