Verticolorful Posted May 29, 2012 Posted May 29, 2012 Trip: Colchuck Lake - North Buttress Couloir - Acid Baby Date: 5/27/2012 Trip Report: Wow. Climbing has been providing me with experiences that words really can not capture. I am so thankful to have such inspirational people and amazing landscapes around me everyday. On Saturday I got to the trail head at 6am and started moving. I was considering doing The North Buttress Couloir or Colchuck Glacier; this was my first steep snow climb, so I wanted to feel out my options first. Once I arrived at the lake the snow was so perfect, I knew I was doing NBC. Deciding to travel light made the entire outing really fun. I ended up making back to my car just after 12pm. What a good morning. Asgaurd pass Beta On Monday Grant showed up to my house at 6am; Stoke was super high to get on this Leavenworth classic. Acid baby is an amazing route that provides EVERYTHING in the way of a fun climbing adventure. The route is almost completely dry and snow provides a super fast decent. I consider it to be my favorite climb so far. We walked across the lake on our decent and I DO NOT suggest this beta at all! Gear Notes: NBC: Pickets and rock gear would work great for a running belay or simu-climb. Acid Baby: Doubles from Blue alien to #3 Camalot and a 60 meter worked great. Approach Notes: to avoid post-holing travel in early morning. To cross Asguard pass without crampons wait tell later in the day. Quote
layton Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 i'd never guess how popular that route would become. One of my favorites too! Hope you got the money a'cheval pitch. Quote
pu Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 Nice work!! Looks like the runnels on the TC are out. Can anyone confirm this? Quote
bellows Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 Good meeting you on the NBC Shaun! 6 hours car to car is flying on that thing, well done. Thanks for the photos. -Dana Quote
Khartoum Wood Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 Second to last pic is bad ass that alone makes me want to climb this route good work guys we seen you guys up there on are way out we were on the Witches Tower. Quote
Verticolorful Posted May 30, 2012 Author Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) Dana! I was stoked to meet you guys on such a spectacular day. Way to get after it!! Hopefully I will be seeing you around. Layton: the route is a classic for sure. Thanks for finding this gem. The fourth to last pic is of Dragontail from Acid Baby. Not sure what route that would be. Edited May 30, 2012 by Verticolorful Quote
bonathanjarrett Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 (edited) I climbed TC on Saturday (will post a TR soon, although I ran my camera through the wash so pictures may be not in the cards). We found excellent conditions in the couloirs. The runnels were "in"ish although thin and appearing snicey, but we didn't take that section instead choosing the first bypass. If I get my memory card to work, I will throw up some pictures. I took at least one from the base of the runnels as well as one from across the lake. Edited May 30, 2012 by bonathanjarrett Quote
lunger Posted May 30, 2012 Posted May 30, 2012 you've prob figured this out by now, but i believe that's the NE couloir on D-tail. looks almost skiable... V-ful, thanks for the pics on NBC, looks fat with snow. is there continuous snow on the NW face (the stretch above NBC) too? Quote
Verticolorful Posted May 31, 2012 Author Posted May 31, 2012 you've prob figured this out by now, but i believe that's the NE couloir on D-tail. looks almost skiable... V-ful, thanks for the pics on NBC, looks fat with snow. is there continuous snow on the NW face (the stretch above NBC) too? Yes there is snow the whole way on NBC. In fact I saw a bad ass skiing it on Monday! Quote
TeleRoss Posted June 1, 2012 Posted June 1, 2012 Yeah Eric, the NE couloir on Dragontail is a sweet ski. Steep and tight. I skied from the rocks that choke the couloir up near the top. In a big snow year it's prob skiable from the top, or with a little air over the rocks. Have fun! Quote
ryanl Posted June 5, 2012 Posted June 5, 2012 Was thinking of you Ross as I passed by this on Sunday. Super impressive! Quote
BeauCarrillo Posted June 10, 2012 Posted June 10, 2012 Sick shaun!! like hella ill pimpin'.....keep scoopin! Quote
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