[TR] South Early Winters Spire - Direct East Buttress 7/4/2009

[mountainmatt]

Trip: South Early Winters Spire - Direct East Buttress

 

Date: 7/4/2009

 

Trip Report:

Martha and I headed up to do a route that has been on the list for a long time, the direct east buttress of South Early Winters Spire (SEWS) 5.10 (A0) or 5.11. Although the forecast was for clear skies, it was sure to be hot up there with forecasts predicting temps in the 80s. On a last minute whim, we decided to throw in a little extra water (which was good since we ran out at the top).

 

Before heading out, I found a wide variety of descriptions to this route, some accurate, some inaccurate. If you want to use a single description for the route, the Beckey guide is the most accurate (N&P is just vague, online guides are all over the place). Wanting to add to the confusion, here is my best description if you want to give the route a run:

 

Approach: The description seemed pretty simple: Hike up from the hairpin up the main gully, traverse right, come up to the intersection between NEWS and SEWS, then head left to the base of the route. We headed up the snow (crampons helpful, but you could skip them by walking the dirt on the right side), head up to the tall tree in the center of the gully, traversed across the steep dirt and grass to the right, and headed up to the intersection of NEWS and SEWS. However, this takes you a little too far to the right, its better to take an earlier “ridge” that takes you further left of the intersection. Not wanting to back down that section of the approach, we started the climb…

 

Pitch 0 (Matt): Having missed the correct ridge, we ended up doing a 30 foot 5.6 section to get to the right ledge system to get us to the true base of the route. After a short rest and baking in the heat, we launched up the real route.

 

Pitch 1 (Martha): Rambling 5.6 pitch, go as far as you can until you see a reasonable tree to anchor off of. It was the usual alpine first pitch, some moss, loose rock, and vegetation. Reasonable gear along the way.

 

Pitch 2 (Martha): 5.8 crack system with various ledges that brings you to the bottom of the large dihedral. Although the pitch is called 5.8, I had a hard time finding the 5.8 move where we went, it felt a lot like 5.6. The pitch definitely had some loose “kitty litter” rock on it which made things a little more interesting. Belay at the obvious tree.

 

Pitch 3 (Matt): 5.9+ up the dihedral, through a roof, up to a tree. Standard “5.9+” pitch in the alpine, good gear the whole way, crux at the roof with good gear at your waist, step up, drop in a nice #4, ramble up to the tree belay. The heat started taking its toll on me at this point; sweating so bad that I slipped out of one of my jams, nearly taking a nice whipper.

 

Pitch 3.5 (Martha): I was a little short on gear after the 9+ pitch, so Martha took over the next ~60 foot 5.8 section, good gear clean rock, up to a nice ledge with several trees.

 

Pitch 4 (Matt): 5.10+ (or A0). After a 20 foot section of 5.8/9, you come to the first of ~14 bolts in the ladder (10+ / A0) and exit on a 15 foot section including some face moves and a finger crack (5.8/9). Contrary to the many descriptions out there, there are far more than two old bolts on this pitch (and the route). Only two of the old bolts require small width biners, but if you head up, prepare yourself for clipping into some real manky bolts alongside the good ones. I had originally planned on freeing this section, but the combination of the approach and heat, I found myself pulling on bolts pretty quickly. In cooler temperatures, it looked like a great set of slab terrain with good edges. At the last bolt, head out on some face moves to gain the finger crack. The pitch ends at a nice hanging belay on two solid bolts (super exposed!).

 

Pitch 5 (Matt): 5.10-. After traversing over on one good and one crappy bolt, you hit a nice finger crack that takes solid jams and (despite what other descriptions say) good gear. After about 40 feet, the angle decreases and becomes about 5.7 to a small ledge. The Beckey guide describes there being a bush there, but now there is only a small stick.

 

Pitch 6 (Matt): 5.11 (or A0). The pitch starts with mixed descriptions: 5.8 (Beckey), 5.9 (N&P), 10- (several online descriptions). I have to agree with the online descriptions. Head up a right leaning crack to some questionable gear followed by a bolt. Continue to an sloping ledge about 20 feet up with no gear on difficult terrain. From the ledge, head left to find the first of several bolts in the ladder. Tiredness getting the better of me, I pulled on through to the first mandatory free 5.9+ mantel (steeper with decent holds). Clip on to the next three bolts to the second mandatory free 5.9+ mantel (more slopy / balancy). Continue left up small ledges to a nice ledge with a single (old) bolt and a small crack.

 

Pitch 7 (Martha): 5.6. After one tough move off the ledge, continue up a nice wandering series of cracks to one of many trees. Not a lot of gear, but Martha rocked it out, occasionally girth hitching trees that likely would only hold a falling poodle. Belay at one of many trees.

 

Pitch 8 (Matt): Easy fifth. Head up rambling ledges, cracks, and trees to a large ledge. Straight above is a large mossy slab, instead of climbing that, head around the corner (left) to a crack and a final easy (unprotected) slab. Nice bolts at the anchor right on the edge of the east face. Definitely a fantastic top out.

 

Pitch 9 (Matt): An intimidating 5.4 step down lead to easy terrain and the true summit. From the bolts, down climb about 10 feet and find a small ramp and a nice couple of holds to make the step down. Option: This move is scarier for the second, however if desired, you could put the second through the anchors, bring them down on TR, have them untie, pull the rope, and finish the easier terrain.

 

We topped out with about a half liter of water each, with a nice descent still to go. We descended the standard south ridge, but by about the second rappel, we were inundated with mosquitoes. By the time we hit the ground, the mosquitoes were intolerable, with a mosquito coming into your mouth when you took a breath, and hundreds swarming around our heads and gear. Even though it was really hot, we put on our shell jackets, put up our hoods, and started booking it down (being followed by the standard pee loving mountain goats). We hit the parking lot and found it fairly empty, so we started our hitchhiking back to the hairpin. After about a half a mile, a nice couple picked us up and delivered us to the hairpin and the much need water, food, and a celebratory beer

 

Thanks for the pics Martha

 

 

Looking up from the hairpin, SEWS on the left, DEB goes up the center of the face:

 

 

Hiking up the snow:

 

 

Looking up pitch 1:

 

 

Looking down at the hairpin:

 

 

Matt coming up pitch 2:

 

 

A little hot for freeing, so it was bolt pulling time p4:

 

 

View from the summit:

 

 

Matt traverses over to the true summit and the descent:

 

 

Coming down the south ridge:

 

 

Gear Notes:

Ice axe, crampons are nice in early season (not needed now). Rack doubles to 3", single #4, lots of draws for the bolt ladder. If you are going to try freeing the ladders, you might consider throwing in a screamer or two for the old manky bolts (small biners).

[rocky_joe]

great TR. Thanks for the beta update as well.