[TR] Dragontail Peak - Serpentine Ridge 6/7/2014

[mrkittles13]

Trip: Dragontail Peak - Serpentine Ridge

 

Date: 6/7/2014

 

Trip Report:

My good buddy, Matt, and I took advantage of the warm and sunny spring weather to go for Serpentine Ridge on Dragontail this weekend. Got up at 4am at our glorious campsite in the Icicle Canyon and left the trailhead at 5:15 or so, fingers crossed for dry conditions on the route... especially this early in the season. Funny to think that exactly two years ago my wife and I climbed Triple Couloirs in snowy conditions.

 

The trail up to Colchuck Lake was dry and fast; the snow started at the boulders at the end of the lake. Perfect. The snow was hard enough to cruise up to the base of the route quickly, but soft enough that I was able to kick steps with approach shoes and without 'pons.

 

Dragontail in the morning hours.

 

Start of the route.

 

We simul-climbed for the first 500 ft, with some loose rock. We roped up for 3-4 long pitches of 5.7-5.8 climbing, with a 5.9-ish climbing up a crack system.

 

 

We simul-climbed the remainder of the route (low 5th class and 4th class terrain) without much in the way of route finding difficulties, with the one exception of the last pitch, which was mid-5th. Fortunately, the rock was dry for most of the route, other than a small snow patch here and there. Unfortunately, there was substantial loose rock on the upper part of the route, especially near the gully on the right side of the ridge.

 

Matt on the summit

 

The descent was fast, with snow most of the way to Colchuck Lake. We then picked up the dry trail and cruised on back to the car, arriving back around 6:00pm or so.

 

Have at it!!

 

 

Gear Notes:

double rack BD cams .4 thru 2, single 3, and set of nuts. Ice axe was helpful on the approach and descent. Crampons could have been left at home.

 

Approach Notes:

Easy breezy.

[Dave7]

Right on!