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[TR] Dragontail Peak - Triple Couloirs 2/21/2015


fourteenfour

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Trip: Dragontail Peak - Triple Couloirs

 

Date: 2/21/2015

 

Trip Report:

Well I think everyone and their mom read calamityinsanity's TR on Tuesday, and I certainly owe it to him for posting the conditions.

 

(iPhone photos will have to suffice for now, I'll try and get the real photos up soon).

 

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Made the plans as soon as I saw the TR posted. Secured my friends Paul and Jacob as partners. I landed Thursday afternoon packed and ready to go. We opted to depart Friday and enjoy some evening light at the lake. 1pm start from the closed road. 5pm-ish arrival at the lake. After enjoying the view and scoping the route we decided to set up camp on the lake...it made for an interesting night of sleep and occasionally second guessing our decision as the ice expanded and made loud creeks, moans, and gurgles, but it was super thick.

 

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A party of 2 arrived around 12:30am. They took a short nap and were first on the route around 7am. We had a late start, thinking there wouldn't be too many people climbing (we were wrong), leaving our tent at 8am, with an additional party of 2 and 3 ahead of us (7 ahead of us including the early risers). When we reached the base of the route around 9am the party of 2 and 3 were backing up at the first step on the left. We chose the ramp on the right and started cruising. By the end of the Hidden Couloir we had passed the the 5 climbers near us which made the climbing much smoother (would have started earlier had we known). The runnels were in great condition. Total we spent just under 7 hours on the route. With a team of 2 you could shave off 1-2 hours easy, maybe more. Back to the lake-top tent as dusk arrived. Packed up camp and reached the car by 9:30. Feet were quite sore with blisters to spare.

 

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Take microspikes for the approach.

 

Lots of great rock pro (mainly for directionals and anchors). We pitched out a total of 4 pitches: the entry ramp, and 3 on the runnels, but you could easily do less.

 

We carried #.1-#3 cams with a couple of doubles on the small guys but never used the #3 and only placed the #2 once (a second #1 would have been more useful in its place).

7 single length runners and a few doubles.

2 pickets. Necessary as an anchor once, otherwise just directionals while simul-climbing

6 screws (2 stubbies and 4 13's). With current conditions I would take 3 stubbies and 3 13's if going back this week.

Stoppers were unused and I should have left at home.

2 kb, 1 lost arrow. All 3 went unused, but we were able to clip 2 existing pins on route.

 

The route is in prime condition for snow and ice. Very consistent coverage, no mixed conditions (yet).

 

As we left I counted at least 5 parties camped and waiting to get on the route for Sunday morning.

 

I imagine it will be gone early this season as it felt much more like late March/April in the alpine.

 

- Michael

 

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wish this was a little closer to my backyard :P

 

Ivan, it's not too far. You can make it probably after work on a Friday, skin in, climb on Saturday, back to the car and back to the halarious trolling Saturday night

 

Thanks Dave! We need to plan another trip when you have time off!

 

Mike, I won't be back to the PNW until 2016 or 2017. Until then I'm all game for destinations or Northeast options. Katahdin. Mt Washington is also a very social event in spring. We are also currently having another ice age with more than enough to go around.

Edited by dave schultz
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