[TR] Buckner Mtn. + Horseshoe - SW Face and whatever Horseshoe's route is called 7/14/2013

[lukeh]

Trip: Buckner Mtn. + Horseshoe - SW Face and whatever Horseshoe's route is called

 

Date: 6/29-30/2013

 

Trip Report:

Linsey on the summit of Buckner Mountain. Sahale, Boston, and Forbidden Peak are just ahead. Click here for a larger version on FB.

 

I’m going to keep this one short as Linsey has a detailed report I hope she’ll post. The annotated map below should give you the high-level summary. Aside from stats and route beta, however, I have to say that this definitely a memorable climb as we stayed out for over 24 hours with only a short 1.5h nap literally in the dirt around 3am. We passed out on the Sahale arm as our headlamps and eye-lids gave up, but not before eating wheat thins and salami like zombies, and leaving it strewn about savagely as we curled up in the dirt. Somehow the open salami did not cause a bear to find and eat us. When I woke up shivering the next morning I thought about this picture of a grizzly taken probably right around where we passed out.

 

I only took a few pictures, the first being me and Linsey waiting out a fierce downpour Saturday morning while watching some Ali G. I’m glad we did because it was over in an hour and things were fairly dry for the next 6-8 hours.

 

Linsey also tagged Horshoe while I belayed. Leaving our crampons/axes lower on this route caused this little climb to extend the epic nature of the whole adventure (a steep, small snow patch became the crux). We primarily did Horseshoe because Linsey is trying to climb the 100 highest peaks in WA and she’s in the sixties I think - pretty darn cool.

 

 

Gear Notes:

Light axe, light crampons, small rack for Horseshoe, GoPro with dead batteries that was useless weight (a must!).

 

Approach Notes:

Some 4-5th class down-climbing to get to a steep snow ramp that empties out into the basin. The basin itself was the sketchiest part due to a ton of running water under snow from the glacier above. I kept expecting to fall through and drown. We roped up here on the way back in the dark.

Edited July 15, 2013 by lukeh

[dougd]

The Karate Kid move on the summit is pretty cool.

 

Nice pics.

 

d