Tom_Sjolseth Posted March 1, 2010 Posted March 1, 2010 Trip: Chair Peak - North Face + NE Buttress Date: 3/1/2010 Trip Report: Daniel Jeffrey and I linked up for a great climb up the N Face and NE Buttress of Chair Peak today. We met at the P&R at 2:50AM to get an early start. We were headed up the well-packed trail by 4:15 after a stop for supplies at McDonald's in North Bend. The trail is great until just above Source Lake where there is an annoying breakable crust. We were sinking in calf-deep in snowshoes which made for slower going. We gained the ridge, then headed over to the N Face in fairly deep, soft and wind-deposited snow. The first pitch is really fat right now with great plastic ice (brittle in some spots, but plastic for the most part). The remainder of the route is just as fat with some great, punchy snow and more fat ice. We topped out at 7:30 and spent about 30 minutes on the summit enjoying the views. From here we walked down the descent gully (no need for rappel here) to the notch and the rappel slings. We rappelled here, but didn't really need to as we would later find out on lap #2. After the first 20 feet, we down-climbed the remainder of the descent gully below a huge, looming cornice and made our way back over to the NE Buttress. Here, we decided to do another lap before things started to heat up. We took a left-hand variation to start and the ice was a bit brittle, but then became solid higher up. The next portion of the climb was deep bucket steps on 50 degree snow. The step in the middle of the route was eroding, so we took a less spicy variation to the left, being as how we weren't roped up. Ice is very brittle here, and chunks were coming off with each swing. We topped out at the notch, then immediately headed down again, this time bypassing the rappel and just down-climbing the gully this time. I headed back down towards Snow Lake to retrieve the glove I dropped before starting up the N Face. I got my glove back and made my way back to the TH, returning right at 10:45 for a 6.5 hour round trip. We brought 3 screws, 1 60m rope, and 2 pickets, but only used the rope for a rappel from the notch. I bootied an ice screw and an unused KB piton (laying on the snow slope on the NE Buttress). An excellent day off work! Beautiful sunrise from the N Face. Daniel starting up the North Face. More sunrise. Low on the route. Sunrise again. Beautiful! A look ahead to the upper portion of the route. Daniel climbing on the N Face. Halfway up the N Face. Daniel just below the summit. Views from the summit. Looking down from low on the NE Buttress. Looking up from below the step. View from the NE Buttress. Looking down on Daniel. Daniel topping out on the step. Nearing the top of the NE Buttress. Quote
Pilchuck71 Posted March 1, 2010 Posted March 1, 2010 Nice photos man! The second one in particular is a quality image. Thank you for sharing. Quote
Dane Posted March 1, 2010 Posted March 1, 2010 Now that is what we are talking about Nice work! Quote
The Cascade Kid Posted March 1, 2010 Posted March 1, 2010 those are some jealousy-inspiring sunrise pictures. Quote
Ed_Hobbick Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 Cool Dudes! CBCBD and I saw you guys up there. You looked pretty cool way up there. Quote
spionin Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) nice! beautiful pics for sure. that cornice is really impressive!! did you by chance find a pin at the bottom of the NEB? dropped it yesterday Edited March 2, 2010 by spionin Quote
Tom_Sjolseth Posted March 2, 2010 Author Posted March 2, 2010 I found it about halfway up. How do I get it back to you? Quote
genepires Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 damn cool! I had a passing thought about going up ne buttress after the n face but i quickly realized I was tired and sore and lame. good job! without belays too! Quote
Rafael_H Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 Trip: Chair Peak - North Face + NE Buttress Date: 3/1/2010 ... I bootied an ice screw and an unused KB piton (laying on the snow slope on the NE Buttress). ... Nice pictures indeed!!! We climbed NE Buttress of Chair too on Sun but I have been forgetting to take pictures all my climbing career, usually carrying the camera for nothing... We also took the left-hand start with a short ice column, then took the rocky rib seen on the right on your "Looking up from below the step" photo immediately after the first step all the way up to the final short traverse to rappel gully, so had to use pitons and nuts extensively, and some cams. My partner did a great job actually extracting nuts I thought I welded in Hmm, pretty spicy climb with thin delaminating hard snice and crumbly rock - I pulled one "solid" piece right at the belay, thanks V for catching me - and one later on while standing on it - thank you Nomics for holding! I dropped an ice screw yesterday while rappeling. On descends I hang my tools from now infamous plastic Petzl biners. So misstepped, leaned right and the tool broke the biner. I picked up one screw but the 22cm got away - I didn't remember if my partner had it so didn't look around carefully. The screw is an older one, with an after-market add-on "coffe-grinder" thingy. There is a certain paint color which I can tell you in private - all my gear has it. The KB is mine as well, I placed it in a horizontal crack slightly too big so it might appear unused. There is marking on it which I can also tell you in private, all my pitons have it. So glad did not place the expensive titanium one! I would really appreciate if you returned the gear. Rafael Quote
Tom_Sjolseth Posted March 2, 2010 Author Posted March 2, 2010 Rafael, I have your screw and your pin. I have been in touch with spionin regarding a rendezvous sometime this week. We saw your prints topping out above the rock step after we climbed the ice step (the prints below were gone). It looked like fun! Quote
Dane Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 Glad the V was keeping you in check Cosmo! Sounds like an adventure to me Great TR thread guys and gals! Quote
brandonmc Posted March 2, 2010 Posted March 2, 2010 (edited) Friggin animals!!!! Climbing with your snowshoes on your back even! Way to get after it! Edited March 2, 2010 by brandonmc Quote
Andy_Wyatt Posted March 5, 2010 Posted March 5, 2010 How did you find the snow stability on the approach and on route? Did you notice any hoar frost a couple feet down? Thanks! Quote
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