BootsandPants Posted December 22, 2011 Posted December 22, 2011 Trip: Lane Peak - The Zipper Date: 12/21/2011 Trip Report: Tuesday afternoon, Aaron P sends me a message at work "Hows your vacation situation? Can you take tomorrow off?" "Sure, what do you have in mind?" "The zipper looks nice" So off we went the next morning down to MRNP. It was a beautiful morning, clear and crisp at 18F when we left the car at the Narada Falls parking lot at 900. Up the snowbank, down the road, over the river and through the woods to Lane Peak we did go. There's a pretty packed in trail right now and snowshoes weren't needed. Some of the lines on Denmen looked pretty good. Photos below for a conditions update on those: [img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7033/6551934827_afa9c38c29_b.jpg[/img] [img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7024/6551935593_4b9b37c7d1_b.jpg[/img] Made it to the base of a little ice step around 950 and roped up here. Neither of us had lead any sort of ice before so we were playing it on the safe side even though it looked very soloable. [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-L0WIi6EdSoc/TvKcnWoJe_I/AAAAAAAABCM/ghrSKLa-XT0/s512/DSC00340.JPG[/img] Roping up [img:center]https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-2HZqiqHkQD4/TvKcmsXPj1I/AAAAAAAABCI/7ZkMmM1sjOA/s512/DSC00343.JPG[/img] Aaron leading above the first little step [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-EC2pzny8BTk/TvKcuKumIxI/AAAAAAAABCg/jLvgp5QtB5E/s720/DSC00344.JPG[/img] Right below the second step After belaying Aaron over the first step, we simuled to the second step, drove in a picket then I went out on lead. Blasted up the second step, and simuled the rest of the way to the top out. [img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7165/6551940039_493f914efb_b.jpg[/img] Getting through the second step [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-3rUJWQteI-E/TvKcwGKkwsI/AAAAAAAABCo/2eRhUXPE9eY/s512/DSC00345.JPG[/img] Simul to the top Conditions were great. Nice and cold, and the snow has really consolidated to make for great cramponing. We cruised right up this thing. We reached the top of the couloir around 1100 and toyed with the idea of heading back down and climbing up Lovers Lane for shits and giggles, but decided to head up to the summit instead since neither of us had been up there before. Followed some footsteps up a gully on the southeast side until they all stopped at a bright orange rap sling tied around a tree. From there we followed the ridge to the summit. We were surprised at the amount of wallowing we did on the ridge, but made it to the summit without too much difficulty. [img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7025/6551946339_7f96b01564_b.jpg[/img] Finding some loose snow [img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7005/6551947379_a5775c6b5c_b.jpg[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-guW8ZgfaHsM/TvKc8CLWPVI/AAAAAAAABDI/W2BM8Uga0vc/s720/DSC00349.JPG[/img] Summit Shot The views were fantastic. Crystal clear views of Rainier and everything else around. Couldn't have asked for better weather! [img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-pCQupzVkQxM/TvKdK6y5HiI/AAAAAAAABDg/LeckS4W2ioM/s720/DSC00354.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-Z7osRSarDWQ/TvKdD-cXi4I/AAAAAAAABDQ/t7TDVWo-UX8/s720/DSC00350.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-km4AVpatC1k/TvKc7dP5KvI/AAAAAAAABDA/Gox56S-4rgw/s512/DSC00348.JPG[/img] [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-agdv1DExgzw/TvKc4ud5l1I/AAAAAAAABC4/gXMOUYpuvQE/s720/DSC00347.JPG[/img] After taking a few pictures, we headed down and had a candy bar at the saddle. Back out to the car and happily eating some potato ham soup with an IPA at copper creek by 1430. A great trip and well worth playing hookie for. Thanks for making me take off work Aaron! [img:center]https://lh6.googleusercontent.com/-_y2O4tndOZg/TvKdQgwxZ-I/AAAAAAAABDs/S4TRyHQgXsc/s720/DSC00357.JPG[/img] How to kill a snowzombie Gear Notes: Used 3 pickets and a 13cm screw. Could easily solo in these conditions now Approach Notes: Path pretty well stomped in. Follow the footsteps. Quote
ajpederson Posted December 22, 2011 Posted December 22, 2011 Yeah, that was way better than going to work. I'm glad you saved me from the snowzombie. Quote
Vlaming Posted December 23, 2011 Posted December 23, 2011 You youngsters will have to haul my aging carcass up there one of these days. AP-get over that cold! Quote
BootsandPants Posted December 26, 2011 Author Posted December 26, 2011 You youngsters will have to haul my aging carcass up there one of these days. AP-get over that cold! Anytime, just let me know! It's a fun and easy climb with a cool feel to it. Any day out of the office is better than sitting there too Quote
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