texplorer Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 A friend asked me if I wanted to do the infamous Marc Twight route a couple of days ago and I was just curious if anyone here has done this route or has any beta on the route. I am kinda clueless as to what the route is about except for some pics I looked at this weekend at Senor Bourbon's. Is this in the Willis wall category of danger and committment or does it just require more technical climbing? P.S. I already know to take 20 packets of Gu and to cut the tags out of my gear to save weight. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I think it's only seen a second ascent as of a few years ago by forrest_m who posts here and offered info. Look in the N Cascades section for a recent posting with photos that forrest showed and other info. I dont look at it like Willis Wall but maybe that's cuz I am drinking whiskey and cokes right now. Quote
iain Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 "Selected Climbs" has it for a bit of guidebook-like info. Prob. already have what little there is there though. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Cat=&Board=UBB2&Number=119113&page=0&view=collapsed&sb=5&o=&fpart=1 Quote
mattp Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Be sure to take the digital camera and post a trip report. Quote
texplorer Posted January 7, 2003 Author Posted January 7, 2003 Yikes those avy paths look heinously scary. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Homey's too ghetto like me to own digi and his real camera is huge and bulky Quote
mattp Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Avvy paths are the least of your worries on that route. Indeed, any time that I would want to try it there would have recently been a major avalanche cycle just as there had been shortly prior to Forrests' and Dan's climb. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I think you got a good chance at it Tex. I know you are very fit and shit. Mostly I'd worry about climbin it in good conditoins like mentioned. After avvys and shit. Then bomb up there. If forrest recommends a bivy then I would recommend 2 for people like me Quote
Skisports Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I am interested in this route too. I wasn't sure but shouldn't it be colder then it is now. ??? Beta is good too... dave Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I dont think homey is considering going up there this weekend. .. .. He's curious about it that's all. He's never seen the guidebook...... Quote
mattp Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 (edited) ???? Edited January 7, 2003 by mattp Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I think it only takes jpeg or jpg images on the board??? Quote
Skisports Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Thanks for the beta I will remember that on the route.... Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Yeah just keep singing it only takes jpeg or jpg in your brain when you go. It might work. Do some indian prayer to keep avvys away and safe. I have some carved indian shit from lillowet to sacrifice to the avvy gods to donate at the "trailhead". Quote
klenke Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Was up doing Snowfield Peak on December 1. Seems like it would be quite feasible to get to the base of Watusi Rodeo by way of the Pyramid Lake/Pyramid Peak Trail. You can camp on the East Ridge of Pyramid then contour around the head of Colonial Creek to get to Colonial the next morning. Might be a slight problem crossing Colonial Creek (contour too high and it's a waterfall). Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I was up there too recently although thwarted by lom and bad snow before xmas. I think the way in is the one mentioned in the guidebook. Seems much faster. Tons of snow up there now compared with DEC 1 I bet. Quote
forrest_m Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 i wrote a pretty long and detailed TR at the time, which is undoubtedly more accurate than my memory after 3 years. a search in the n. cascades forum for "colonial" would surely bring it up. i think that ideal conditions for the route would be a storm cycle followed by week of clear weather with low freezing levels. this is more or less what we had, but it started snowing soon after we left the car. we had a lot of problems with spindrift and unconsolidated snow by the time we finished. Quote
mattp Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 That is pretty much "ideal conditions" for most Cascade winter climbs. But I would add that a WARM storm cycle should ideally be follow by a week of cold. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 http://www.cascadeclimbers.com/threadz/showflat.php?Board=UBB2&Number=49086 Quote
klenke Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Definitely quick to go right up Colonial Creek from the road. Benefit for camping on East Ridge of Pyramid would be the ability to view the route from a roughly horizontal eye-angle as opposed to from below. You can plot/see the route from camp, then aim directly for it the next day. Binoculars would be handy. I would estimate one hour to get to base of Colonial from the East Ridge of Pyramid. Camp on the ridge is roughly 5,400 ft. Quote
Cpt.Caveman Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 I would never go up that way. Just an opinoin on the directness from the armchair of Jack Daniels and other factors I wont mention. I think Tex knows about the binocular deal after our last trip for sure Quote
Alasdair Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 Wayne and I got from the road to the base of the route by following the creek from the road in less than two hours. Follow the right side of the creek and stay a couple of hundred feet away from the creek. It is as easy and approach as you will find in the Cascades in winter. Quote
iain Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 That is pretty much "ideal conditions" for most Cascade winter climbs. But I would add that a WARM storm cycle should ideally be follow by a week of cold. Tex will be torn between hitting up the Yoke or this when this Wx pattern moves through. Poor Tex, what's an hombre to do? Quote
Necronomicon Posted January 7, 2003 Posted January 7, 2003 (edited) We did the same thing on the left side of the creek, pretty quick with a good snowpack. Edited January 7, 2003 by Necronomicon Quote
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