Telegraph Peak via NW Face, 09-Jan-2010

[Tim]

I needed to test out some new Christmas goodies (a pair of Garmont Tower mountaineering boots and BD Sabertooth crampons) so I planned to just take it easy and check out snow conditions near Telegraph and the DBB. I wasn't sure if I'd actually climb it with these new boots. I also have one of those $50 Baldy annual passes so I thought I could take the lifts all the way up to Thunder and the DBB. Some might say that's cheating but with this weather, I might never get to snowboard here! I might as well use it for something.

But when I got to the lift at Miner's Bowl, they wouldn't let me get on because I didn't have skis or a snowboard. There was a guy there with a snowmobile and he offered to give me a ride up to the road. He ended up driving me all the way to Thunder! The guy turned out to be Nick. I took the ridge down to the Telegraph-Thunder saddle and traversed over to the main couloir. Some rocks started to come down and I decided the main couloir looked too vulnerable. I went back right and went up the side of one of the mini ridges so that I could take cover behind the rocks. I would move up to a safe point behind a rock and then repeat. Stuff continued to come down every so often.

I topped out about a hundred feet shy of the summit and took the ridge up. It took me about 1.5 hours to do this 600 ft climb--pretty slow by any standard but my feet were hurting like crazy with these new boots. The only way they didn't hurt was if I front-pointed. It was icy in the chute anyway so I front-pointed most of the way. But this was tiring as hell and I had to stop and rest every 30-40 ft. I also switched to the axe in anchor position instead self-belay. This felt more secure. I can see the value of having a second tool now.

It was really clear on top. I spent almost two hours up there just hanging out. I saw no one else and the last person here seemed to be Bob Burb on 12/21/09. I came back via the west ridge and only needed crampons for the last couple of hundred feet before the saddle.

Red is way up, blue is way down. Thinking about it now, I could have gone up the green route but it gets really steep up there and I only had one axe.


Closeup


Further away




Looking down into Coldwater Canyon


















Baldy Bowl not looking too good

[lilbitmo]

Tim, nice work, great TR, pictures are nice as well.

Little confused on the picture with the routes drawn across them, who took that picture while you were climbing the bowl? Or is that an old picture you used to demonstrate the route?
If so, how much snow is still back there?

Thanks
Lilbitmo

[HikeUp]

Nice pictures. Appears you're not a rock magnet.

I also have one of those $50 Baldy annual passes so I thought I could take the lifts all the way up to Thunder and the DBB...
But when I got to the lift at Miner's Bowl, they wouldn't let me get on because I didn't have skis or a snowboard.

Seriously, WTF?!? Next time walk up with a surf board and say "Yes. I ski on this!"

[EnFuego]

Nice. When we heading back? Hehe.

[Taco]

I'm down for soon.

[mve]

Tim,

Q RE. your Sabertooth -- I am assuming they are Clip (not PRO) since Garmont Tower's don't have a toe welt?

http://www.blackdiamondequipment.com/en ... sabretooth


I have PRO version of Sabertooth and they are not very secure with my La Sportiva Nepal EVOs -- the toe is sliding sideways in them. It appears to me that the Sabertooth PRO were designed for a wider toe than the one of Nepal EVOs (perhaps Spantik??). It's especially pronounced when trying to flat-foot -- where it puts too much lateral pressure on the crampon.

To counter this toe shifting I am forced to tighten the rear adjuster way too much -- it's almost impossible to unclip from them after words and still the toe tends to shift.

I am considering switching to a Clip version ... Did you have this problem with your Clip Sabertooth?

Thanks!

[Tim]

Thanks all.

Lilbitmo, these photos were all taken on Saturday. The ones of the NW face were taken from that road that goes from Badly Notch to Thunder Mtn. Just below Thunder it turns east a little bit a couple of times and you get a really clear view of Telegraph. You could also book it down to Coldwater Canyon from there if so inclined. I took those on my way back down so the lighting was from later in the day.

Seriously, WTF?!? Next time walk up with a surf board and say "Yes. I ski on this!"

My stupid new mountaineering boots have no traction so they actually boot ski really well. The lift operator probably wouldn't buy that either, I suppose.

mve, yes I have the Clip version of the Sabretooths. I didn't feel any wiggling or looseness but this was my first and only time out with them so far. With the Clip, there are two upturned tabs in the front where the plastic strap rivets to and my boot wedges right into those tabs. So they felt pretty secure. I like Grivel's two locks rings and strap better than the BD's version though. But so far no complaints about the stainless steel. I've got shiny feet!

[GigaMike]

Nice climbing, Tim! That face is on my "to-climb" list.

I also had Garmont Towers and they hurt my feet a little also. I then got a pair of Scarpa Triolet's and they kick ass. Very comfy!

[mve]

mve, yes I have the Clip version of the Sabretooths. I didn't feel any wiggling or looseness but this was my first and only time out with them so far. With the Clip, there are two upturned tabs in the front where the plastic strap rivets to and my boot wedges right into those tabs. So they felt pretty secure. I like Grivel's two locks rings and strap better than the BD's version though. But so far no complaints about the stainless steel. I've got shiny feet!

Thanks Tim -- I too would rather get Grivel but none of the places I shop at carry them any longer ...