shannonpahl Posted February 23, 2009 Share Posted February 23, 2009 (edited) Trip: Mount Kent - North Face Date: 2/21/2009 Trip Report: This week-end, Richard Conner and myself decided to try out a route on Mt Kent's north face. We found two other reports describing various routes: http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php?ubb=showflat&Number=557805 http://www.alpinedave.com/mt_kent/mt_kent.html We intended climbing the Kolke route but started on the route from the two reports above (helped by Brian's report and the photo of the first pitch). This was an *excellent* climb and highly recommended when its in (it is now). As a comparison, its technically harder and much longer than a Chair peak climb and we found it more enjoyable. Our start was at the first flow as we approached the base of the climbing (see topo below), but there appears to be another start further along with possibly a fatter ice start and appears to run into our route just at about where we did our ridge crossing (see details below). The start of P1 is visible on the approach, but the major gullies we climbed in were 'hidden' from the approach view. Route description: P1: 200+ft, WI4. The belay was at the big root that emerged from a crack in the rock in a rock enclave just left of the main flow. The start of the climb had a better flow about 10 feet around the corner from the obvious flow as you approach the base. After topping out of the WI section, the angle kicks back and a good tree belay is on the left as you top out. Its best to have a 70m rope or run the belay until the follower reaches the start of the WI section. The flow was thin and hollow in places. Its a long sustained pitch but with superb climbing. If the ice was fat, it would be about a WI3+ but given its current condition, we rate it at WI4. P2-P4: AI3 (AI3 mostly because of an exposed ridge crossing) Continue up with a running belay keeping left initially from the top of P1. Near the top of the minor gully the route traverses right over a steep ridge into a wide gully. Protect the other side of this ridge crossing with +1 pieces between the leader and follower as the follower exits on the other side of the ridge as there is significant expose on that side. P5-P9?: AI2 More running belays. Near the top of the wide gully, a head wall splits a gully to the left and right. Keep in the right gully for another few running belays. This gully also tops out to another head wall. Set up a belay at the clump of trees near the top of the gully. There are left and right options here. Start a belay at the clump of trees for the right option. P10: 200+ft. WI3, mixed. The flow was thin in places, with one good mixed stem to bypass some really hollow thin ice. There were some good veggie belays along the way too. A fun pitch and easier than P1. Top out with a tree anchor near the ridge top. At the ridge top, turn right to complete a ridge scramble to the summit, about 150ft gain. Approaching P1: Some stats: Approach: 3H30 mins. 4 miles, 2500ft total gain. We started at about 1630ft, and the base of the climb was at 3583 ft, 10T 604593 5249719. We got to the base of the climb by 11am. Climb: 6 hours. Summited at 5pm. (actually less than 6 hours if you subtract out the time to gear up at the base). The technical climb topped out about 150 below the summit. Summit at 5100ft (I think the snow put us a little higher than the official summit). That makes the technical climb about 1370ft or 1500ft from base to summit. Descent: 3H15 mins. 5.25 miles. Started 5:15pm, back at the car by 8:30pm. From the summit to about where we crossed the creek below, was about 45 mins. Gear Notes: Used 10 slings on P1. A few short screws. 4 pickets. Brought but did not use: cams, nuts and pins. Approach Notes: Start with the McClellan butte trail. Make sure you follow the correct railroad grade (see topo), as there are many such roads to fool you. At a point along the railroad grade, take the right branch (see topo for the road junction just before where the red and yellow lines meet nearer to the climb), then drop into the basin to cross the stream (the start of this 'drop' is where the red and yellow lines meet nearer to the climb). Then, traverse up and right to the base of the climb. From the approach, you can see a large clump of trees below P1 with another smaller clump still higher up yet below P1. Use these as guidelines for when you emerge from the stream. Edited February 23, 2009 by shannonpahl Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonpahl Posted February 23, 2009 Author Share Posted February 23, 2009 (Updated the photo links) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboy Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Hi Shannon, As always, great to climb with you. That was a superb lead on the first pitch. Here are a few more photos: Shannon at the start of the climb Shannon at the top of the first pitch: Shannon on the traverse - nevermind that suspect tree that I slung: Shannon on the summit: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
rob Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 nice work guys! Looks like fun! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonpahl Posted February 24, 2009 Author Share Posted February 24, 2009 Thanks for those great pix! That looks awesome, as it was. Good thinking putting in that second piece with me following the traverse, phew! Good climbing with you again also. Excellent choice of climb! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KaskadskyjKozak Posted February 24, 2009 Share Posted February 24, 2009 Nice effort guys! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DirtyHarry Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Is there something missing from this pic? I can't imagine this to be considered AI3. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toast Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Nice TR. Agreed, underated and overlooked. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
waterboy Posted February 25, 2009 Share Posted February 25, 2009 Is there something missing from this pic? I can't imagine this to be considered AI3. Hi There DH! To answer your question: yes, I think what you're missing is that this photo is one of the upper pitches, which Shannon called AI2. Having been up there myself, I would concur. Although you can see footprints in that photo, there were definitely sections even on the upper pitches that only took frontpoints and picks - thus, AI2. Hope that helps and thanks for the question! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
shannonpahl Posted February 25, 2009 Author Share Posted February 25, 2009 I found a pic showing some routes on Kent from this thread ... http://test.cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/ubb/showflat/Number/647462/Searchpage/1/Main/48549/Words/Mt.+Kent/Search/true/Re_TR_Kent_NF_unnamed_mixed_ro#Post647462 Here is the route we took (I'm not claiming this is a new route, I'm sure others have climbed it before) The differences with the Burdick/Fortier route is that we stayed left at the top of P1 and moved up, then crossed higher up to join that route in the main gully, then took the right gully at the headwall (they went left), and again right up a gully at the next headwall. From this pic, you can also see how another variation could be the Kloke start leading into the route we took Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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