danhelmstadter Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 (edited) Trip: Mt, Shuksan - North Buttress Couloir - ski descent Date: 1/30/2011 Trip Report: I've had my eye on this line for a long time, but have always been a little too intimidated to go for it - yesterday early am was no exception, when my alarm rang at a cold 430, I drearily decided that the avalanche danger was probably too high, and new snow would have hid crevasses on the white salmon approach, much too dangerous, so I shut my eyes and slept until 8. I peered out the frosted window of my camper and saw Shuksan in the early sun, all fears disolved, I guzzled some breakfast and set out. Avalanche debris by the creek are a pain this year, but it was easy going above. The hanging glacier was acitve and displayed some impressive serac avalanche events, one was close enough to dust me. No track was in place on the white salmon, but the trail breaking was easy, I started lookers left to avoid crevasses on the right, and dug several pits, the snow seemed stable enough, there was a consistant failure about a foot down but it had a very dirty/rough shear. The surface 2 inches or so would break in shooting cracks in the more wind affected areas; weather was quite pleasant, sunny, cold, a little breeze up high. I made my way over to the north shoulder, took a little break, then dropped in the North Buttress Couloir, It was quite icey in spots, but there had been some crossloading, and one side of the couloir offered windbuff. Lower down the snow got much better, and was mostly windbuffed powder over ice crust, which was scary at times, since I hadn't climbed the route, I didn't know where I was going to hit it, and every tenth turn or so sounded like KKCHHHHHHHHH, as my edges struggled for purchase on the ice crust. I took my time and skiied tentitevly. As I approached the end of the first couloir, I busted out my crampons and ice tools and took a look over the edge to scope things out for a possible rappel etc... I found that it would be easiar to ski down to the left then curve around below the cliff on a super exposed traverse. I put the skiis back on and carefully skiied down to the traverse, where I again switched to crampons and traversed 10 feet of thin ice, then threw the skiis back on and shredded the second couloir, which was less steep and had less ice crust. The sun was shineing in it's pink pre-dusk light, bueatiful, but a clear indication of what was to come. I found some rock which looked like it would take some decent pro for a rappel station, after hammering in a pin, I dislodged a microwave size block, but it exposed more solid rock behind it. I equalized several pieces and a picket, then rapped a full 36 meters useing a 36 meter 8 mil, with a 36 meter 3 mil tag line - past an overhang, steep ice, then a vertical ice step with just barely enough rope for the last vertical step, I had to grab and stretch my tag line for the last few feet. There was still 100' of knar terrain left before I reached the NorthWest Couloir, but luckily I had rapped into a tight gully that held good ice which was easy to downclimb. By the time I reached the NorthWest Couloir it was night. I melted some water then shreded the NW couloir with my headlamp, It held excellent powder, every turn my headlamp would illuminate a plume of snow, it was stupidly fun. I knew where the cliff bands were, since I'd skiied it a couple times before. The ski down to the creek was fun too, with a few inches of pow over a spirnglike snowpack. My camera ran out of batteries, but I did take some helmetcam footage, which I may try to organize later. Does anyone know if a name for this route exists? NBC seems appropriate. Close up of the NBC (taken the other day) Edited February 1, 2011 by danhelmstadter Quote
Tyson.g Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Holy Moly Dan! Way to go. A great TR and super sweet read. My fricking palms are sweating. Give me a buzz and I buy you a beer to hear this story in person. Cheers, Tyson Quote
Stefan Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 In the night too. Like I said before: you are a crack baby! Amazing. Quote
ryanl Posted January 31, 2011 Posted January 31, 2011 Sounds hairball dan. but I'm glad you enjoyed yourself. Sweet looking line. Very impressive. Quote
letsroll Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 your freaking nutz, but in a good way :) Quote
sneaky_steve Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Sick! Looking forward to the helmet cam footage! Quote
kukuzka1 Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Always looked at that line but never tried it. dont know if its been ascended? but its been descended. good job Quote
E-rock Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Every time I read one of your trip reports, I start thinking, "he makes it sound so easy, maybe I can give some of those routes a shot", but by the end I realize I am in way over my head just by reading the account. Quote
skykilo Posted February 1, 2011 Posted February 1, 2011 Spicy tamale, Dan. 8 mm + 3 mm: wicked lightweight combo. Glad you got it. North Shoulder gnar <3<3<3<3<3<3 Quote
skykilo Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 It would be an oversimplification to call Dan's trip "skiing" without further qualification, in my opinion. It seems more like a vision quest with skis as an enabling tool in his shaman's kit. Want to ski or have a beer on Friday, Dan? I'm flying from SEATAC on Saturday so I have to head south this week. Quote
Tyson.g Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 It would be an oversimplification to call Dan's trip "skiing" Word to that! Quote
Alex Posted February 2, 2011 Posted February 2, 2011 I can't help but notice the plumbline on the righthand side of the first pic, where the summit pyramid comes down to meet the glacial shoulder, nice narrow couloir there, perhaps same length as NBC, with a decent run-out. Quote
Dan_Miller Posted February 4, 2011 Posted February 4, 2011 Great job again Dan. You just keep reminding us of all the fun we might be having. Quote
moira armen Posted February 5, 2011 Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) Wow...I'm so...well...speechless...amazing...awesome...inspiring Edited February 5, 2011 by moira armen Quote
Gaucho Argentino Posted February 9, 2011 Posted February 9, 2011 Hi, Dan. Awesome job to go solo, no kidding... Q: the red line, is the way up, the way down, or both? Cheers, GA Quote
Atraslin Posted February 24, 2011 Posted February 24, 2011 Danimal.Sick route Dan. I think if you are going into gnarly terrain like that carry a 70 metre rope if you can get a hold of one.It keeps that risk factor a little more in check and gives you a few more options. It's all good you made it and skied a new line. Quote
danhelmstadter Posted February 24, 2011 Author Posted February 24, 2011 Thanks for your comments! Andy, let's ski soon! Gaucho, sorry it's taken me a few to get back to you, the red line is the ski descent. i ascended on skis up the white salmon glacier, partially in view on lookers right. cheers Dan Quote
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