Last Updated: August 9, 2010
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Monday, August 9, 2010

Face Mountain (BC) - East Route, July 2010

North Face of Face Mountain as seen from the Hurley River Road.

Not even an hour into the approach, and badly blistered feet (not mine) put the kibosh on our Mount Samson climb. While the North Face would definitely have to wait for another day, the alternative south-side route also seemed too remote and isolated for me to do as solo-overnighter. My comrades, whom I’d met only hours earlier returned to Squamish leaving me to salvage the weekend with a nearby scramble of some sort. Fortunately, just a couple miles back up the forest road at Railroad Pass is the popular Semaphore Lakes trailhead. A short hike leads to a very scenic basin below the Train Glacier with peaks of the Railroad Group towering above. From a camp in the still completely snowed-in basin my plan was to climb Face Mountain the following day and return to North Vancouver later that evening.

This is what's left of the bridge over Donelly Creek. Sorry, there would be no ATV-assisted approach today. Hiking along the overgrown logging road en route to the trail below the glacier moraines.  Thanks to already blistered feet, we would turn back a short while later. View of Railroad Group (Face Mtn at right) from Semaphore Lakes Basin. Waterfall below Train Glacier emerging from beneath the snow and disappearing back beneath the snow.
A stretch of easy hiking along Face's East Ridge. The gully I ascended to gain the summit snow slopes. The correct/standard route apparently follows ledges just out of view to the left of the gully. South Face of Mount Samson as seen from Face's summit. Close-up of Locomotive Mountain with Pemberton River Valley in distance.
View down Hurley River Valley towards Goldbridge. Panorama looking SSE from Face's summit.

Tuesday, August 3, 2010

Spontanaety Arete - Le Petit Cheval, July 2010

Spontenaety Arete (at left) as seen from hwy 20.

As is tradition around these parts, the forecast for the July 4th long weekend called for clouds with a chance of showers. The obvious thing to do was to head east into 509 country where the odds of precipitation would be less. Jerry and Annette answered the call with an invitation to stay with them at their lovely little cabin in Mazama. While there, Agata and I preoccupied ourselves by doing a mix of mountain biking, cragging and alpine climbing. For me the highlight of the weekend was climbing Le Petit Cheval on Spontanaety Arete. I would characterize it as a ‘friendly’ route with relatively short-lived difficulties (the crux supposedly goes at 5.7). It makes for a short but fun climb ideal for marginal weather days. For approach beta and a route topo check out the North Cascades Mountain Guides homepage.

Climbing at Sun Rock just a short walk from Fun Rock. Climbing a new bolted route Jerry put up in the Chewuch Valley. Following the trail as described in the approach notes we encountered two seprate sections with fixed ropes to be used as a handline. Here Agata starts up the second of the two handlines. Looking down from about midway on the route. Looking back from the next step in the arete. Easy scrambling on the upper part of the route.
Agata on the summit with Washington Pass in background. View down Early Winters Valley with The Needles in background.

Thursday, July 29, 2010

Mount Adams - Southwest Chutes, July 2010

Southwest Chutes of Mount Adams as seen from the basin below.

Eric and I set our sights on the Southwest Chutes of Mount Adams as our final volcano skiing objective of 2010. As has been suggested in previous reports, the long cool spring has preserved the snow this year making it so that descents such as the Southwest Chutes would come into good corn-snow skiing conditions starting in early July. As with many other of the Northwest volcano ski summits, timing is everything. Ideally one wants to be able to drive as close as possible to the trailhead but at the same time be skinning on snow shortly after leaving the car. This combination usually only lasts for about a week or two but seems to guarantee the best possible snow conditions for the ski down (no suncups or ice) while at the same time minimizing miles of hiking (or skinning) to reach the trailhead in the first place.

Just out of the trees on the approach to the South Spur. Skinning below the Lunch Counter with Mount Hood in distance. Eric approaches the South Spur proper. Gaining the final headwall below the South Summit.
Beyond South Summit with the true summit now in view. View from summit cap down the upper-Klickitat Glacier with The Castle just right of center. Eric Skis off of Adams' summit.
Skiing a great pitch with perfect corn back down to South Summit. Dropping in to SW Chutes. Skiing the SW Chutes at about the half-way point.
At the exit to the SW Chutes.  Phew...what an awesome ski! All told, the ascent involved about 6000-ft of gain with a round-trip time of about 9 hours. And now for the endless traverse back to the slopes below the Lunch Counter. Without so much as a breath or wind on the summit and fast, surfy corn from the summit all the way down the chutes, I would say that conditions were about as good as one could ask for!

Wednesday, July 28, 2010

South Sister - South Side, June 2010

South Sister (at right) as seen from the Middle Sister.

In keeping with the volcano skiing theme, Eric and I set out to climb and ski/board down the South Sister. A goal of mine ever since first visiting the area on a failed attempt at the Sisters Marathon (on skis) back in June of 2008, I’ve been biding my time for just the right corn season. Thanks to the unseasonably cool and moist spring this year, all the necessary ingredients for a great ski descent finally came together in late June. With continuous snow for most of the ascent starting from the road and smooth corn on the ski back down (to within a 15 – 20 minute walk of the Devil’s Lake trailhead), I’d say our timing was spot on. Here's another perspective on the conditions we experienced that day.

The view from camp along Cascade Lakes Highway on the penultimate S. Sister attempt.  A day-and-a-half of rain, wind and snow and temps in the 30's sent me packing for friendlier conditions just east of here in Bend. Eric skinning early on the approach to South Sister. Finally gaining some elevation after a long slog across flat terrain.
Approaching the final headwall with edge of crater off to the right. Making the final tired steps up the headwall to the edge of the summit plateau. Elation on the summit plateau with true summit in background.
View north towards Middle and North Sisters (and more). Great view of Broken Top from South Sister summit. Eric skis down the headwall.
Riding good snow below the crater rim. Eric enjoys the endless turns below the crater rim. Surf that creamy spring corn! Last look back from the ski down to the car where cold PBR's await!

Wednesday, July 7, 2010

Mount Thielsen - West Ridge, June 2010

Mount Thielsen as seen looking across Diamond Lake.

Immediately south of Crater Lake looms the striking and aesthetic Mount Thielsen. Similar to Oregon’s Three Fingered Jack and Mount Washington, Thielsen has been heavily eroded over time leaving behind a decaying plug in what was once the main vent of a much larger volcano. Nevertheless, the peak is such a dominant feature in this region of the Oregon Cascades I couldn’t pass up the opportunity for a closer look at the so-called “lightning rod of the Cascades.”

A SAR effort was already underway when we arrived at the trailhead around 8 or 9 that morning. Farther up but still low on the West Ridge we witnessed the rescue of an injured climber who had spent an unplanned night out on the mountain. Eric scrambles along a talus slope between the West and South Ridges. Scrambling up towards the final summit tower. Climbers descending the surprisingly solid 4th-class rock of the summit tower.
Eric just below the summit. Panorama looking west towards Diamond Lake and Mount Bailey. Panorama looking WNW towards Diamond Peak.
View south towards Crater Lake with Mount Scott at left and Mount McLoughlin on the horizon right of center. Mount Shasta is visible in the distance. Hiking back out along the Mt. Thielsen Trail.

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