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[TR] Colfax Peak - Cosley-Houston Yardsale 2/22/2015


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Trip: Colfax Peak - Cosley-Houston Yardsale

 

Date: 2/22/2015

 

Trip Report:

Cosley-Houston is in good shape right now with lots of alpine ice, and the bonus of an easy drive to the trailhead, nice approach on a dirt trail, and no flotation required to get to the base of the route.

colfax_2.jpg

 

Unfortunately my partner peeled off while leading the crux pillar, severely jacking up his ankle in the fall. We bailed, leaving behind stuck tools in the ice where he fell, a two screw anchor, and our rope. In the moment, material items seemed irrelevant and we needed to get down as efficiently as possible, to heck with v-threads and 30m raps.

colfax1.jpg

 

I’m guessing the ice will soon spit out the tools & gear, or ice over and swallow them up until spring time. But if anyone is heading up that route and happens to pick up some of the gear and wants to return it, you would be handsomely rewarded with good karma and beverages of choice.

 

Alternatively and preferably, I’d love to clean up the gear myself (and finish the route!) but my partner is out of commission for awhile. If anyone wants to get on the route, let me know and I’d gladly go. I have a pretty flexible schedule after this week and can make it work almost anytime over the next month. PM me or email djcbellows at gmail.

 

Cheers,

Dana

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Executed a little janitorial mission this weekend and managed to pick up a bit of gear. Sadly, the sun has taken an effect and frozen your rope in place. It will be available in the Coleman bergschrund later this summer. Tools and screws are available at your convenience.

 

For those of you turned on by this sort of thing:

 

20150228-20150228_125436.jpg

 

I've made a brief topo:

 

20150228-20150228_125436_topo.jpg

 

We forgot our long screw in the car, but I'm proud to say I first-shot every thread with a 16cm. Caveat emptor...

 

-Alex

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We were up there Sunday too. I untied the knot from your rope and freed it from the top frozen section as i climbed up. There was a tiny bit lower down still frozen in but I tossed the rope down and it looked like a good yank from below (easily grabbed from below the bergschrund) would free it. I wasn't sure as we walked by on the way out, but it kind of looked like maybe the party ahead of us may have grabbed it when they went back to near the base to retrieve their trekking poles. So it might have made it out?

 

Hope your partner heals fast and you get back on the route, it's in good shape.

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The pac northwest climbing community is great. Many thanks for all the offers of help from strangers, the attempts, and the actual retrieval of gear. Alex & partner, Eric, Jon & Nate, Brandon, Stewart, Tim… you guys are awesome! Beers on me whenever our paths cross.

 

In the spirit of paying it forward, I’ll volunteer next (next) weekend 3/14-15 to go on a gear retrieval mission up the Ice Cliff Glacier if I can get a partner. PM me or email djcbellows at gmail.

http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/1135315/Lost_Various_Gear_on_Mt_Stuart#Post1135315

 

Cheers,

Dana

 

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Yes indeed!

 

To be fully explicit, we did the C-H Saturday and found it in fabulous shape. For those currently mobbing the Triple Coolers, choo-choo everyone aboard the send train!

 

See stoke photos at:

 

We tried for the Polish Sunday. The first two pitches were great, but the crux pillar won't go for someone of my caliber. It was pretty obvious from the base of the route, but we got to the base of the second ice section and verified a big-ol gap between the pillar and a blank-looking overhanging rock wall. Might be able to make it go with some aid or an aggressive jump-and-campus job.

 

-Alex

 

P.S. Found this sick training video for Polish-gap aspirants, Crazy Polish Bob looks really young...

 

 

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Great photos of a spectacular place!

 

We climbed the Polish route on 1/11/15 and for me it was the best ice line I've climbed in WA. I hope more folks get on it this season. We found a similar amount of ice then. If you don't want info on the crux pitch stop reading now.

 

..........................................................

 

 

We set the belay in a cave excavated between rock and right side of curtain above snow slopes. We had double ropes and used one to haul both bags for the dagger section. Choking up on tools in the lower ice I got a back scum on the dagger and a hands free rest to recover before committing to the climbing above. I climbed until my head hit the steep rock in this position (back to dagger and feet on lower ice) and then gradually shifted my full weight onto the dagger on its left edge. I found some good hooks to start before getting higher and swinging the tools. Once established on the face it was straightforward steep ice to the top of pitch. So no volcanic mud rock dry tooling or campus jump moves required, at least how we found it. Just an attention grabbing pitch that requires feeling good about the stability of the ice and offers great climbing in a wild position.

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Awesome!

 

We had a lot of trouble telling if the thing had gapped out more from our lower vantage point, but could definitely believe your beta. After hearing it I'm a little disappointed, but mostly relieved, that we rapped.

 

Double-plus on more folks getting on this thing, it's worth climbing even if you're a weener brigade like us!

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All aboard. Roj and I sent today quickly followed by Colin and Sara Hart. Today was a good day. Never afraid of superlatives, this is the best ice route in WA and is currently under fantastic conditions. The crux is a rad WI6 dagger, super solid now. The 'shrund at the base is gonna stop access soon though.

 

And, yes, I am honoring the tradition of posting about the Polish Route under Cosley Houston TRs.

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Great photos of a spectacular place!

 

We climbed the Polish route on 1/11/15 and for me it was the best ice line I've climbed in WA. I hope more folks get on it this season. We found a similar amount of ice then. If you don't want info on the crux pitch stop reading now.

 

..........................................................

 

 

We set the belay in a cave excavated between rock and right side of curtain above snow slopes. We had double ropes and used one to haul both bags for the dagger section. Choking up on tools in the lower ice I got a back scum on the dagger and a hands free rest to recover before committing to the climbing above. I climbed until my head hit the steep rock in this position (back to dagger and feet on lower ice) and then gradually shifted my full weight onto the dagger on its left edge. I found some good hooks to start before getting higher and swinging the tools. Once established on the face it was straightforward steep ice to the top of pitch. So no volcanic mud rock dry tooling or campus jump moves required, at least how we found it. Just an attention grabbing pitch that requires feeling good about the stability of the ice and offers great climbing in a wild position.

 

Just to keep the record straight. First of all congratulations guys!. Second, I think in the guidebook there was a mixup. As far as I remember We climbed this route in October on 2000, not in 1999. The route was done till the end of difficulties, not to the summit, so I think you guys deserve a credit for the first complete ascent.

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