Little Naches River TR - Part Tres

[sobo]

Well, the gong has sounded on the 2001/2002 Eastern Washington ice climbing season. Cragg and I went out Saturday and picked two virgin lines in the Little Naches River drainage to end the season.

I led what I've named Sniveling Gulley, a full rope in a deep cleft right next to the road about 1 mile from Hiway 410. First half of the climb is an easy WI-2 ramp which puts you below a wall of ice that goes WI3 left, WI3+/4 center, and definite WI4 right. All the ice was chandeliered and had LOTS of air in it. I led the center, as the top-out on the right-side line smelled of loose rock, unfrozen moss, and mud. I was right on all counts, both for the right-side and center line. Oh well, brain was functioning at least. A sporting finish in mud high above the last screw capped my leads for this season.

Hustled over to The Drowning Pool area so Cragg could FA the right-side of his Bend Me Over the River line. Running water, air-filled ice, but reassuring thunks made for the WI3+/4 finish to his last lead of the season. As I was seconding, I was barraged by falling ice and took a bullet on the head and shoulder by cantalope-sized chunks. Rattled the teeth a bit, got on up, got the hell out. Cragg raved about his screw placements until I informed him that every one had melted out in the few minutes it took me to follow him up.

The Season has left the building... Time to think of other vertical dreams...

Spent Sunday ice hunting for next year's leads. Found several that we never saw before in their dying stages. Will have to pick them next year. Jason, you interested in beta on these?

[ 03-25-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

[Alex]

Paul

yes

Alex

[sobo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Stefan:

Any ice climbing potential on the east side of Goose Egg mountain?

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Alex is correct re: east side GE Mtn.

Wes is correct, although this year neither one of those came in well enough to climb, IMO. Also, I think the rocks are *west* of the creek.

There is also a one-pitch route hidden in a cleft at the bend in the hiway at MP 79.5+/- that comes down right smart vertical, but forms short tiers. Climbed it about 5 years ago and haven't seen/heard of it coming in again since. Really easy approach, belay is on screws set in the frozen creek surface, rap is off a sling threaded thru a hole in the cliff face right of the top-out. WI-3+/4. FA unknown.

Wes: Have you led that N-NE line on Goose Egg? What's it like?

[ 03-26-2002: Message edited by: sobo ]

[wdietsch]

quote:

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Originally posted by sobo:

think the rocks are *west* of the creek.]

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Sobo's correct, ice is west of the creek, my bad

quote:

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[/qb]Wes: Have you led that N-NE line on Goose Egg? What's it like? [/qb]

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First time I climbed it (7-8? years ago) I led the first pitch, Cragg led the second. Couple of years ago it was really fat and I did it solo. I think it is a good climb to take newbies on looking for something more than a top rope. If you are in the area and have the time, sure why.. but it is not a "destination"

[ 03-26-2002: Message edited by: wdietsch ]

[Stefan]

Any ice climbing potential on the east side of Goose Egg mountain?

[Alex]

boy I've looked at that thing quite a number of times and I dont think it has enough water coming off it to form from top to bottom.

There is a deeper cleft kind of over on the left that might be good in freak years, but I have never seen anything form here...

[wdietsch]

Stefan....yes (don't know that it was/is in this year) nomally a 2 pitch WI2+/WI3 line forms on the N-NE corner. Very visible from the Highway when west bound just past the eastern turn off to the Tieton River Road. From the top of the second pitch walk off to the right (northwest)decend down thru the trees. This has been refered to by many names .. "Elk Piss Vail", "The Golden Goose", to name a couple.Quite often thin WI2/WI3 ice also forms on the NE slope of Westfall Rocks at the "town" of Rimrock directly north of the highway across from the grocery store and east of Wildcat Creek

[ 03-26-2002: Message edited by: wdietsch ]