June 1 2013, Mt Shuksan

Route up Sulphide Glacier; camp at 6400'

Google Earth view of our route

Northern Picketts from Sulphide Glacier

Last year at the end of May we attempted Mt Shuksan, and were shut down due to getting up to the pyramid a bit late, and the soft snow zapping the energy from the bootpackers in the group. This year we aimed to have everyone on skis, set a higher camp, and get up there a bit earlier. 

We started on Saturday AM from the Shannon ridge TH, which was easily driveable, in contrast to last year where we added ~1 mile of road walking to our trip. There was also less snow up on the trail, as we walked up to the third switchback of the summer trail before hoofing it up the snowslopes to gain the ridge above.

Nicole and Erika heading on up through the trees

Lunchbreak under the tarp - this setup was just practice, but it was put to good use soon after!

Mt Baker hiding behind stormy clouds

Two climbers high up on the Sulphide glacier (view from ridge below notch). Climbers are on slopes above the 6400' bench.

We lucked out for a while with the weather...

...but soon ridgelines started to disappear into grey...

Nicole and Erika making their way up to the notch. Baker Lake and weather behind.

Pulling up to the notch just in time to catch a rainstorm

We huddled under the tarp to keep drive in the intense but short rainstorm that passed through. The UW model proved fairly accurate with its midafternoon system moving through and then general, slow, clearing...

cleared up enough for a rainbow

Never get sick of these peaks above the notch. Would be good alpine climbing practice to traverse them.... next year!

Traverse track from the notch around to the Sulphide Glacier

Bryan leading the way across

Nicole stomping out a skintrack

Clearing skies as we climbed the slopes up to 6400' camp

Upper route shrouded in clouds for much of the late afternoon

Camp. I love camps with views of starry skies...

Good morning Baker - you can see tracks starting from the lower left - up the Boulder glacier

Little snow peak above camp

Summit pyramid visible from camp

Sunrise provided some amazing light as we prepared to head up to the pyramid

Nicole getting ready

It looks so close, but still a few hours away!

High on the Sulphide glacier

Footsteps from prior climbs

Northern Pickets from high up on the Sulphide. Mt Challenger is the largest peak on the left - its namesake glacier shrouded by clouds from this view. Phantom Peak is the high point on the right.

amazing scenery

Mountains and clouds

Looking back down on camp (We are the two BD tents center left. NOLS group above us)

Nicole booting up the slopes above camp

Nicole climbing through the upper Sulphide

It's getting closer! The debris at the bottom of the gullys had us concerned...

Bryan taking in the views

Nicole topping on on the steep slopes above camp

Clicking back into skis for the long slightly uphill traverse to the base of the climb

Getting there

Climbers on top - jealous!

We watched them pitch out walking down the gully. They didn't appear to have much trouble, but did take their time, which was another reason we went over to the ridge around to the right.

Upon reaching the base of the pyramid, I pushed up onto the notch on the right hoping to get a view around of a scramble route to the top. It wasn't promising, as exposed rock moves with downsloping slabs and partial snow cover would make the climbing committing. We hadn't really prepared for a full on technical climb on the pyramid - just a few pieces of rock pro to back up raps if we needed to. Bryan scratched a ways up and checked out the route before pulling the plug on trying the ridge. Being that it was only 11AM, I wish we had taken a shot at going up the gully, but we were afraid that the detached rime ice that was prevalent everywhere would start raining down once the sun really started to work on the upper pyramid. Looking back now I think we would have been OK to shoot for it, and should have just taken a rope up to have a belay down for Nicole as we worked our way down. I was fairly bummed about being shut down again, but now we have an excuse to try an April Nooksak traverse trip... Baker ski area to Mt Shuksan via the White Salmon, then traverse out below the Nooksak ridge before climbing Ruth and Icy and out Hannegan Pass TH. More likely for the gully to be fatter and better for skiing then too!

We flipped it and started out ski down, enjoying lots of consolation turns on the way down. Up high the conditions were great corn, though the visibility kept us from being able to open it up too much, it was difficult enough just staying together.

Bryan about to ski the last slopes down to camp

Back at camp we ate some more food, hydrated and started the packup for the long ski and walk out. Despite the thick heavy snow below, I only wiped out once, in spectacular head over heels flip action. The tripod and random junk I had tacked onto the outside of the pack all made the flip with me, though!

And the timelapse turned out OK - was a bit cloudy in the middle of the night, and the method I was using to transition from night to day has still left some significant flickering... more practice needed there! Also think the tripod sunk into the snow as it was warmed by the sun in the morning... will need to fabricate some metal clamps to attach to the legs.... or maybe some sort of repurposed snowbaskets...

Stars over Shuksan from Erik Turner on Vimeo.

May 25, 2013 - Burgundy Traverse

Memorial day 2013 had long been planned as a time to try the Isolation traverse with Skye and Greg, who flew in from sunny San Diego. Skoog's sentiment that you can plan where you want to ski or when you want to ski, but not both proved true enough, as the weather forecasts consistently showed rainy weather, and even NWAC weighed in at the end of May due to new snowfall up high. As the isobars aligned themselves against a foray into the high alpine, we plotted our recreational weekend through the murky WA spring weather.

Movie shows a SilverStar Mtn heavy overview of the weekend:


Burgundy Traverse from Erik Turner on Vimeo.


Instead of a full on traverse we opted for rock climbing down low punctuated by ski day trips when the weather might cooperate. So it was that we headed off to Leavenworth on Friday after a half day of work ready to dial in our 3 man multi-pitch rock climbing system for a hopeful assault on something on WA Pass if the weather allowed. Catapult to Canary offered up 6 total pitches of excellent climbing and a kicked the weekend off in the right direction. We used 50m half ropes, with the leader tied into both, and the followers each on one rope. This seemed like a great idea until I fell a few times at the crux pullover on the top of Canary... everything worked fine - thin ropes with a autoblock ATC guide belay... but it felt a little odd to see that little rope drag along the rock edge above me! But before we got up to Canary, I led up a wet and awkward 5.6 chimney.... and I'm glad I did, as this allowed Greg to lead the money 5.8 crack pitch above. He cruised it, and Skye and I did our best to hurry up to the belay. A little mixup ensued here as we swapped ropes around for Skye to lead on. Worst of it was myself unclipping from the only rope that was holding me to the anchor for a brief moment - very stupid. I think our system worked well with everyone tieing in with lockers on fig-8s on bites to allow for quick changes (all 3 of us wanted to lead). The key seemed to be, like always, put all your personal connections to anchor below everything and flake the two ropes out on each side.

 Here's how we eventually settled into our pace:

• Leader leads up on twin 50s. Belays off anchor with ATC guide to allow two simul followers.
• First follower climbs up and cleans (leaving minimal directionals as needed). Once at belay takes all unused gear. The rope they are attached to is already flaked correctly. 
• Second follower comes up and attaches in with PA or runner. Then hands their tie in to the new leader, and takes a tie in from the old leader. Now all ropes are flaked correctly. The trick is to change the tie ins without further entangling anything. 
• Next leader is ready to climb on. 




Skye cruised the last pitch on Catapult, and we walked around to Canary. We again handed the sharp end to Greg for the money first pitch, as Skye and I have both previously lead it. Appreciative of the top rope on the runout textured start, I cruised up to the top, where I became a bit pumped when feet run out and you need to just heave it over the lip. My third heave allowed me to shimmy my way onto the ledge and begin to collect my nerves for the next pitch.... and particularly the step across. Once good hands are found, I stepped out into the void above the entirety of the last pitch... probably about 90' of air below your feet.... and a seemingly awkward fall, as the bolted belay is way off to the right, and you'd fall down and have to reclimb the muscly moves at the top of the crack pitch. It looks and feels exposed, but the climbing was easy. Not easy enough to just pull through, though, as I placed a #1 in the horizontal crack before pulling the remaining half move necessary to reach the bolt on the arete. From here the pitch was a maze of climbing up textured rock with more horizontal cracks. It was a bit confusing to me to be both looking for the next bolt or pin to guide you, but also seeking out places to place gear. Thinking I didn't want to get so high as to not be able to hear Skye or Greg as they did the step around (and risk pulling up slack and pulling them out a bit when they are over the void) I built an anchor in a small ledge overlooking the Tumwater and Skye and Greg both stepped out and followed up. Again Skye led the top out pitch as we came out on top of Castle Rock, took a few pictures of the now waning light, and headed down the approach trail down to the car. 


Since we weren't doing a traverse, or at least a ski traverse, we decided getting food in town instead of cooking that night was warranted, so we did the traditional Leavenworth thing and got some veggie brawts in town. Finding camping now was a bit complicated by nightfall and the holiday weekend. We found our favorite spots along Icicle canyon taken, and drove further and further out until we finally Subaru schwacked down a lightly used grassy road and collapsed just behind the rocks that barred further progress. Instead of the soothing gurgling of a stream, we listened to unseen neighbors camping elsewhere in the woods. 


Saturday. Classic flow day. 
We woke and climbed a few cracks at Eightmile rock before taking off for Twisp and the dry forecast for Methow valley. Classic crack lived up to its name, and I enjoyed the jamming immensely...It was the first time I really torqued my hand over in a crack and pulled down on it with full body weight. Exciting. The drive to the Methow took most of the afternoon, and we arrived just in time to eat at the Cinnamon Twisp before driving up the Chewuch River Rd East and finding a money spot along the creek. Some timelapses, beer, campfire, ICE, and we were off to sleep. The weather was looking good, and forecast to be decent the next day, so we opted to try and ski Silver Star, in keeping with the tradition of doing only things Skye had done previously.





Blue sky starting to poke through - time to head up into the mountains!



Sunday. Up into the alpine!
The alarm went off but I swore it must have been late - it was light out and birds were chirping... no, it's just June in the PNW, when the sun rises at 4:30AM, seemingly. We shoved in food, hastily stuffed our sleeping gear together and into the car, and off we drove up the road to Silver star creek. As we pulled in there was a bus with a trailer in the trail head - sweet! someone else thought this was a good idea too, and they travel in style! We walked up the heavily forested approach where we all learned and relearned exactly what size gap between trees you could shoot through with ski boots sticking off the sides of your pack.





Silver Star Creek and Greg finding some trail



A few miles and several thousand feet up we finally broke out onto a boulder field and saw the dreary gray clouds up above - not promising! But at least it wasn't raining. As we climbed further up in and out of the progressively thinner and shorter forest, we were passed by some fast moving Bellingham skiiers coming up behind us. The next few hours of routefinding in the gradually more alpine terrain was eased greatly by following their tracks, around left of the steep forested cliffband instead of right through the ramps of the main drainage. While the right hand variation looked good when snow was deeper, I think we choose wisely to follow to the left. We skinned up a finger of snow  and eventually below a waterfall before traversing over to the broad benches below the slopes leading up to the summit col. It began to snow and visibility dropped as we skinned up the steepening left gulley.





Greg gaining the bench






views up toward Vasiliki ridge



Our skintrack winding through the high alpine environment... just before the steep gully



Many larches were out - looking forward to looking down on them from the top of a tower in the fall!

After gaining the large bench above the gulley all 5 of us hung out for a while and threw down some food and water while we waited for the visibility to improve. It didn't, so Skye plodded on upward anyway, seeking out the col, while I followed, skinning along and checking the GPS to ensure we didn't walk up to the col and a possible cornice.



poor visibility for the upper part of our climb




Skye leading the way up into the mist




First winter ascent in May.




Some final steps up to the summit




off-width...... arm bar, chicken wing..... ski boot!

Turns out the col was very mellow and we popped out, ditched skis and then transported ourselves back to January to wallow through ~ 1' of fresh powder to reach the summit block. A fun off width move led to a short traverse and Greg alone made the exposed move to throw him self saddle style upon the summit. I relished in the surroundings, and was satisfied enough with touching the summit rock. Back down at the notch below the offwidth we enjoyed some whiskey, remembered friends, and then walked down to our skis.



looking back down on the ski depot



Patagonia?



The skiing up high was excellent - wasn't quite face shots in May, but it was damn close! Low visibility meant we couldn't fully open up on the upper slopes, but soon enough we poked below the chilly cloud layer and were out into the open. Snow quickly became softer and sticker, eventually become saturated enough lower down that it again skiied fairly well.





Pounds abound for the skiing, not so much the slog out from here...






The views FINALLY open up right before we duck into the woods. Thank you for that moment, weather.



The good skiing was over too quickly, and soon after skiing the fall-line through the steep gully, we just traversed high along skiiers right and hugged the snowline all the way out to the waterfall, and down a few hundred more feet of slushy snow before sliding along through rock studded portions on the valley floor. Once we reached the woods we switched back over to booting and enjoyed the schwack through the forest before finding the trail and heading back out to the car.




Greg and Vasiliki ridge in the background




Just as we set our gear out and were enjoying some well earned beers, the rain started up again and we quickly shuffled our stuff back into the car and drive down to Mazama and to the Ballard campground along the river. Our car exploded with wet gear all over the rocks and picnic table and we enjoyed a roaring campfire late into the night. The weather didn't look great for being in the alpine the next day, so we decided some cragging above Mazama was in order.

Monday - Mazama, the WA Mecca
We enjoyed two stops at the famous general store on the way in and out of Mazama, with some rock climbing up on Sun Wall. Despite our climbing Sun King and willing the rainclouds away, after 3-4 climbs the skies opened up even down in Mazama, signaling that we needed to take off. A quick packup in the car and we were off on the scenic drive along SR20 back to Seattle.








Greg putting up the rope on Plexus on Sun Wall. The wall lived up to its name until it started raining.