[TR] Guye Peak - South Gully Direct 1/7/2012

[BootsandPants]

Trip: Guye Peak - South Gully Direct

 

Date: 1/7/2012

 

Trip Report:

The weather looked nice this weekend (not rain) so Ambrose, Aaron P, Alicia and I decided to give the south gully on Guye Peak a go. None of us had ever been up this route before except for Ambrose, so it would be interesting and a fun challenge for the rest of us newer alpine climbers.

 

At the summit west parking lot and moving around 8. We opted not to bring snowshoes or skis as we were guessing that the rain event a few days prior and the warm temps had consolidated the snowpack. Man were we as wrong as six rabbits. We made ok time though as we meandered our was through the Sahalie ski area and up to the entrance of the climb, postholing the entire way like champions. All great alpinists posthole everywhere, right?

 

[img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7146/6664478579_46ec4c461e_b.jpg[/img]

 

Roped and racked up, I headed out first up the gully. I was told I had to lead the whole thing since I was "young and needed experience". The climbing was generally easy, but thin in places. I had to search for a few places to get good tool sticks to pull over some steps a few hundred feet into the gully, but they were there.

 

[img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-ySu-niuHq8w/TwkVvjXTlEI/AAAAAAAAUeA/gIihFPyv7So/w403-h537-k/IMG_0734.JPG[/img]

 

When the route wasn't thin, I was generally wallowing in snow as high as my chest. Easy enough to get purchase for your feet, but still slow going due to the wallowing.

[img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7015/6664481331_d18ce8766c_b.jpg[/img]

 

After a few more icy and thin steps we reached what looked like a dead end, with one little overhangy bit up to a slope that was hidden around a rightward corner.

[img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-8p0ZtKp2RQ0/TwuvKOfbIHI/AAAAAAAABHk/p1mXH4HIJOM/s512/DSC00361.JPG[/img]

 

I brought Ambrose up and we discussed options. He said that he had always bumped out right at this point and wasn't sure if it went. Screw it, throw me on belay, I'm checking it out. It was interesting to pull over this feature, using a bit of stemming, an awesome turf stick and stepping higher than I thought my leg could bend. After rounding the corner and seeing that it did indeed go, I called down that I'm going to keep going up until I couldn't.

 

There was another higher ice step above the last one, probably about 15-20 feet. No great pro around, at least that my gumby eyes could see, so I pounded a picket before the step and changed on.

[img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7007/6664484759_b309a067d5_b.jpg[/img]

[img:center]http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7154/6664483959_6005c95cee_b.jpg[/img]

 

After a few more ice steps we made it out of the gully onto a more open face. Nothing technical, just thin in places.

 

[img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-JGcCTB2kLgc/TwuvLSgM30I/AAAAAAAABF0/97RhwOdg1AE/s512/DSC00363.JPG[/img]

 

On the summit at 1245, but the clouds were rolling in and our views were obstructed.

 

[img:center]https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-Vh1L3gjZlPw/TwuvQFqvk4I/AAAAAAAABGE/vaXx9VizWt8/s640/DSC00364.JPG[/img]

 

[img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-kGWLUJmiNQY/TwuvTBIBYxI/AAAAAAAABGM/j46dgxcWMMg/s640/DSC00366.JPG[/img]

 

There was some pretty cool snow formations on the trees up there. Kind of looks like hoar, but I'm not sure if it has a different name if it grows on trees?

[img:center]https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-dsl0ly28wZw/TwuvUyIGQhI/AAAAAAAABGU/z9PDHsZlpSE/s640/DSC00365.JPG[/img]

 

After a bit of a rest on the summit we traversed the ridge over to the north summit where we unroped and packed up. The cornice on the top out of the east couloir isn't totally formed, so you can make it out without having to tunnel through it. After stashing the gear, we got to practice our postholing techniques as we headed down the standard snowshoe track back into commonwealth basin. Back at the car and headed for some BBQ in Issaquah by 430.

 

This is a great route that's lots of fun and close to home. Short approach and easy terrain on the descent. Conditions could have been better, with more consolidated snow in the gully, but it's definitely in now and should only get better with time. There's also some sweet steps already kicked in too, so get after it

 

Gear Notes:

Picket or two

Half rack of nuts (only used DMM sized 3 and 5)

13cm screw

a handful of slings for trees

 

 

Approach Notes:

Posthole like it's 1999, or don't be a dumbass and take snowshoes

[ajpederson]

Approach Notes:

Posthole like it's 1999, or don't be a dumbass and take snowshoes

+1

 

Being light like Alicia, or having bigger feet like Ambrose would have worked too. Guess we got the short end of that deal.

[bar-tacked]

I was one of the 2 guys climbing behind you (really appreciated the steps ). You didn't happen to leave a cam behind, did you? We found one which looked pretty old, but didn't appear stuck or anything, so I thought I'd check.

[ajpederson]

I don't think any of us had any cams with us, but I'll check with the others. Where did you guys go? We sat on top for a little while having a snack, but never saw you come up.

[bar-tacked]

Also - curious - how did you know to turn left from the gully? Granted, we knew nothing about the route other than more or less where to start, but I'm pretty sure we'd just continue straight up if we didn't follow your tracks

[bar-tacked]

Where did you guys go? We sat on top for a little while having a snack, but never saw you come up.

 

I guess with all the time left to the sunset we just got slower toward the end and you left us behind - we departed some time after you cleared the rock step and never caught up with you. We still saw you from the South summit, but that's about it

[BootsandPants]

Also - curious - how did you know to turn left from the gully? Granted, we knew nothing about the route other than more or less where to start, but I'm pretty sure we'd just continue straight up if we didn't follow your tracks

 

I'm guessing you're talking about the last little bit to the false summit? If so, the left just looked easier from what I could see. Heading right looked like a long (50-60ft?) of sustained vertical climbing with little ice. Given that most of the rest of the sticks of the climb made me tread lightly, I didn't want to test my luck. So I went left. I had no idea if it would go or not after what I could see...I just went for it.

 

Glad you guys had a good climb!