20091215 CJ's Hooker 915M AI3ish WI2ish M3ish

Post by **Taco** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 4:52 pm

I h8 ratings!

640M from base of route to end of difficulties (the flat at the top of the route). 915 meters form base to summit, if you climb the whole thing. 3,000ft.

Route is in red. Yellow route is Boulderdash.

Anywho, I had wanted to climb Boulderdash, though the idea of doing the same route again (even though it's a fun route) seems quite unadventurous. So, I figured I'd do a direct finish to the route instead, as our original route turned left and went up a ridge system, onto the primary east ridge of BP, and then to the flat, from which we descended Lamel Spring.

Got to the parking lot at 7 something, prepped, hiked to the base of the route, prepped a bit more, and started up the couloir at 8 something. Snow level is currently high, but temps are low, so there are small frozen waterfalls and mixed sections low on the route, which are normally covered by thick avy debris (which is very good with crampons).

Yay BP is in!

Base

$2 leashless system

First mixed section, delaminating and shitty. Took the easy way on the left.

Waterfall on right, which I went down to.

Giving it a shot. Mixed it up out instead, as the ice wasn't good.

Next mixed section. Climb up directly right of the big "crevasse" in the middle of the pic. Good ice!

Looking down. Most everything above here was 40-50 degree snow, snice, and ice.

Moving

Angle

Angle + tree (artsy)

Continued up the slope, and topped out at 10 something.

DONE

Easy hike up steep snow to the ridge, which I followed west and then south to the summit.

BP's Mine Gulch Face (attempted twice)

Trees

Nearing the summit

Sign with rime leaning

Wally!

Almost there...

Topped out! ICE PIRATES!!!!!

Yus

Looking down Mine Gulch

Ate, farted around, left summit after 12 noon and got back to the car about an hour later.

ALPINIST LOAFERS!

Slow 'Rolla

General Lee at the gas station.

Conditions are kickass! If you have a route you want to try, by all means go for it now instead of doing Ski Hut or something you've done many times before. Temps are low enough, and conditions are pretty damn spiffy above 6-7k!!!!

Oh yeah, the name is an inside joke.

Feels good, man.

mve · Post by **mve** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 5:43 pm

This is good stuff! I just devoured Steve House's "Beyond The Mountain" and I have to say the mountains are calling!

It's along way down man:

I think late Anatoli Boukreev used track running shoes with spikes on Khumbu Ice fall for glacier travel -- this is certainly pushing the same envelope!

Do you normally carry a rope on these outings?

Post by **Taco** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 6:13 pm

YO!

I need to get a copy of House's book. Looks good.
Boukreev had a good idea. A similar setup nowadays would be some trailrunners with Kahtoola Traction System crampons. Nice and light, better than any other light/simple crampons for easy slopes I've seen.

I sometimes carry a rope, though on solo stuff it's more for rapping down, or if I get cliffed out on an escape route and want to get down without having to backtrack. Placing pro takes a lot of time. Time and speed often equate to safety.

Elwood · Post by **Elwood** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 7:31 pm

That dude, is a spectacular ascent! Well done and thanks for the excellent report and pictures.

gregp909 · Post by **gregp909** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:02 pm

It looks like you had way more fun than my uneventful walk up Baldy. I hope the early start to the season means good things are in store for the winter!

EnFuego · Post by **EnFuego** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:23 pm

Damn - I should have missed work. But big report due.

I love the first shitty mixed section - looks most excellent. I hope that is (more)in condition next weekend.

Gotta get up there.

Nice pics.

"ICE PIRATES"

Post by **Taco** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 8:40 pm

Have at it. If it's colder next weekend, might be fun. I dunno. Basically ice scrambling down low.

hvydrt · Post by **hvydrt** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:22 pm

Post by **Taco** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:32 pm

HOLY SHIT YES

moppychris · Post by **moppychris** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 9:37 pm

nice trip! snow pirates stole my loafers.
looked like a perfect lunch.

Sashimi · Post by **Sashimi** » Tue Dec 15, 2009 11:02 pm

Awesome trip report and great pics. Shweet

glamisking · Post by **glamisking** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:11 am

As if I wasn't dying to get up there already!

But props! I am excited to hit the steeper stuff with my dual tools this season.

Post by **Taco** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 12:31 pm

Got a few more routes left up there right now. Gotta go check em out soon. 8)

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:22 pm

what about eagle colour?

Post by **Taco** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:28 pm

Where would one approach from?

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 1:30 pm

heaton flat into coldwater above widman ~ 2 hrs. dunno how brushy it is from there to base of climb

Post by **Taco** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 2:59 pm

Good point. Should be done as a car shuttle, or go back down SAR.

You got some crampons, right? Why don't you give it a shot? 8)

GigaMike · Post by **GigaMike** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:32 pm

Sweeeeeeeeet!!

I need to buy some tools and tag along!

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 6:49 pm

TacoDelRio wrote:Good point. Should be done as a car shuttle, or go back down SAR.

You got some crampons, right? Why don't you give it a shot? 8)

oh yah. EPIC FAIL waiting to happen

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 7:11 pm

Nice work Taco! Very cool pictures.

What's Eagle Couloir? Is that the west face of West Baldy?

Post by **Taco** » Wed Dec 16, 2009 11:19 pm

Mike, would be cool to have you along.

Ze, C'MON!!!! Those kinds of climbs are super easy. The hardest part will be land nav, which looks easy. Routefinding and shit. You'd do very well with basic snow skills and a little experience.

Tim, yup, the primary western couloir-face transition. I'd climb it if I could get 3/4 of the way up and then the sun sets and makes it beautiful... that would be amazing.

Tim · Post by **Tim** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 12:00 am

Must be the one in this shot? There's another, steeper couloir system that rises from Cattle Canyon (I think it's hidden behind BHR in this photo) but the approach would be a PITA.

I remember being here at the 9,000 ft level last year just as the sun set. The contrast between the city lights below and the extreme blackness of the mountains behind me was amazing.

Ze Hiker · Post by **Ze Hiker** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 5:40 pm

TacoDelRio wrote:Mike, would be cool to have you along.

Ze, C'MON!!!! Those kinds of climbs are super easy. The hardest part will be land nav, which looks easy. Routefinding and shit. You'd do very well with basic snow skills and a little experience.

Tim, yup, the primary western couloir-face transition. I'd climb it if I could get 3/4 of the way up and then the sun sets and makes it beautiful... that would be amazing.

tempting. just gotta get a little practice in first. plus I'll tie myself to you. can you hold up 190 lbs from sliding down?

EManBevHills · Post by **EManBevHills** » Thu Dec 17, 2009 8:35 pm

Love the footware, you fashion plate!

406 · Post by **406** » Fri Dec 18, 2009 9:31 am

nice work!

Post by **Taco** » Sat Dec 19, 2009 8:29 am

Tim, that's it.

The major couloir that heads up Cow Canyon is Baldy's Super Couloir. I wanted to knock it out this season, but it strongly depends on rockfall.

Ze, sure thing!

Everyone digs the alpinist loafers. 8)