[TR] Snoqualmie Pass - The Tooth 6/8/2013

[chadwalker]

Trip: Snoqualmie Pass - The Tooth

 

Date: 6/8/2013

 

Trip Report:

The Tooth... Where to begin? We did the route last Saturday morning. We started approach at 7AM at the trailhead. There were 3 other cars in the parking lot when we got there and we found out these folks camped in the lot and began approaching at 4AM... Yikes!

 

The approach was mellow. Snowy after about a mile. Sunglasses would have been a luxury. Trekking pole did come in handy. Wished I had something relatively water resistant for my feet (had 5.10 Camp Four's). We made the base in under 2 hours, each carrying a pack (we went heavy (I expressed plenty of disgust with this choice along the approach)).

 

 

When we got to the base, there were two parties of two above us and a party of two at the base getting ready to climb. I asked the party if they were planning on passing the parties above and they said No. They said we seemed to be moving faster than them so they offered us the lead (very nice as they'd been waiting at the base for an hour for the parties above (4AM'ers) to do something.)

 

I pooped. We racked. I lead the first 'pitch'. Passed the two parties of two, placed a #2 somewhere, and belayed my buddy up after 70m.

 

Broke down the anchor

 

And lead up to the top...

 

Belayed Jeff up again. It was a good thing too, since he was cruxing HARD

 

The views were awesome.

 

Thanks to the Mountaineers, there are beautiful super-redundant nuclear blast proof rappel anchors located every 30 feet down the Tooth... Taking note of the loose shards and bushes abounding, I decided to downclimb. My partner chose to rap. I beat him down by a few minutes, had an apple, thought about the hike out and didn't feel entirely fulfilled by our two pitches of climbing. So I took my harness off and climbed it again. And downclimbed again.

 

By that time, it was 11AM and I had to get to work in Seattle by 4... so we began our snowy run down. Jeff chose to butt slide.

 

Back to the car by 1PM.. 6 hours C2C, climbing the route twice.

 

Could easily cut this time down to 4 hours.

 

Gear Notes:

I won't hike out there with gear again. Light and fast. The lighter the faster.

 

If you must bring a rack, go singles of fingers-hands. I found spots for a red C3, orange Mastercam, a #2 C4, and built our anchor out of 2 .75's.

 

70m rope brought us to the top in 2 pitches with plenty of rope left over.

 

Chalk and shoes would be a better choice.

 

Approach Notes:

Snow city. But better than talus? Best conditions early in the AM. 2 hours if you are moving.