Local Popularity. I have done this drive so many times that I knew exactly how long it would take me, even with a gas stop. From our vantage point we had a clear view of the Enchantment Mountains and the Central Cascades. Paste as plain text instead, as long as the avy danger is low and the snow is firm. Yes, walking was definitely faster and saner yesterday. Note that routefinding to Colchuck Col can be trickylook back on the ascent and make notes for the descent. Log in and send us It had been a great time on the summit but we were excited to start riding. Triple Couloirs 4/1/2017. We had been told by the reporting party that the climbers were on the Serpentine Arete on Dragontail peak and that one was a competent 5.9 climber; the other climbed at 5.7. 2.5 Baths. Spring climbing can make for awesome skiing conditions and almost always brings lots and lots of snow. Tim and I were actually #1 and 2 ahead of Shannon and Yuri- they broke trail up to the TCs and up Couloir #1, then Tim and I took over from the bottom of #2 to the summit. On the mountain's northeast flank lies Colchuck Lake which drains into . 47.75N 121.09W (Elev. Way to hit it under perfect conditions. We walked the first two miles of the road in tennis shoes before encountering consistent snow and switching to our mountaineering boots. Soon enough Scott was dropping in and taking the first turns of our trip. For the Colchuck Lake approach, continue up the Icicle Creek road and turn left on road no. The crux of the route is moving from the first hidden couloir to the second couloir, which is in the middle of the face. A few days before heading out a storm came from East to West. 5,400 ft. Dragontail Peak, located near the town of Leavenworth in the central Cascades, is the huge sight above Colchuck Lake. The immensity of the north face of Dragontail was amazing. Unfortunately, on Saturday Kyle Flick, Will Terrano and I weren't the only ones with TC on our agenda. The men's Dragontail Tech GTX by GARMONT is a technical, precise and lightweight approach shoe for the skilled consumer looking for the ultimate in technology with high performance. At least the endless windboard is par for the course! Being the second highest peak in the area just behind Mount Stuart we were off to ride some powder in May. The route had taken us 7 hours and 10 hours from car to summit. The plan was to ride the upper south Couloir before riding powder down to Colchuck Lake. From Aasgard Pass (7,800 ft), ascend southwest up the slope to the saddle at 8,500 ft. From the saddle, ascend northwest about 300 feet to the summit. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District, You can improve or add to this guidebook entry, Washington Trails Association If you don't follow @brigettetakeuchi and her twin @kelsey.rt, you should consider it! Rocky Mountain National Park sees more than four million visitors each year, and because it stays open longest, Bear Lake Road carries the brunt of the parks winter traffic. Colchuck Lake and Lake Stuart Trail offer the most direct way to . The Dragontail Mountains are part of the Columbia Plateau, which is a large area of basaltic lava flows in the western United States. Our skin track was on the shade line as we climbed near the col. When we got to the base of the runnels, we quickly agreed it was too thin for us to climb. He looked great in the upper hand crack. The north and NE faces are also very impressive. I'm hoping to get back out there again in the next couple weekends (weather permitting) and I'll PM you to make good on the beer offer. The trail is steep and reaches Colchuck Lake via switchbacks in 1,100 feet of elevation gain and 1.6 miles. This route is done using the Colchuck Lake approach. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. We climbed to the top of the Hidden Couloir, and broke out onto the North Face. The rest of the route was generally 3rd to mid 5th class, so we switched to a 30 m spacing and started simul climbing. Oh yeah! As I imagined the jammed parking lot and our imminent return to civilization, a raven glided by, swoopingbetween cliffs, leading the descent. Leavenworth 5 Peak Challenge. This variation was fast. You're viewing: Stevens Pass Ski Atlas $ 30.00. Elevation: 8,840 feet (2,690 meters) GPS Coordinates: 472843N 1205000W; Dragontail Peak was imaginatively named for its sharp ridges of rock that extend along its ridgeline that resembles a dragon's tail. By now the snow had turned to slush but it was a fun line non the less. Your link has been automatically embedded. The 3rd couloir was incredible skiing, with the powder compact but soft, and the pitch steep but not extremely so. Baker (30+ ascents via 5 routes, ski descent) Mt. Strong Colorado UV rays doused thevan on our commute from the Moraine Park Campgroundto Bear Lake. Weight: 1.3 lbs: Dimensions: 10 10 0.31 in: . you can take at this route/place. Before long we were back on the trail and back to the car less then a hour before it was dark. With solid hand and foot holds we pushed up the final 20 feet and soon enough we were on the summit. 1. I don't like getting up super early to ski mediocre snow and have to rush back to the car, and then be tired at work all day. The Serpentine Arte is a massive rock ridge that slithers (sorry) out of the Colchuck Glacier, weaving 2000 feet upward to the summit of Dragontail Peak. Above us Dragontail Peak rose dramatically out of the valley making a beautiful backdrop. Though most of the area was in the sun it was still easy to find areas in the shade. Generally I'm not a fan of the dawn patrol. Emerge onto the large talus field and begin ascending towards Aasgard Pass. In late season, this snow slope turns to ice which increases the difficulty significantly. But despite notoriety, Dragon Tail makes you feel tiny. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 11 min to complete. This post may contain affiliate links. Mount Si. All Rights Reserved. Just seems more committing. Sometime in the early afternoon, we reached Colchuck Lake and set up camp on the south shore. The summit ridge extends about 1/2 mile and includes several summit towers. Standard alpine equipment including crampons. Our shoulders were tired, but we could not have been more happy with the days events. By the end of August last year there was an unavoidable swath of smooth ice across the snowfield on the standard route. It began to hit us why this was such a famous climb. Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. Powered by Invision Community, [TR] Dragontail Peak TC Ski - Triple Couloirs: Option #3 3/21/2010, WELCOME TO THE CASCADECLIMBERS.COM FORUMS. In the upper half of the pitch, I kept wandering upwards, eventually running out of rope and needing Jacob to simul a few feet to make a belay. Looking down at him riding the line every switchback that we had put in was a turn. Its position above Colchuck Lake was tantalizing. Both the South Couloir of Dragontail Peak and the Colchuck glacier area were in great conditions. GPS Waypoints - Hover or click to see name and lat/long Peaks: climbed . Our plan was to climb Dragontail Peak by the Serpentine Arete car-to-car from the Colchuck Lake Trailhead on Thursday, August 31. 3. Sure, email them to me: touring29@gmail.com. Work your way up this talus slope following faint trails when possible. Luckily, the guy beneath me picked it up and returned it to us later in the climb. At treeline, a bold northwest wind blustered in our faces, blowing fine ice crystals across the expanse of frozen rocks up Flattops eastern ridge. and Ski Mountaineering Guides, as well as IFMGA Licensed Guides. Skiing big-mountain lines got you thinking about badass skiers? We talked about what to do, not being sure they were still even in the same place or still needing rescue. Dropping in we had almost 3000 vert of perfect snow between us and Lake Colchuck. The route follows chimneys and corners for 150 meters to a notch in the crest of the NE Buttress proper. Ed skiing down the Colchuck couloir after summiting Dragontail Peak, WA Forecast Discussion. Confidence on steep snow and assurance of good weather is a must. Yellow = Dragontail Peak, Triple Couloirs (III+ WI3 M3), Red = Dragontail Peak, Gerber-Sink (IV WI3+ M4), Green = Colchuck Peak, North Buttress Couoir (II). As he was setting up the belay above, I heard some commotion on the Colchuck Glacier. You dropped in blind on Colchuck and that's got some commitment to it :-). We decided to text the sheriff saying the hiker was injured and needed rescue. Triple Couloirs could and likely has been climbed in every condition imaginable, and has even been skied, and it is up to the climber to decide what sort of ice and snow coverage is acceptable for their attempt on any of the established variations." Nice route guys.I'm envious as all hell. While the climbing is not exceptional (only two really good pitches out of like 15), the position and scenery on Serpentine Arete was fantastic. Trail steepens after the bridge and at 2.5 miles the junction with Colchuck Lake Trail is . While I love powder I wasnt interested in hiking up a 4000 foot south facing avalanche path. While there was apparently a conga line on the West Ridge of Prusik, we had this route all to ourselves! The malts provide a smooth mouthfeel while letting the character of the hops shine through. Not bad for a 2000 ft grade IV route! That is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger. and extended the rescue for so much longer. With that settled, I followed the pitch. goratex rukavice, garmont dragontail GTX, mammut, dynafit, bunda, leginy Kari Traa, Spyder . During the day, we were radioed additional information that they might be on . But yesterday was an exception, and I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and some great snow on humpback mountain. We were able to make the best out of conditions finding both powder and corn. Ice climbing was the fastest skill we had ever learned. Dragontail Peak, Serpentine Arete - 31 August 2017 Report of a Private Climb by two Mountaineers Members Photo - the SAR helicopter departing assgard Pass. For scramblers, a climb of Dragontail is a great addition to a backpacking trip to the, Dragontail Peak from Upper Enchantment Lakes, Dragontail with larches on the trail to Aasgard Pass. 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