Peakpimp Posted January 10, 2011 Posted January 10, 2011 Trip: Mt Kent North Face - Burdick-Fortier Var. Date: 1/3/2011 Trip Report: On Monday Jan. 3rd. I soloed the north face of Mt. Kent near Snoqualmie pass. After receiving an email from Z-Man that the face was in good shape and that he had lain a nice track up and down, I couldn't resist. I left my car at 6:50 and hiked up to the Alice Creek drainage before leaving the trail. Upon reaching F.S. road 9020 I donned my skis and began skinning up toward the peak. After a few switchbacks I reached the point to drop down and cross the creek below the face. I then skinned up nearly to the base and wallowed the last 100m or so. I put the skis on my pack and began climbing around 11am. MClellan Butte in the morning light Frozen creek The foreshortened WI3 bit Ski boots and Sabertooths The first bit was approximately 50ft of WI3. I was unaccustomed to climbing with skis on my pack, and had to occasionally swing back between them to get a good stick, the ice was good and the climbing very enjoyable. I took my time soloing the ice pitch and eventually topped out into a large snow filled gully split by a tree lined ridge. The left side of the ridge appeared to be more interesting with small steps and bulges of water ice but I was unsure of the traverse back to the right where I knew the route would eventually go. I opted for the right side of the tree ridge and proceeded to wallow through deep soft snow until I could see a clear path up the gully. I climbed the gully until it terminated at a rocky headwall forcing me more to the right in the direction of the larger gully higher up. I came upon a snowy ridge crest in the trees and contemplated a rappel into the main gully. A few minuets of searching revealed that a steep snow traverse was possible higher up making a rappel unnecessary. I stopped here for a bit and had some water and a snack. I noticed these strange tracks in the snow delicately climbing up the crest of the small snow arete. At first I thought they were crampon marks but after noticing the waist deep trough I had been cutting up to this point I figured there was no way they where made by a human. After resting I completed the horribly insecure snow traverse with the sugary footing threatening to give way underneath me with every step. Animal Tracks Main Gully I was finally in the main gully with a light trail of intermittent boot steps to follow. The climbing was about 30-45deg and varied from nice hard frozen neve to waist deep powder. I proceeded up until the gully split again. At this point I believe the Burdick-Fortier takes the left branch to a small section of steep snow and the summit ridge. I took the right branch which eventually ended in a very sweet mixed headwall about 15ft tall. Nice verglas, turf sticks, and some rock holds for hands kept things interesting before the final 20ft of snow led through the trees to the summit ridge. Unfortunately no pics here due to frozen batteries. I topped out after 3hrs on the face (less time than the damn approach!) to beautiful sun and views of Mt. Rainier. I completed the slog to the summit and took in the splendor of the cascades spread out before me in the early afternoon light. After a short break on the summit I once again donned skis and began the decent by skiing directly off the summit. Alpental area The Olympics Sweet! The backside of the mountain was a beautiful powder run though perfectly spaced trees. I made some amazing turns while wrapping back around to below the north face once again and my ascent tracks which I followed back to the creek just as it was getting dark. I hiked up to the road cut and skied back down to where I first gained the road packed my skis and hiked back down to the car fairly exhausted but completely fulfilled. Gear Notes: Skis, tools, crampons and a good partner. Approach Notes: Skis or snowshoes a must Quote
mountainsloth Posted January 10, 2011 Posted January 10, 2011 sounds like a great day out. I've been wanting to explore that area for a while now, thanks for the insight. Quote
dbb Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 Nice job straightening the line out. Mt. Kent is surprisingly fun given how close it is to town, eh? Quote
kukuzka1 Posted January 11, 2011 Posted January 11, 2011 Is that the same line as scott/dave 2007? sounds simalar. anyway good times. mpreiss Quote
lancegranite Posted January 12, 2011 Posted January 12, 2011 Maybe Pine Martin tracks? How big were they? Quote
Peakpimp Posted January 13, 2011 Author Posted January 13, 2011 Thanks for the stoke! It was a lot of fun and yes so close to home. I had attempted it twice last year but the first pitches never really formed up enough, so I was happy to finally get it done. The tracks were about the size of my palm. -Josh Quote
mountainsloth Posted January 15, 2011 Posted January 15, 2011 probably a fox or coyote. Maybe, dare I say... a wolverine? http://www.fs.fed.us/pnw/news/2006/02/wolverine-radio.shtml Quote
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