[TR] Colchuck - NE couloir 3/24/2010

[danhelmstadter]

Trip: Colchuck - NE couloir

 

Date: 3/24/2010

 

Trip Report:

I had contracted a nasty head cold on monday (presumably from drinking skunk beer), and since I didn't have any work lined up -- I was frustrated to be sick under blue skies in Leavenworth. I formed a plan to at least hike up to Colchuck lake with my skis -- leaving early Wensday morning, things however did not go as planned when I slept in - and didn't get started till 930.

 

 

^^^ I bought this book during my recent trip back east, and I had stowed it in a hidden pocket of my pack (my ski pack), and had completely forgot about it until I happened upon it - looking for my lip balm at Colchuck lake yesterday, the little 300pg bugger is surpriseingly heavy beacuse of the glossy - pictures-on-every-page print, and it was in my pack during the entierty of my recent triple couloir ski trip - no wonder the pack was so damn heavy!

 

I was expecting to see new snow up high -- but there was none. I dragged ass up the glacier, the sun was hanging in the western sky, and I wondered if i'd have enough time -- but if worst came to worst - I could always downclimb. Topping out on the Glacier -- I climbed the icy SE slopes of Colchuck, then downclimbed an easy but thin and exposed summit rock area, to the entrance of the NE couloir.

 

 

I sidestepped a little down the entrance becasue of very icy snow, then traveresed over to a more sheltered aspect where I found super hardwindpack covered with a thin skiff of soft snow. Slope angles here were in the 50dg range.

 

 

approaching the crux area

 

After some pleasant turns, I came upon the crux of the route -- the crux which I belive John Plotz and Will Terrano had aired in powder conditions a couple weeks ago, yesterday the landing zone was hard - slide for life - conditions, what a differance conditions can make... anyways, I decided my safest options was to downclimb -- which was actually quite tricky where I choose to (the curx is a wide rock band - of varying heights and steepnesses from left to right) I took my time -- thinking through every move -- makeing sure none felt too awkward, there was a inch or more of ice coating some of the tops of some rocks, and that helped a lot for quality pick placements, there was also quite a bit of hard snow (mixed with sugar) which yeilded good shaft placements -- I shuttled my pack down and held it with a ski anchor/webbing - then made the tricky moves down the 6 foot overhanging rock step.

 

 

By the time I had negotiated the crux (upper couloir) it was dark... I put on my headlamp and skiied the couloir by way of headlamp light -- which was actually quite pleasant, and did not impeed skiing much at all, also -- there was quite a long stretch of quality powder mid couloir - it was awesome to be skiing steep pow in some wild couloir at night! - and feeling great about it.

 

 

 

skiing down the lower glacier and moraine was fun -- although snow quality decreased dramatically through this portion. I met some slayers from Montana who were camping by the lake (I hope they get some good new snow the next few days!)

 

I skiied the icy luge trail to within 2 miles (snow is melted past)of the gate at bridgecreek. A great day out -- and I think I stomped my cold way down too.

Edited March 25, 2010 by danhelmstadter

[letsroll]

Core

[Lisa_D]

I met some slayers from Montana who were camping by the lake (I hope they get some good new snow the next few days!)

 

That's my husband Jon (from Seattle) w/ his good friend Olin (from Montana)! It looks like they'll get some on/off weather, but that will hopefully result in both good views and some good turns. Nice trip, Helmstadter!

[Pilchuck71]

Dan you are out of control!

Right freaking on!

[rob]

gnarly

[Dannible]

Crushing the enchantments like it aint no thang. The bit about bringing the book along on all of your trips up there made me laugh. Training weight I guess.

[kevino]

How was the snow on the glacier? And so now there are a couple miles of road walking?

[telemarker]

Nice Dan!! Will and I had much softer snow on pur descent. That opening slope gets your attention quickly!

[danhelmstadter]

Kevino - The glacier route was breakable crusty near the lake, then firm wind molested forms of various types above - easy to boot up and too slippry for skinning withought ski crampons. There was about 2 miles of dirt from the gate to snowline on the road.