1 week - must-do?

[cwood]

I'm planning a one-week trip to WA for late June and am in need of advice on some good long rock routes to do. Ideally this would be something East or Northeast of Seattle, but we are considering a trip to the Olympic Peninsula as well.

 

General requirements:

 

*No harder than 5.8 for my second

*No technical snow/ice mountaineering (avoiding things that need crampons)

*Longer/backpacking approach OK if excellent rock follows

*Maximizing time on technical rock is ideal.

 

 

I have the Beckey Cascade alpine guides vol 1 and 2, selected climbs in the Cascades, and Olympic Mountains, a climbing guide. Is there a "best", absolutely must-do climb I should know about?

 

 

Cragging and shorter stuff would be fun also, but I want a solid sense of the best easy-moderate adventure climbs, and use smaller crags for if we are running short on good weather or time. Recommendations appreciated!

 

Thanks,

-Chris

[ivan]

sounds like the enchantments are calling to you - stuart, dragontail, prusik - check em out.

[goatboy]

Ivan has a good point, and you can crag in Leavenworth (Snow Creek Wall, maybe?) as part of the trip.

[goatboy]

Washington Pass might be another good plan (Liberty Bell, Early Winter Spires, Wine Spires, etc).

[ivan]

the wine spires are tre cool and would certainly scratch any itch you had to hike to camp a good ways up a steep ass hillside w/ little or no water

[goatboy]

In June, there will be ample water in the basin below the spires, as well as snow to melt at Burgundy Col...

[counterfeitfake]

Burgundy Spire would be great, but the snow on the approach can be pretty hard depending on the weather. Maybe give a crash course in crampons. Or, kick steps the evening before.

[Buckaroo]

For only a week the best bet for multi-pitch is probably WA pass. Check Nelson's Selected.

 

The Enchantments is longer approaches and a difficult overnight camping permit situation. West Ridge of Prussik is a 5.7 but it's a long day if you don't camp, and there might be snow crossings.

 

5.8 multi pitch is a sparse range, 5.9 has more stuff.

 

Must do's would be Outer Space, mostly 5.8 but it has a 5.9 crux.

Dreamer at Darrington is another classic, mostly 5.8 but some 5.9. Both snow free already.

 

At WA Pass. (all short approach)

South Arete of South Early Winter Spire long 5.4, nice summit. The Becky Route, Overexposure, and NW Face are all good on Liberty Bell and 5.8 or less. But there might still be snow in the approach gully in June.

 

Great Northern Slab at Index, 3 pitches of 5.7 for an off day, crag with very short approach.

 

You really can't go wrong with Nelson's Selected but the weather is a factor, the end of July is a little better than June. and the further East you go in the state is better. The Olympics get more rain than anywhere. Even when the weather is rainy/cloudy it seems like WA Pass is in a dry zone, likewise most of Leavenworth.

 

Anything 5.8 or less at Castle Rock, Leavenworth, all trad. (short crags)

[Off_White]

I'm a little unclear what you mean by "No technical snow/ice mountaineering (avoiding things that need crampons)" Its hard to go climbing in the Cascades in June without at least some solid self arrest skills. Moderate must-do climbs such as the N Ridge of Stuart still require some solid snow experience, not that it's technical like waterfall ice, but you could get seriously injured or dead if you can't cope with moderately steep snow. Really, this issue will come up on almost any worthy alpine/backcountry climb at that time of year. You can get away without crampons, especially if you have boots, but it can be nice to have the crampon option available, especially if your snow skills aren't all that.

[ivan]

at least have the good sense to know how to find a decent rock to chop steps n' use as a disposable axe

[jordansahls]

Spontaneity arete on La Petit Cheval would be a good option.

Edited June 5, 2010 by jordansahls

[Rad]

In June, there will be ample water in the basin below the spires, as well as snow to melt at Burgundy Col...

 

And ample mosquitoes too! The WA pass area is the only place in WA where I've had hoards of buzzing bloodsuckers chase me two pitches up a route.

[ivan]

word - last summer they were so thick i swear to fuck they were swarming through the air-vents into the car as i recoiled in horror

[genepires]

I am no entomologist but I swear that the mosquitoes need snow around the spires to live up there. It seems like when the snow is there melting, melting and giving the bugs a place to do whatever bugs do with water, it is thick up there. But by mid august, the bug situation is much better. (except when up there with Rad)

 

the trial head will always be very bugy due to the small pond/swamp nearby.

 

So yeah, june may be a harsh time for the west side of the liberty bell group. I think the situation is a bit better on the whine spire group. (bug wise)

 

If things don't work out at the pass (bugs, weather, or you send everything), or you are needing something a little different, you could run down to mazama. You could do fun rock (cragging) and a real long easy multi pitch (route is prime rib and topo in mazama rock from brian burdo) to the left of goat wall. It is over rated at 5.9 so your second should be ok.

 

your weather will generally be better in wash pass and mazama than the west side areas.

Edited June 5, 2010 by genepires

[surferclimber]

switchback trail near mt angles in olympics is nice if you are out there on the peninsula... trailhead is easy to find, on the right hand side about 20?? miles up hurricane ridge road from pt angles, and taking the ferry out of downtown Seattle is neat if never done before

 

 

[surferclimber]

In June, there will be ample water in the basin below the spires, as well as snow to melt at Burgundy Col...

 

And ample mosquitoes too! The WA pass area is the only place in WA where I've had hoards of buzzing bloodsuckers chase me two pitches up a route.

 

 

yeah... about killed me on Shannon ridge trail (sulphide appraoch) last august during that heatwave. All fine heading up to the ridge but then come noonish and descent miserable + 9000 degrees

[Rad]

June weather is notoriously fickle. Could be sunny and 70s or rainy and 50, and you won't know until just a few days beforehand so come up with a great weather plan (e.g. Forbidden Direct E Ridge) an OK on East side but wet on West side option (e.g. Serpentine on Dragontail) and a wet most everywhere plan (Goat wall in Mazama?).

Good luck.

[goatboy]

Regarding the bugs: They can be absolutely desperate at WA PASS, but usually not until July. Given how cold it has been and how much snow there is at WA Pass currently, I expect that it won't be too bleak until July. Let me know if I'm off with that prediction.

[G-spotter]

June weather is notoriously fickle. Could be sunny and 70s or rainy and 50, and you won't know until just a few days beforehand so come up with a great weather plan (e.g. Forbidden Direct E Ridge) an OK on East side but wet on West side option (e.g. Serpentine on Dragontail) and a wet most everywhere plan (Goat wall in Mazama?).

Good luck.

 

The must-do in June involves sitting around and bitching about the weather. With a couple of dry hours you can at least go bouldering.

[shapp]

http://www.mattsea.com/Darr/

 

if it is dry, many 600 to 1000+ foot routes in the 5.8+ range

Edited June 7, 2010 by shapp

[Pilchuck71]

http://www.mattsea.com/Darr/

 

if it is dry, many 600 to 1000+ routes in the 5.8+ range

 

not to mention the camping is pretty good and there are hiking options to be had close by as well.

 

 

 

[cwood]

Fantastic response! Thanks, everyone.

 

The ideal circuit sounds like:

 

1) Darrington

2) WA Pass

2b) Mazama

3) Leavenworth/Castle Rock

4) Enchantment Lakes (Flagpole)

4b) Dragontail Peak (Serpentine Arete)

5) Index

 

Of course, there isn't going to be enough time for all of that.

 

Questions:

 

Outer Space @ Leavenworth is typically closed to falcon nesting. Is that the case this year? Any other recommendations that aren't affected by falcon closure?

 

Is it basically impossible to get backcountry permits for the Enchantment Lakes area? The Nelson select guide would lead me to believe that, but we could plan for mid-week.

 

Is there a permit required for camping in the Dragontail Peak area (Colchuck Lake?)? Is that likely to be obtainable on short notice?

 

Frenchman Coulee is currently our ultra-bad-weather plan. What else is reliably dry when the weather is worst?

 

 

No snow is a preference -- we're both able, but I didn't want to add mountaineering axes and crampons to our potentially large list of stuff to pack. Also, that feels closer to mountaineering when I was looking to do something closer to "alpine rock".

 

Thanks again,

-Chris

[ivan]

if you just bivy on bare stone on the talus below dragontail there's no problem - same deal if you're doing stuart

 

outer space is not typically closed for birdies and is open this year - there is some part of the wall that is closed currentlyf or them though, but its obscurish so no worries to you

 

car to car sheenagins int he enchantments isn't so bad as its good trails serving them

[ryanb]

midweek colchuck lake permits (and sometimes even weekend) are reasonably easy to get if you show up at the ranger station at open (7?). enchantment lakes are harder but you might get lucky (or you could camp somewhere in the colchuck basin and blast up in the morning).

 

Banks lake, mazama and the tieton river canyon are all decent rainy weather destinations depending on exact weather patterns. Sometimes the weather is good in the tieton when it sucks further north and the rock is better than vantage.

 

The serpentine arete has some snow/glacier involved in getting on route and off the peak.

[summitchaserCJB]

I think the ranger station opens at 7:45. At least this time of year.