[TR] Mt. Hood - Devils Kitchen Headwall standard 1c left traverse 1/27/2010

[YocumRidge]

Trip: Mt. Hood - Devils Kitchen Headwall standard 1c left traverse

 

Date: 1/27/2010

 

Trip Report:

Mt. Hood – Devils Kitchen Headwall - standard 1c left traverse

 

The original plan of our rad team consisting of 5.13 rock climbers (Frank P), skiers (Viviane) and others (Jlawrence10 and myself) included Leuthold Couloir with the Pearly Gates loop but we bailed due to the recent heavy snow accumulation and considerable avy potential. I succeeded to convince everyone to get wasted on something scarier than Leuthold and head up for the Devils Kitchen Headwall (the longer 1c variation) with more ice and mixed challenges.

 

For a long while we were timing a decent weather spell on Hood. It always falls on a midweek as we all know it, so everyone took an "I am sick" day off on Wed and we left our wet PDX at 11 p.m. to arrive into the equally wet parking lot at the Timberline Lodge. We got on the slog at 1.30 a.m. and quickly realized the snowpack consolidation left much to be desired. 3 feet sinking deep into the snow was not a part of the game and required floatation on the approach. And although we did whine a little, we did not whine all at the same time so it worked out pretty well. Frank P however turned around before reaching the I-rock while three of us (with Josh being an equal opportunity climber who does not mind climbing with girls) painfully dragged our asses higher up.

 

We approached the east side of Crater Rock at sunrise and were greeted with a magnificent alpenglow on Pearly Gates, Devils Kitchen Headwall and Steel Cliffs followed by bluebird skies and a big yellow ball. Was it a dream?

 

At the base of Crater Rock:

 

 

I quickly spotted the gully looking like a 1c variation on the west buttress of the headwall, got excited and rushed through the snowfield above the Devils Kitchen. The guys followed.

 

Our route:

 

The snow consolidation considerably worsened with the postholes now reaching more than 4 feet. What would’ve taken us 10 min under otherwise stable conditions, developed into 1 h struggle of getting to the base of the gully.

 

Finally by 9 a.m. we were ready to climb. I got even more excited at this point: 14F (as opposed to 34F promised by NOAA) and 700 feet of vertical elevation on the headwall I never been before. So off we went.

 

At the base of 1c:

 

Josh and me starting out:

 

 

 

The best part was we found some alpine ice up to III, both good and bad, as well as some solid 5.6 rock for stemming in the chimney. Although this was the second time ice climbing for Viviane and Josh, they both were very solid, confident with their technique and did exceptionally well. We did not use any pro on the entire route but could well have on the two cruxes of overhanging 15’ ice bulges.

 

Josh is working his way up the first crux:

 

I am through the first crux:

 

 

 

The second crux was through the chimney with a nice alpine rock coated with rime ice. To our surprise, the quality of this rock exceeded our expectations of a typical volcanic Oregonian choss and turned out to be more superior to the dinner plating ice found on the right in the chimney.

 

Viviane is looking good on the second crux in her sweet ski boots:

 

Josh is half way through the chimney:

 

Me getting through the chimney:

 

 

Overall, a cool sustained section with interesting mixed moves and surreal exposure. Highly recommended while the conditions last.

 

 

400’ up the headwall, we noticed a good place to begin a sketchy traverse to the left below the rime iced towers and then headed up the steep (50-60 degrees) snow.

 

Josh and Viviane before the traverse:

 

 

The snowpack was in better shape than at the base of the headwall and when mixed in with some ice patches, made it for a painless gain of elevation. Next we hit a couple of mellow ice sections before getting to the debris field (that supposedly should lead us to the summit ridge).

 

Viviane and me at the debris field below the summit ridge:

 

 

Sleep deprived brains and physically wasted bodies - it is when people start doing weird stuff. Josh having a fatal attraction to the Wy’East route after climbing it in December, begun veering off to the right for reasons unknown to mankind. Viviane and I headed straight up. Apparently Wy’east exit did not impress Josh much this time, so he reunited with us on the ridge. Then we all had a pleasant walk along the ridge and reached the windy summit at noon.

 

Josh is thrilled with the NF exposure on the summit ridge:

 

Viviane and me on the summit:

 

 

The descent was “straight forward” postholing via the dog Hogsback and at 4.30 p.m. we were back to the rig with the total 15 h car-to-car. A great winter climb with cool partners!

 

Post-climb beer:

 

 

This video is my first try with an iMovie and needs more work but for the time being here it comes.

[video:vimeo]9084038

 

 

P.S. All pics and footage are a copyright of Viviane and Josh as my camera is dead.

 

 

 

 

Gear Notes:

Three tools (used), 40 m rope, 4 pickets, 5 ice screws - 10s, 13s, icescreamers (not used)

 

Approach Notes:

Floatation required

[mountainmatt]

Awesome

 

 

.

[toddipoo]

Great success !

Awesome photo's

 

 

-Toddi

 

 

And just a side note.

Vivienne your ski boots frighten me. Like in a I'm gonna steal your bagel kind of way.

[Julian]

Awesome TR, looks like a really sweet line!

[Frikadeller]

Sweet line. Looks like fun!

 

So, if flotation is required, what is happening here?

 

 

So only one smart person brought skis?

 

Sometimes, as a selfish measure, I chuckle inside when I see people wallowing up the triangle moraine while I float on by on skis.

[Glacier Girl]

Great TR!! Gorgeous photos. Wish I had been there. Silly mid-week climbs. ;-)

[ivan]

fine tr, but it seemed to be missing something....

[YocumRidge]

So only one smart person brought skis?

 

Yes, and the other two brought snowshoes (they sucked too but better than nothing) and the one who did not bailed at the I-rock.

Both skis and snowshoes were stashed at the Crater rock before crossing above the DK.

Now in retrospect, I wish I brought my teles but I never tried ice climbing in tele boots before. Anyone would enlighten me please?

[YocumRidge]

fine tr, but it seemed to be missing something....

 

What is missing Ivan - is the tourists, dogs and mega-roped teams.

Go get it.

[YocumRidge]

Wish I had been there. Silly mid-week climbs. ;-)

 

M: get ready for the Elliot!

[LostCamKenny]

fine tr, but it seemed to be missing something....

 

What is missing Ivan - is the tourists, dogs and mega-roped teams.

Go get it.

ivan, you're being called out... so it seems.

[Frikadeller]

Now in retrospect, I wish I brought my teles but I never tried ice climbing in tele boots before. Anyone would enlighten me please?

 

I have never "Ice climbed" in my tele boots, but I have climbed the old PG/Hogsback route (Before the Hogsback shift) in them, and well.... With a stiff crampon I suppose it would work ok.

 

But why beat around the bush here, just get an AT set up, and you can ice climb just fine in AT boots. Or Better yet, a Splitboard with Mtn Plates and AT boots...

 

 

(Oh I almost forgot, a splitboard is not a serious mountain tool, according to some super enlightened folks around this website.

)

[bradleym]

The image looking up the chimney at Vivienne in mid-swing with the sky above is awesome. Great TR.

[jlawrence10]

Great TR on our climb! Thanks for posting. That was an amazing climb - what a day!

 

One quick correction: The route shown in the second picture is slightly off. We went up one gully to the right of the one indicated. I tried my hand at the whole "red-line route thing" but I don't know how to make the fancy dashed line. This picture is from a little further away and from a slightly better angle. The route is still mostly hidden in the gully walls.

 

 

That was a climb to remember, but I'm trying to forget the slog up and back down in the deep snow.

 

 

[YocumRidge]

Thanks for fixing it, Josh !

 

Much appreciated.

 

 

 

 

[rbw1966]

I've ice climbed in T2's and sabertooths for years. They are fine for most things you will encounter on Hood.

[YocumRidge]

Cool, thanks. I would love to try out my Garmont Veloce then.

[Lafayette]

dopeness

[mike1]

very, very cool.

[Jay Chute]

Amazing TR Thanks guys Way to choose a unique aspect of the mountain!

[JosephH]

Great TR, well done.

[stevetimetravlr]

That ice chimney looks great. Righteous send!

[YocumRidge]

Thanks, guys.

 

It is a great variation, especially when done in winter.

The conditions were superb: low temps - no rock & ice fall, steeper slopes - less avy danger.

 

I wish my folks would share the delight but unfortunately they don't

[billbob]

Great TR !