Woodcutter Posted November 19, 2014 Posted November 19, 2014 (edited) Trip: Colchuck - 43rd birthday gully Date: 11/18/2014 Trip Report: At about 7800’ on Colchuck there was ice last year & it was there again this year, on the right lobe of the Colchuck glacier. The righthand big pillar was chandeliered, brittle & seemed mostly unprotectable, plus the Frenchman was worried that the ice on the slabs above was too thin. Looks like a hell of line though. P1: (...is below the idiot in the white helmet) We went left around the back of pillar, looking to get on the big fat runnel, (but the ice was so hard & brittle that my Sarken were bouncing off & tools were not sticking, not plastic, it looks badass, steep). So we went further left up the snice gully, lots of gear in the ice & belayed at a good rock flake off a threaded wire (still there). Lovely pitch. P2: Steep snice, 2 dodgy screws, 1 good wire & belayed off ice axes All in, a nice steady route, easier than the NBC at this time of year, short & sweet. Hiked up to the summit and laughed a lot & did a bit of shouting. There is great potential up here, it was my birthday, old bastard now! Ha Gear Notes: Cams; metolius 0 to BD 3, rack of wires, pins, 8 screws. Vin Rouge from the Rhone. Approach Notes: The night before to the lake Edited November 19, 2014 by Woodcutter Quote
telemarker Posted November 19, 2014 Posted November 19, 2014 Your annual November trip to Colchuck I'm surprised you didn't go get scared on the NE Couloir of Dragontail. I love climbing those red lines! Nice one you guys. Happy birthday you ancient bastard. I'm sure the Frenchman got plenty of photos too. Quote
Riley81 Posted November 19, 2014 Posted November 19, 2014 Did the frenchmen know what happened last time you were up there? Quote
Woodcutter Posted November 20, 2014 Author Posted November 20, 2014 (edited) ...well I was kinda hoping that Victor would lead the pillar, but he didn't like the look of it. And since it wasn't nearly as well formed as last year & brittle, that saved me from having to fall of it again! Ha. Nice one Danny. Pic below is Danny's from last year, shows the fat runnel well. Edited November 20, 2014 by Woodcutter Quote
Kyle_Flick Posted November 20, 2014 Posted November 20, 2014 Your persistence paid off --nice work on your early season alpine adventure! Looks cold, brr. Quote
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