finian Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Trip: Tieton, WA - Ride the Lightning Date: 10/18/2010 Trip Report: I finally got down to Tieton a couple weeks ago. We decided to go straight to Goose Egg to get a longer climb in rather than cragging on the columns. From the ground the wall looks really cool, and the approach was great. The first two pitches were pretty good (loved the second pitch corner), but the third pitch was really nothing more than moving the belay up a dirty scramble. Then the next two were a choss fest of loose holds. Don't get me wrong, if the rock had been solid there were some really cool moves. The higher we went the worse it got. When we topped out I just about crapped myself. The entire top of the wall is covered with loose rock plates about 16" to 24" just waiting to get sent down on climbers with the first strong breeze. Doing that last pitch it was nearly impossible to keep from launching this crap down on my partner. There is literally NOTHING solid on the last pitch! I wouldn't recommend this route. The quality of the climb doesn't justify the risk you are taking under that scree field at the top. I know I'm going to take a ton of flak for dissing someone else's route but I really wish someone had let me in on the risk before I went up it. Quote
sobo Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 ...but I really wish someone had let me in on the risk before I went up it. I thought that the guidebook was pretty clear about it. Mentions looseness in the general description, shows looseness on the topo, and tells you that it's an alpine (read: possible/likely looseness) climb in the write-up. YMMV. Quote
kevino Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Yeah...ever read any other trip report on here about this climb or other climbs on goose egg? Quote
finian Posted October 18, 2010 Author Posted October 18, 2010 Sure, but I guess in my mind there is a difference between "looseness" and let's go chop my partner's head off with a rock guillotine ;-) Quote
powderhound Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 did you see any ice across the way? Quote
sobo Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Sure, but I guess in my mind there is a difference between "looseness" and let's go chop my partner's head off with a rock guillotine ;-) I think you'll just have to get used to it, or don't climb there anymore. Be thankful you didn't head over to Kloochman's Rock... now that's what I call looseness! Quote
finian Posted October 18, 2010 Author Posted October 18, 2010 Sorry, my first time down there and I wouldn't even know where to look. Quote
eldiente Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 I give you props for telling it like it is. Too often TRs gloss over how awful the rock can be out there. Lose rock doesn't make a route all bad, there are some folks out there that love that sort of thing. However it is always nice to be honest when writing a TR so others know what to expect. Quote
sobo Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Sorry, my first time down there and I wouldn't even know where to look. While on route, turn and look over your left shoulder to the horizon. Strobach Mountain. Brian, Far far far too early for ice yet on Strobach - give it another coupla months. Should be good to go by December, but possibly by Thanksgiving if it gets cold enough. Quote
cbcbd Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Agree with the looseness, but it wouldn't keep me from recommending the route to someone. Sure, some pitches were scary loose, but the climbing is never too hard and it has it's fun moments (like the hand crack slight overhang pitch). After doing it I better understood why the guidebook says that some people just do the first couple pitches and rap off with double ropes. Still, I enjoyed doing the whole route, looseness included. What I found odd about the summit of goose egg was the fact that not only were there loose blocks, but unlike other talus I've come across, this talus was not settled like what you would see in a rock gully. The blocks up there seemed almost placed in a way that whatever you touched, moved and slid. If the area had a good earthquake I believe it would make the climb 3x safer Quote
sobo Posted October 18, 2010 Posted October 18, 2010 Agree with the looseness, but it wouldn't keep me from recommending the route to someone. Sure, some pitches were scary loose, but the climbing is never too hard and it has it's fun moments (like the hand crack slight overhang pitch). After doing it I better understood why the guidebook says that some people just do the first couple pitches and rap off with double ropes. Still, I enjoyed doing the whole route, looseness included. Agree with your assessment, Doug. What I found odd about the summit of goose egg was the fact that not only were there loose blocks, but unlike other talus I've come across, this talus was not settled like what you would see in a rock gully. The blocks up there seemed almost placed in a way that whatever you touched, moved and slid. If the area had a good earthquake I believe it would make the climb 3x safer Yes, that is the weirdest talus collection that I've ever come across. It's like it never got shook up enough to get settled out. It's like it's fresh rockfall, but there's nowhere from which it could fall. And I love the scratchy, clanky sounds it makes when it shifts... Quote
bwwakaranai Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 Choss Pile! Why on earth would you take that route to the top? Just finish it after the bulging handcrack pitch and rap down. Better yet after the second pitch, better yet go climb at the Bend. Quote
Rad Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 included.If the area had a good earthquake I believe it would make the climb 3x safer Doug Robinson told me that he and others believe that the southern sections of the Eastern Sierras were cleared of a lot of loose rock by nuclear testing in the Mojave. Hearsay upon hearsay, but it's an interesting idea. Maybe if Rainier blows up Tieton will be cleared of loose rock. Then again, St Helens didn't seem to help. Quote
num1mc Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 If the area had a good earthquake I believe it would make the climb 3x safer Would probably cause some rockfall, dislodge a lot of material and loosen up what solid rock there is. Goose Egg Mountain is completely incipiently jointer, and the exfoliations will no stop until the mountain is washed to the sea Doug Robinson told me that he and others believe that the southern sections of the Eastern Sierras were cleared of a lot of loose rock by nuclear testing in the Mojave. Hearsay upon hearsay, but it's an interesting idea An idea with not a shred of credence. Right up there with needing an aluminum foil hat to stop the CIA, NSA and the UFO's from reading your brainwaves. The resultant seismic waves from nuclear testing never exceeded any of the very common micro- and minor earthquakes which affect the Cordilleran yearly Quote
sobo Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 Right up there with needing an aluminum foil hat to stop the CIA, NSA and the UFO's from reading your brainwaves. You're telling me that this thing ain't working? OMFG, we're doomed! Doomed, I tell ya! Quote
finian Posted October 19, 2010 Author Posted October 19, 2010 I work at a company that provides stock photography and that is THE BEST picture I've seen this week! Thanks for sharing :-) Quote
sobo Posted October 19, 2010 Posted October 19, 2010 All your brainwaves are belong to us. Resistance is futile... Quote
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