[TR] Colchuck Peak Attempt - NE Buttress of Colchuck (Kearney) 7/31/2010

[Schaef]

Trip: Colchuck Peak Attempt - NE Buttress of Colchuck (Kearney)

 

Date: 7/31/2010

 

Trip Report:

Colchuck Peak NE Buttress Attempt

 

July 31, 2010

http://sharing.theflip.com/session/3143d1cbafff7ba4c191f99cfc2a2c02/video/16937376

 

 

Kearney Route 4-7 pitches descent Becky Route

 

In an effort to keep our alpine climbing chops from atrophying, Noal, Chason Reid and I took a crack at the Kearney route on the Ne Buttress of Colchuck peak. We scoured guide books (Kearney and Becky) and trip reports to determine that this climb would be a great ad venture as every party seemed to have done the route a different way once they solved the alpine puzzle. We made it up and around the toe of the buttress (red line in pic) climbing a circuitous 7 pitches (Kearney lists as 4) to reach the bottom of the ramp. At this point we realized we wouldn’t outrun the eminent thunderstorms moving in from the SW. Our 2nd party encountered some fun chimneying, smearing moss, trying not to dislodge loose blocks while getting pummeled by hail (that must be what those fancy face shields are for). On the ramp we set up three rap anchors on trees and were able to scope out the first several pitches of the Becky start up to the ramp. Here are some photos that may help de-mistify the start. Although where you start may depend entirely where you can safely cross the snow moat…

 

 

We couldn’t find a whole lot of beta on this route. The CAG and Kearney guide with a few trip reports had the commonality of mentioning route finding issues. It took Kearney a couple shots to figure out the route. Here are a few more bits of info for others looking for a puzzling alpine adventure in a jaw dropping setting.

 

 

Found the climbing on pitch “1” to be the best of the day. Other pitches wandered around corners navigating up and down and traversing. Last 2 pitches before ridge 5.7 alpine half loose rock, moss chimneys, alpine funky.

 

1:00pm Reach ramp and west side of peak

 

3:00pm descend route 4 raps, building anchors on trees (essentially rapped Beck route)

6pm Back on Glacier

6:30 back to packs at water refill station

7pm back at lake

9:50 back to trail head.

 

Took us almost as long getting down as getting up…

 

Gear Notes:

Gear:

 

60m 9.4ml dry rope

Full rack double cams to #2, 3, 3,5 could have used #4 on 1st and 4th pitch chimneys.

 

Approach Notes:

Timetable:

 

Left Seattle Friday evening 9 pm got to bivy spot near trail head at 11:30. Final details on packing and to sleep around mid-night. Woke a few hours later to distant lightning and rain drops.

 

2:30 Set up the Mega Mid (thanks Reid) slept a few more hours

 

4:00 am pack up bivy and drive to trailhead

 

4:50 Headlamp hiking from Stuart Lake trail head

 

6:40 arrive at lake

 

7:40 base of route, screw around on snow with gear, scope route, scratch head, navigate moat

 

10:00 start climbing on rock

 

[kukuzka1]

yes, gotta do the head scatch

[goatboy]

What condition is the Colchuck Glacier in? What was your plan to descend (assuming you topped out)?

 

The Colchuck Glacier is often an ugly grey shield of ice this time of year. Not sure how the late spring has influenced things up there this year.

[Dannible]

Steep snow, but it will be all ice in a couple of weeks I'd say. I did this route yesterday. I accidentally went straight up the loose pink rocks to steep sold cracks, which is inadvisable. There are a lot of options up there. I didn't start having fun until I gave up on the topo and just started climbing what looked good.

[Schaef]

I think on a typical year, the snow would be in the best shape before the end of July. Descending the Colchuck glacier in-between Colchuck and Dragontail is the best way down. We saw a handful of day hikers going up and down that day. Steer clear of the base of Dragontail as there was random rockfall down to the edge of the snowfield.

[Schaef]

Did you end up going diagonal along the ramp and up the slabs (Kearneyish), or straight up to the top of the ridge line (Beckyish)?

[Dannible]

If you mean the leftward ramp about 4 pitches up, I followed it all the way to its end, scrambled up and left for a bit past the ramp, and headed up a 5.7ish crack to the crest. Never did see the double cracks Beckey wrote about up there.

[mvs]

If you mean the leftward ramp about 4 pitches up, I followed it all the way to its end, scrambled up and left for a bit past the ramp, and headed up a 5.7ish crack to the crest. Never did see the double cracks Beckey wrote about up there.

 

Same story for us. We followed a slab and crack to the crest, but had some tough moves transitioning to the crack from the slab (5.9?). Fun day though.