Dragontail: Triple couloir 05/03/2014
Text: by Jesus Larrinaga
Pictures: by Jesus Larrinaga and Alexander Gorobets
This trip report is intended to give one update about the conditions and what can be expected there now, although we know that in the cascades
the conditions are changing drastically very soon and from one week to the other.
We where there two weeks ago and had no luck, snowing and windy at night when one team reported doing the route, we decided to wait for better time.
And this time came soon, last Friday, with better weather forcast for Saturday than for Sunday, we decided to go at night, not to wait for Sunday and have another fail.
We had the great surprise to find the gate open at Bridge Creek campground , fantastic some walk savings in the morning, 3.5 miles less to walk up and down. Dinner, quick nap at the TH and at 2am walking...
We got to the Colchuck Lake around 5am, with first lights to see our mountain, in the apporach to the base I was not very convinced to find good conditions, the snow heading to the base of the route was not plesant and my thoughts were that if we would find similar in the first couloir we would have to bail...
But, once in the route, our feelings were changing to better. At the base of first couloir some ice, easy climb. Without rope we enter and progress to the first couloir, swapping places to open tracks, until the runnels were we roped up.
The runnels were looking good, now I would say that is the time!!!. We did a total of three pitches, the conditions are acceptable and enjoyable at times, do not bring ice screws, we just lost three trying to place, we used cams, pickets, pitons and stoppers. The first pitch we did short as we headed a bit to the right, loosing the right way.
The second pitch to the left is more expose, without good protection, missing good ice to fix ice screws here.
For the third pitch there are few options, straight up by a kind of narrow chimney with ice, heading sligthly to the right, by the rocks or traversing all to the right to take the second couloir.
Once in the second couloir, we unroped and opened tracks again.
Until the transition to the third couloir, which we found not difficult and places to protect with cams, we did one pitch here, continuing simulclimbing to the third couloir.
From here straight forward to the summit ridge, by the tracks of other two teams to whom we gave up the way to avoid to cross ropes at the previous transition.
Almost 12 hours from the car to the summit, not bad, enjoyjable day and fantastic route with my partner Alex. Now I can go happyly on vacations.
Gear Notes: