[TR] Mt Torment - The South ridge, the house of pain 9/2/2012

[OlegV]

Trip: Mt Torment - The South ridge, the House of Pain

 

Date: 9/2/2012

 

Trip Report:

From Merriam-Webster online:

 

Definition of TORMENT

 

1) The infliction of torture (as by rack or wheel).

2) Extreme pain or anguish of body or mind: agony.

3) A source of vexation or pain.

 

Who: Buckaroo, Alpine Tom, YocumRidge, OlegV

 

- as follows:

 

The dream of J-burg:

 

Below the first pitch:

 

Nastia on belay:

 

Oleg at the summit:

 

Nastia approaching the summit:

 

A sudden and heavy wakeup call brings him back out of hibernation, triggering a millisecond-long release of adrenalin and involuntary muscle contraction. Rock fall again! Tom wakes up in a short jumping burst; his body is prepared to fight a large sword-tooth tiger. His shaky pedestal gives in causing a butterfly effect sending a shockwave of rock fall. Unevenly shaped blocks tumble down landing an inch away from Nastia’s head protected only by a thin layer of face-warming gaiters. Cry out, woman - scream to the top of your lungs into a cold Cascadian night - no human being will hear your chant.

 

Buckaroo, a mountain craftsman, constructs a spacious bivy ledge just below the summit ridge on the sloping north side of Mount Torment. Having climbed through the tormented mountain terrains, we opt to spend a night in the surreal world dominated by the captivating views of Eldorado.

 

We share the last drops of water and discuss the possibility of drinking body fluids and eating the skunk-smelling grass. My “light and fast” air mattress fails at dusk. I am irritated and angry at the modern tourist industry. Mass-produced products are made of sealed garbage bags, compressed aluminum foil, and colorful pillow filling. I would rather harden my body and soul by hauling steel carcasses and by wearing grey but sturdy clothes. I sleep jammed in my old and heavy NF backpack – it helped solidify the harmony of nature with my own self.

 

Sunset in Cascades:

 

Eldorado:

 

Clouds:

 

Red:

 

 

 

Our bivy:

 

Veiw from the bivy:

Getting ready for cold night:

 

Covered in ice:

 

Tom in the morning:

 

The morning light doesn’t bring us warmth or the hope for easy survival. Eager to get down the disintegrating mountain, we crawl over the saddle that separates the north and south sides and begin our descent down the south-east face of the Torment.

 

Down the SE face:

 

Dodging flying rocks, finding old rappel slings, getting the rope unstuck (thank you to Buckaroo’s bravery and skills), we finally arrive to the last double-rope rappel station just above the glacier. We don’t see the glacier, but we hope it is all over. Yet, the fun has just begun. A giant gaping moat separates the vertical wall of rock and the vertical wall of ice.

 

Rock wall:

 

Ice:

 

Buckaroo takes his time coming down and finally yells: “Put on your crampons and have ice tools ready!!!” I go next; a moment later I discover myself hanging in the midair 30 feet above the sloping void leading to the subglacial river of potentially slow suffer and death. How would it feel to be sucked into this river? The images of being buried alive between the glacier floor and the megaton sheet of ice cross my mind. Drowning in the mountains is rare, but possible. Maybe in the 23d century, some hobbyist-archeologist will find our bones buried in the sand of the North Cascade desert…

 

I wake up in reality, push of the rock, swing out, and somehow manage to stick my tool into the fluctuating wall of the iceberg. “Got to climb straight up, can you?” – Buckaroo asks. I agree. He belays me of the pickets – I go up and over trying to crash the lip of the crevasse. Buckaroo follows. We set up an anchor at the edge of the moat and design a cleaver strategy to help others cross the moat: once a person repels to the level of the glacier, we would pool the end of the rope and bring a dangling body across the gap of the crevasse. It works like a charm. Nastia and Tom are surprised and slightly cranky, but the nervous trauma of the trip slowly fades away as we progress down the glacier towards the green light and running water. We enter the paradise of the Boston Basin, relax and taste the air. We see our fellow-climbers…

 

Tom in the end of the fearfest:

 

Gear Notes:

2 ropes

steel crampons

ice tools

 

Approach Notes:

dusty

Edited September 12, 2012 by OlegV

[ivan]

subtract the bivy and you have what sounds like my own experience on that there route - fuck that chossy traverse!

[KaskadskyjKozak]

 

A shit pile indeed, but the views from the summit are outstanding (esp. of Eldorado and the Inspiration Glacier in all its glory)

[Alpine_Tom]

God help me, but I'm starting to wonder whether going back and trying the SW face route would be worthwhile!

[OlegV]

God help me, but I'm starting to wonder whether going back and trying the SW face route would be worthwhile!

 

The descend route was pretty solid. It got some difficult but short sections. One can follow the rap stations all the way to the summit.

[OlegV]

subtract the bivy and you have what sounds like my own experience on that there route - fuck that chossy traverse!

 

maybe in winter when it is frozen

[tvashtarkatena]

I did a route near the SW face in '88 with some Russian exchange climbers and the rock wasn't too bad. The rock on the FT Traverse side famously sucks, however.

[YocumRidge]

I keep wondering how hard should I train to write like this distinguished russian climber. But I guess the saying "born to crawl - cannot fly" is so true Outstanding TR, Oleg!

 

I also hope that some day Oleg would acquire a sleeping bag more substantial than the one from the french hotel he used on the summit of Torment, so that the bear attacks can be avoided

 

 

[dougd]

Enjoyed the TR and pics. Especially the "sunset in the cascades"... Sureal, beckoning, beguilingly beautiful...

 

Nice work, thanks for sharing.

 

d

[dkatz12090]

Hey Oleg,

 

Great photos and an amusing read.

 

Will be headed up to do the FT Traverse next week hopefully. Just wondering if you can comment on conditions, esp. re: torment approach (SW ridge or face). Did you get a peak at any other parts of the ridge, or the West notch ascent/descent of Forbidden?

 

Thanks so much!

Drew

[OlegV]

Hey Oleg,

 

Great photos and an amusing read.

 

Will be headed up to do the FT Traverse next week hopefully. Just wondering if you can comment on conditions, esp. re: torment approach (SW ridge or face). Did you get a peak at any other parts of the ridge, or the West notch ascent/descent of Forbidden?

 

Thanks so much!

Drew

 

Thanks Drew. The Torment approach is pretty straightforward. From the camp sites, traverse the bolder field (no obvious trail), cross the creek and find a weakness in slabby terrains. Once you climbed the slabs, you will be at the base of the glacier. The glacier is easy - there are few small crevasses.

We pretty much followed the south ridge as described on Stephabegg’s website. Be prepared to encounter lots of loose rock on the first pitch (stay in the middle of the gully – involves some 5.2-5.4 climbing on solid rock). The second pitch is good, except the second part of it (the steep ramp) is unprotectable. On the 3rd pitch, start to the left of the belay spot (this start is exposed but easier than going to the right of the belay). The 4th pitch (going around the corner right and up the “scoop”) is weird. You shall see the old pin. Pitch 5 is good. Pitch 6 – the loose traverse to the notch (top of the scoop). From that notch, you will traverse up and over (left) to the summit. You will see two rappel stations (blue slings) on the SE face – this is a direct descend route off the SE face (if you decide to escape for some reason). We had two ropes and it helped to speed things up. You MIGHT need 2 ropes to complete the last repel to the glacier. We did see some intermediate slings on the steep section of the last repel. Also, all rappel stations are positioned pretty much in a single line (no need to traverse around as we mistakenly did).

To get from the notch on the top of the scoop: we simul-climbed attached to the same rope. From the summit of Torment, you can take 3 rappels (I believe) down until you are in level with the notch of the East Ridge. I wouldn’t down-climbed this section – lots of loose rock and potential rock fall. Once you are at the level of the notch, you will see a very clear trail to the notch.

Rock shoes will help!!!

 

I hope this helps!

 

Edited September 7, 2012 by OlegV

[OlegV]

Enjoyed the TR and pics. Especially the "sunset in the cascades"... Sureal, beckoning, beguilingly beautiful...

 

Nice work, thanks for sharing.

 

d

 

Thanks Doug! The views are surreal indeed! I wish my camera was a little lighter!

[Le Piston]

Sweet pictures...thanks for posting your adventure. I love that area!

[OlegV]

I keep wondering how hard should I train to write like this distinguished russian climber.

 

I also hope that some day Oleg would acquire a sleeping bag more substantial than the one from the french hotel he used on the summit of Torment, so that the bear attacks can be avoided

 

 

write like this distinguished russian climber. : hahaha, nothing but my oakward English (and russian)

[OlegV]

subtract the bivy and you have what sounds like my own experience on that there route - fuck that chossy traverse!

 

Does it get esier once you on snow?

[Alex]

sounds familiar. I did same trip with dps and my wife back in 2002(?), as the start of the TFT. After a lightening storm and rain near Torment summit, we decided to bail on TFT, ended up bivying anyway on the SE Face of Torment while trying to get down (it wasn't so bad, but we had to stay tied in), and went down next morning like you.

[dkatz12090]

Excellent! Thanks Oleg. Great info.

 

Most importantly, what is everyone's favorite bivy site near marblemount? =)

 

 

[Buckaroo]

I have car camped at the trailhead numerous times both for Forbidden and the upper lot, the rangers have never said anything but it probably helps to come in near or after dark.

[ivan]

subtract the bivy and you have what sounds like my own experience on that there route - fuck that chossy traverse!

 

Does it get esier once you on snow?

i can't recall - our bail down the many raps onto the taboo glacier was mostly defined by the huge amount of blood flowing out of my partner's hand after a huge pinnacle of rock had detached from under him, causing him to leap like a demented cat onto a neighboring ridge, shaving his fingers in the process

[Buckaroo]

This was on the approach, not sure how I caught Nastia facing the other way.

 

 

 

Nastia leading to the starting notch. Oleg and Tom on the glacier below. Another party of two starting on the rock.

 

 

 

Looking down the 2nd pitch, Oleg leading the 2nd rope.

 

 

 

Nastia leading the 2nd half of the 3rd pitch.

 

On the start of the 3rd I put in a #1 MasterCam and a couple 5.7 moves above it my right boot slipped on some moss. My hands were on two sloper downpointing edges and they slowly slipped off as I suddenly realized I was falling. "what??...WHAT???" Nastia was facing outwards, not watching, assuming as I did there would be no falls on this easy ground. "FALLING!!!". I started to flip over backwards from the 25 lbs pack. Hoping not to hit anything amidst the belay ledge and the ramp dihedral of the last pitch. I came to rest at the end of the rope, in a definite sort of shock. My first fall on gear in the alpine, Nastia caught me fine, only a 15 footer but pretty scary with one small piece in questionable rock on a 8mm single.

 

"ARE YOU OKAY??? ARE YOU OKAY???" "I think so" as I check myself over. "yes I didn't hit anything, I'm okay, I'm okay."

 

I got back on and made it to the next belay, and as I pulled the rope up I noted a significant chunk several feet from my end, not a core shot but pretty close.

 

In the alpine with a lot of soloing I always climb not to fall. This time maybe I was tired from Serpentine two days before or just got lazy/sloppy from being roped. If there was a turning point on this climb for me this was it. Although it didn't turn me around completely it maybe slowed me down enough for us not to make the TFT.

 

 

 

Looking down the 4th

 

 

 

Looking down the 5th

 

 

 

Looking down the 6th, final pitch from the first notch. The gear was there on this climb, but hard to find, including at the belays. And some of the rock anchors that previous climbers left webbing on were downright scary.

 

 

 

Looking up at Tom on the summit.

 

I was pretty disgusted with my too slow pace and the difficulty of gear and belays. When we made it to the final notch I told everyone I didn't want the summit and I scrambled down and started enlarging the two person bivy to four. They all went up without me. After a bit of work on the bivy I glanced up and saw Tom on the summit and he said it was easy ground. I relented and scrambled up to join everyone, it turned out to be worth it.

 

 

 

Eldorado from the Torment summit bivy. with 3500 feet of cliffs below us.

 

 

 

Sunset

 

 

 

Looking up at Oleg from inside the moat on the last rap. We had researched the TFT, not the descent of Torment so it took us quite a while just to get to this point. A brainstorming session at the morning bivy narrowed it down to the SE face, it took 3 or 4 convoluted raps to finally connect with the fixed stations. Including a solo class 4 scramble to retrieve a hopelessly stuck rope.

 

 

 

You can see how blank and vertical the last 50 feet of rock was above the moat.

 

Gaining the snow outside the moat was the trickiest part of the entire adventure. The lip was 25 feet out from the wall and 75 feet down from the rap anchor. It was too far out to gain just from a pendulum effected with pushing off the vertical wall. I rap down to just level with a small snow ledge on the inside of the moat that was about 15 feet out from the wall and 15 feet down from the lip. I let go of the locker prusik right at the 30m mark and pull the single axe off the harness. With a deep breath and an apprehensive glance at the bottomless abyss below, crampons scratching for grip, I launch off the wall with all my strength. Reaching over backwards at the peak of the pendulum, I barely axe the edge of the small ledge.

 

Twisting around to get the crampons into the overhang underneath. A tentative grasp and still far from home. It's now that I realize I didn't bring the rack. D'OOOOH!! All the previous raps, the first person down takes the rack, to set anchors or back up existing ones. My key to this puzzle is up at the last anchor with my friends. For I had only brought one axe intending to use my Ushba titanium nut tool as a second "axe" if necessary. Dammit. But the snow is not icy hard. I dig a handhold with my fingernails, grab it and carefully remove the axe and place it higher, one more time dig a handhold with the fingers quickly going numb. Move the axe up again, I finally get my feet up on the ledge.

 

From there it is mere logistics. Set a picket and the axe. Oleg raps down and I pull him to the small ledge and then belay him (he has two axes) while he climbs the vertical inside face of the moat up and over the top. We set both our pickets outside the moat and then Tom and Nastia rap down and we pull them over. It does take the two of us pulling to get them to the upper edge as it's further out at that point.

 

Finally the tension eases...

 

four climber's necks...

 

out of the noose.

 

[Josh Lewis]

Looks intense! Anyways, way to go get it!

[OlegV]

subtract the bivy and you have what sounds like my own experience on that there route - fuck that chossy traverse!

 

Does it get esier once you on snow?

i can't recall - our bail down the many raps onto the taboo glacier was mostly defined by the huge amount of blood flowing out of my partner's hand after a huge pinnacle of rock had detached from under him, causing him to leap like a demented cat onto a neighboring ridge, shaving his fingers in the process

 

You mean he lost his fingers!?

[ivan]

i can't recall - our bail down the many raps onto the taboo glacier was mostly defined by the huge amount of blood flowing out of my partner's hand after a huge pinnacle of rock had detached from under him, causing him to leap like a demented cat onto a neighboring ridge, shaving his fingers in the process

 

You mean he lost his fingers!?

naw, just cut'em down to the bone - crazy thing was i missed the whole thign - it was on a flat part of the traverse just off torment but before the steep snow on the other side - he'd gone up n over and back down a small like rock-turret and pulled a big tower off, but at the same height as me and out of my sight - heard him shriek but didn't get to see the blood till a few minutes later when he brought me over and we began our great bailure

[tvashtarkatena]

NAST!

[Off_White]

You know that moat on your descent is where Craig Leubben died, right? I haven't had many free hanging rappel sections in the mountains, I thought that was fairly gnarly for descending a class 4 route (isn't that what Fred rates it?)