strobach condition update

[sobo]

Don't get your hopes up just yet, folks. Just wanted to let you all know that the recent cold snap yielded bupkis as we haven't had enough precip lately. However, on my jaunt into the hills around White Pass over the wekend, I noted that recent significant snowfall was eveident on Strobach Mountain.

 

Snow reached from the summit of Dome DIvide all the way down to just at the top-out of the climbs, right around 4400-4500 feet. It snowed 6 inches Saturday night at the 5200-foot-level where I was camped, on top of an existing 6-inch base. It was dark when I passed by Strobach on the way home, but I expect it got hit again pretty hard. More free water... goooood.

 

Also noticed a group of three long, east-facing, sheltered, drips up the trail I was hiking (about 2 miles up from the truck, elev. ~4200) that I would guess haven't ever seen an ascent, unless Wes D. got to them before he moved south... Looked like stiff WI-3 to easy 4, with contemplative exit moves required. Keeping the location secret until I get back up there and nab 'em. Hang on a little while longer, Alex and Jason!

[Alex]

paul, right on.

 

for the record, Dec 31st is the official cutoff day.

 

Alex

[Jason_Martin]

December 31st is the day we have to turn in the draft. So the cutoff day for beta is mid-december.

 

Jason

[Dumpster_Diver]

Someone here give the rest of the world the directions to Strobach. Thanks a lot.

[sobo]

quote:

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Originally posted by Dumpster Diver:

Someone here give the rest of the world the directions to Strobach. Thanks a lot.

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I can do that, but the latter part will be sketchy until I can go in again. I'm planning to go up again on a weekend soon and re-flag the route with new survey ribbon. But here goes...

 

From I-82 entering Yakima, take Exit 31A towards Nachces/White Pass, and get on Hiway 12 heading west,

Drive 10 miles or so to Naches, then 4 more miles west of Naches to the US 12/SR 410 "wye" and turn left at the wye,

Drive up US 12 towards White Pass about 12 to 15 miles until you see a sign for South Tieton Road,

Turn of US 12 onto South Tieton Road and quickly cross over the Tieton River, round a bend, and pass by Goose Egg Rock,

Shortly past GER, a pull-out for a FS road (#?) signed as Soup Creek appears; park here as the FS/WSDOT will have plowed the entrance shut (snowmobile works well here),

Snowmobile, hike, snowshoe, or ski up the road for about an hour or so (couple miles +/-) and exit left on a marked ORV trail (#692?) and head into the woods bearing towards the obvious cliffs about a mile distant.

 

From here, my directions would be sketchy as you "just kinda know which way to go" if you've ever been there before. That's why I was planning to re-flag it before the snow level got much lower. There's a beaver dam x-ing, a hike up a bare hillside/slide area, a bushwhack through a small thick forest, and general angling towards The Septum and Split Rock Camp. The approach, by skis or shoes, takes about 3 hours from South Tieton Road (sound about right, Alex/Jason?).

 

HTH

 

...sobo

[Alex]

There are several approaches that have been used to these climbing areas over the years. Even armed what I am writing here it is essential that you come prepared with map and compass. The US Forest Service map to Wenatchee National Forest, or the Green Trails map #304, Rimrock, or whatever you like. climbers should always bring skis or snowshoes, and a shovel.

 

The approach to the Motherlode area:

Drive to the Tieton River Road, near Rimrock Lake on US Route 12, from either White Pass or Yakima. Turn onto Tieton River Road, plowed in winter, and proceed 2 miles, passing Goose Egg Mountain.

 

The first option is to turn onto Milk Creek Road, Forest Service road 570, drive a hundred yards and make an obvious left uphill. climb steady switchbacks and the winding road past Kloochman Rock on the right to its junction with 1201. Turn right onto 1201 and proceed past several large clear-cuts to road 609. Park here, and follow road 609 to where it terminates at a clear-cut, a quarter mile further. Strobach Mountain is visible directly to the south, only thirty minutes away, but the ice climbs are hidden by trees. Travel south through the forest, staying high, towards Strobach Mountain to the south.

 

The second option is to continue past Milk Creek to Forest Service road 1202. Proceed up this road for several miles, then leave the road and bushwhack Southeast through the forest to the right hand side of the Motherlode area.

 

The third option, to approach Dome Peak climbs, is to take road 1202 to where it is gated, and continue up the road up several switchbacks to where it comes close to Dome Peak. Several clearcuts here offer views of the climbs in this area. Bushwhack directly to the base of these routes from the clearcuts in about 45 minutes from the clearcuts.

 

Once you do the approach a few times and become familiar with the area, it gets vastly easier.

 

Alex