A couple of weeks ago my buddy Norris hit me up to check out one of the Northeast chutes on San G in the hope that there might be some good snow remaining therein. As we were trying to schedule the outing, there was talk here of NE death chutes and such, which piqued Burchey’s interest. On Sunday the three of us hiked from the South Fork TH, up the drainage to Dry Lake, over to Mine Shaft Saddle and finally the NE Bowl, where we picked a very fun route that topped out just a tad west of the summit rocks.
NE Bowl/Our route
Looking back at Mine Shaft Saddle
Burchey pirates a ride on the little-known San G Rope Tow
Cold temps the previous night made for good snow conditions
Seriously though, it's so odd to see pictures of myself on a trip. I'm always alone, so I never have much actual proof of the hike/climb. Who knows? Maybe I chopper into most of these places?
I love it when the cloud layer rolls in below you. Too cool.
The rope thing was me just practicing using pickets - we brought anchor gear and rope in case the upper portion of the chute was really steep and slick - didn't end up needing them, but it was fun to mess around with.
Sweet climb guys! sorry i missed the party. that full day at Tahquitz would have made me a San G liability. i'm happy to picket, but i hate being an anchor. let me know if there is an encore performance.
i see you are still sportin' a fleece helmet DG. do we need to start a "help Dave buy a helmet" fund??? you need to protect that noggin! i don't care if your Mensa membership has lapsed. there is still some valuable stuff inside there!
KathyW wrote: ↑It's nice to see you guys survived the infamous "chute of death".
Kathy, I'm not sure we did your chute of death, I think the one you refer to is the long East-facing chute that the sky-high trail crosses right after it passes by the gully that runs up into the bowl we climbed out of. That looks like a good next objective.
KathyW wrote: ↑It's nice to see you guys survived the infamous "chute of death".
Kathy, I'm not sure we did your chute of death, I think the one you refer to is the long East-facing chute that the sky-high trail crosses right after it passes by the gully that runs up into the bowl we climbed out of. That looks like a good next objective.
I believe you are correct, but my "chute of death" might be different than someone else's. That's the fun part about naming them yourself.
Burchey wrote: ↑There was nothing Death about our chute, it was just windy at the top. Pretty mellow otherwise, not that steep, no rockfall, etc etc.
That's easy for you to say, Burchdog; I cried for my mommy at least twice.
Seriously though, I'd say it was comparable to the Jepson Bowl route. Jep's finish was a little steeper, but NE was a bit more sustained. I was measuring angles in the mid-forties once we got up high.
I found a picture of what I had thought to be Kathy's Death Route descent, taken from the Sky High Trail on a scout backpack last summer, just north of the plane wreck. Or is this the bowl in snowless condition? Not sure. Better get packed up and check it out...
I'm going to at least try to find a chute going up that way from UBSL, but I know it could be a bust. I think the chute you almost got up on this trip was farther west in that valley than I want to go. We'll see.
*Edit - found this super hires pic, zoomed in on what I thought I might go up near UBSL...thinking no. Looks worse in this than it does on the topo
Jepson;s chutes appear to be steeper than any of the chutes on San G, but anything over 30 degrees is steep to me.
Talking about Couloirs - Bloody Couloir up by Convict Lake is way up on my to do list right now - 40 or 45 degrees I think; so about like Dade's hourglass, but an easier day overall. - I hope to find a nice weekend in June to give it a go - the snow will be there late this year; so no hurry. I know some people like steep, but anything over 45 degrees will make me wet my pants.
KathyW wrote: ↑Talking about Couloirs - Bloody Couloir up by Convict Lake is way up on my to do list right now - 40 or 45 degrees I think; so about like Dade's hourglass, but an easier day overall. - I hope to find a nice weekend in June to give it a go - the snow will be there late this year; so no hurry. I know some people like steep, but anything over 45 degrees will make me wet my pants.
Bloody looks like super fun Kathy, as well as Red Slate's north couloir.
Still have a score to settle with Morrison one of these days.
KathyW wrote: ↑Talking about Couloirs - Bloody Couloir up by Convict Lake is way up on my to do list right now - 40 or 45 degrees I think; so about like Dade's hourglass, but an easier day overall. - I hope to find a nice weekend in June to give it a go - the snow will be there late this year; so no hurry. I know some people like steep, but anything over 45 degrees will make me wet my pants.
Bloody looks like super fun Kathy, as well as Red Slate's north couloir.
Still have a score to settle with Morrison one of these days.
Yes, that colouir on Red Slate really catches the eye. Morrison is on my list too. The list is too long to ever finish and it just keeps getting longer.
Sweet climb guys! sorry i missed the party. that full day at Tahquitz would have made me a San G liability. i'm happy to picket, but i hate being an anchor. 
let me know if there is an encore performance.
