But use cautionserious accidents have happened glissading from Aasgard Pass. Impulses from my youth began to surge in me and I decided to take a swim. Temperatures will be well below freezing (max -10C on Wed afternoon, min -17C on Sun night). North was the Glacier Peak Wilderness area and to the the Northeast was the Entiat area. The summit ridge extends about 1/2 mile and includes several summit towers. It felt like forever as we bushwhacked for the next few hours and crossed numerous creeks we. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. 3. Additional information. gud job, at leest Yu gav the rope gunnr kredit! However I believe that the dates where overnight permits are required are incorrect. The massive complexity of the entire face unfolded before us. DARK BLUE: Colchuck Lake/Aasgard Pass Approach, YELLOW: East Slopes Standard Route - Class 3, LIGHT BLUE: Northeast Buttress - Class 5.8. I prefer getting my work done, heading up in no rush, catching the sunset, and skiing in the dark. CDT - Twin Lakes to Interstate 70; Grays Peak Trailhead. 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." Additionally, I have shared your site in my social networks http://hatchsandwich.com/, Your email address will not be published. Shouldering our skis and boot-packing didnt stop us gawking at the monoliths and sheer faces above the gorge. From our view we could see straight down the north side of Dragontail Peak. Looking back we would occasionally see our tracks now in the shade. People have died here by straying too far to the right. coming up the runnel: What you cant see in this resized pic directly below this climber, is the head and skis of another climber well below him, possibly climbing the right most side of the runnels instead of the traditional left side? Chad Zuber/Shutterstock The enchanting Dragontail Peak. Jacob led more easy terrain until reaching a 5.5-5.6 corner. (95), Comments Andrew, Oh godthey extended it? Sweet pictures and great TR. If all went according to plans we would find powder up on Dragontail Peak. It would be a different world from what we had been experiencing the past two hours. I guess it is almost summer. Generally I'm not a fan of the dawn patrol. 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. Ice climbing was the fastest skill we had ever learned. Still, there was one tough looking chimney ahead of us. % fr Mnner Top-Marken im Sale - Jetzt online kaufen! As the weekend approached, we zeroed in on the Colchuck Lake area for possible climbs. My main skill on display was an ability to tread extremely carefully as to not trundle rocks down on Jacob. Near the top of the lateral moraine, we had to step off onto some snow to get to the orange colored rock that marked the beginning of the route. The summit ridge extends about 1/2 mile and includes several summit towers. Dragontail Peak is seven miles east of the PCT. For the walk-up route on the south side of the peak, either the Colchuck Lake/Aasgard Pass approach can be used, or you can hike the Snow Creek trail and ascend to the Enchantment basin from Snow Lakes. The name Dragontail comes from the jagged ridge of rock needles on the thin ridge crest SW of the summit resembling a long spiny trail of a dragon. updates, images and resources. Suddenly, one of my picks blew and I fell onto the rope! If you are looking for a way around the permit system, you can camp in the Crystal Creek drainage south of the Enchantment Lakes basin by either dropping down from Perfection Lake or by approaching via Crystal Creek from the Ingalls Creek trail. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest walls in the Cascades. Thanks, That is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger. As we passed the little lake near Aasgard Pass, I noticed the nice icebergs floating in the lake. Once at the notch, continue across a short ways and turn right. Seattle, WA 98104. Log in and send us Beautiful 2000 square foot, 4-bedroom single-story home with a 3-car garage, granite kitchen counters, and tile throughout the wet areas. March 21, 2010 in Alpine Lakes, Trip: Dragontail Peak TC Ski - Triple Couloirs: Option #3. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest . 02 may 2021 Vallecito Mountain solo ski, from Taos Ski Valley, NM. In addition to the stated desireable climbing season of July-October, Dragontail is also one of the more reasonable large backcountry peaks to be climbed in the early season. Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. The route follows chimneys and corners for 150 meters to a notch in the crest of the NE Buttress proper. Log in and send us This was definitely Jacobs pitch. Yes, I agree to receive newsletters from Bergfreunde GmbH by email comprising the Alpinetrek Newsletter (product information, promotions) and Alpinetrek Deals (special offers) for Below us was going to be an adventure as the trail was hard to find. We passed when we needed to, and everyone was cordial and having a great time. Washington Trails Association 705 2nd Ave, Suite 300 Seattle, WA 98104 (206) 625-1367. One at a time we layed down our tracks in the wide open face. This route bypasses the east face snowfield if it's late season and very icy. Only 10cm screws were really worthwhile because of the thin ice. Making out way up our attention was on the main southern couloir that went from the side of the summit. @heinelogan or @samchaneles ? 17 may 2021 Ontological Obscurity @12,728' solo ski from Taos Ski Valley, NM. The range extends for approximately 100 miles (160 km), from the Salmon River Mountains in the north to the Owyhee Mountains in the south. Climbing gear and expertise required. His mother responded immediately, saying she had done the deed. There are no activities scheduled at this location. Ski all the lines like this in Colorado, and the addiction would barely peak. Happy Valentines Day to @kellymjiang ! From here, the three couloirs were plainly visible. A few hop turns and we were below the entrance cliff to TC's. Southwest wind between 6 and 14 mph, with gusts as high as 21 mph. Generally I'm not a fan of the dawn patrol. Earlier in the week I had been in this zone heading up Mount Aix. I've had my eye on the N. Face of Dragontail all season as it relates to Triple Couloirs. Dragontail Peak; Dragontail Peak Triple Couloirs; Dragontail Peak; Aasgard Pass Hike; Goose Egg Mountain. Tax ID: 27-3009280. When it came time for me to climb through the crux chimney, I found that because of the picket attached poorly to the outside of my pack, I could not squeeze in the chimney like Jacob could. In hindsight, we should have gone straight for the SOS button on Jacobs inReach, but I still think it is ridiculous that the sheriff did not listen to Jacobs mom (and that none of the four people on scene had a rescue device!) Versandkostenfrei ab 50 Versand in 24h 100 Tage Rckgabe Bis 50% im Outlet Overview. This notch is at 8,500 feet making the snow climb roughly 700 feet. All Rights Reserved. This route is long and committing! Dan getting ready to drop into the Hidden. Over the weekend, Jacob and I met up to climb Serpentine Arete, a long 2000 ft moderate route up the huge, complex north face of Dragontail Peak in the Enchantments. From the European Alps to the far more formidable Issy Alps, we had a great year. Hiking Dragontail Peak. It was awesome to see him riding from our perspective as we had a clean view all the way to the bottom. We arrived back at the car before sunset. We got back to the car in the evening, logging a total time of about 13:45, pretty solid considering we were moving casually, dealt with the rescue, had to route find a lot, and I even went swimming! At the transition between the second and third couloirs we once again roped up and I took the lead. Mt. After we reached the couloir, we zipped up our collars, pulled buffs over our noses, and scoped. Use radios to communicate from one stopping point to another. There are two trailheads used to climb Dragontail. However, we were able to find small pockets of softer stuff. Changing into our trail shoes two miles before the car was a great welcome. Our skin track was on the shade line as we climbed near the col. From there, it was just a walk up a sandy gully to the summit of Dragontail! Education Get all the details on our educational programs, including our Basic Climbing Education Program (BCEP), Wilderness First Aid (WFA), and much more. By the end of August last year there was an unavoidable swath of smooth ice across the snowfield on the standard route. Colchuck Lake was right beneath us, straight down the couloir. 1,708 Sq. In front of that was the Argonaut peak northeast face. I'm too wussy to drop in blind, especially on a route like TC's. There are routes that will challenge the seasoned climber in both summer and winter as well as a handful of scramble routes to challenge the up and rising mountaineers. Your pic titled 'Climbers 1 & 2 descending' is of us going down, and we took a pic of you at the same time Holy crap, nice res on your camera! With this out of the way, we sprinted to the top, surprised to find ourselves on the summit after 4 hours, 20 minutes of work. Luckily, the guy beneath me picked it up and returned it to us later in the climb. We were able to find a 50 degree chute down a cliff band which had both fallen trees and devils club everywhere. There were a sprinkling of mid 5th moves. On the approach, before the first pitch, a six-foot boulder barred her way. For current mountain conditions contact the Wenatchee National Forest, Leavenworth Ranger District. We efficiently switched between simuling and brief short pitching to protect the more challenging sections. This was my favorite section of the entire climb. For example, theAconcagua mountain page has the 'Aconcagua Group' and the 'Seven Summits' asparents and is a parent itself to many routes, photos, and Trip Reports. Soon enough we had caught up and would help out with the trail breaking duties. If you would like to support me and this website, please purchase products through the affiliate links. Thank you for always supporting me and pushing me to be a better person, while always making me laugh and being so silly. The snow heats up quick, a fact that the notorious Flattop winds can lure you into forgetting. Follow the trail as it stays well left of the waterfall and reach Aasgard Pass at 7,800 feet. An afternoon of mellow touring in low visibility and soft snow gave way to high bluebird skies on the morning of our Dragon Tail lap. Challenges featuring Dragontail Peak. Box 329 Leavenworth, WA 98826 phone: 509-548-5823 fax: 320-388 . And besides, I call "bullshit". Extremely cold (max 0F on Sat afternoon, min -8F on Thu night). Cross over the broad snow-saddle and make for the southern skyline, scrambling up a short class 2/3 section to the ridgetop. It actually had a very nice, thick WI2 step of ice, which we soloed easily. The Dragontail Mountains are a mountain range in the U.S. state of Idaho. A few minutes from the junction, cross the creek again on another log bridge and continue another couple miles switch-backing up to the lake. The buttress rises steeply from between the start of the Triple Couloirs and the Northeast Couloir and flattens out as it meets the summit ridge at a prominent notch near 8500 feet. Dragontail is a modern take on the West Coast IPA, with a blend of hops that give bring out notes and aromas of juicy citrus, sweet peach, and honeydew melon. See Red Tape. When the snow turned surfy, I opened the throttle a bitbefore banking a hard left into a safe zone. Powered by Invision Community, [TR] Dragontail Peak TC Ski - Triple Couloirs: Option #3 3/21/2010, WELCOME TO THE CASCADECLIMBERS.COM FORUMS. Skied the Triple Couloirs on Dragontail Peak yesterday. Thank you! We were about 3 hours from the car. We crossed to a rock island and followed fourth class ledges up to a higher snow finger. Andy set out climbing on Thursday, August 7th. Frozen Colchuck Lake and Dragontail Peak. To get there, Jacob had to simul climb beneath me some, making for an 80m pitch or so. Get Trail News Subscribe to our free email newsletter for hiking events, news, gear reviews and more. We packed our gear and were on the trail by 7:00 AM. They were my "bail cams" anyway, so no big deal. Instead of riding Mount Stuart we would go for some north facing slopes. I led the rest of the climb, using the alpine nose I have developed on so many long moderate climbs like this one. 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. Alternatively, ~30 feet below Pandora's Box, exit left and scramble up Class 4 rock about 20 feet, then follow the ridge line left. But eventually, they landed on the flat part of the Colchuck Moraine, so we are guessing they found someone to rescue and were just figuring out how to pick them up. Although this route is one of the easier routes for any high Bulger, it isn't a cakewalk and good fitness is required to make it happen. P.O. As we were near the top, we heard and saw a helicopter approaching. This post may contain affiliate links. Kyle turned and beat it down the backside, as Will and I discussed our strategy for the descent. Forecast Discussion. Thanks for the pix guys. As we basked in the warm sun, Jacob checked his inReach. It would be some of the best May conditions that we could think of as the snow was bottomless. Soon enough Scott was dropping in and taking the first turns of our trip. After 4 miles is the Snow Lakes trailhead parking lot on the left side of the road at 2,200 feet elevation. Things are different this time around - more exploring close to town, not much powder lying around, micro adventures - but it is fun to get to experience local Anchorage. Comment * document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute( "id", "a608bc810922762285697226a9dd15f7" );document.getElementById("e87bcfad71").setAttribute( "id", "comment" ); Notify me of follow-up comments by email. I earn a small commission on sales via these links at no additional cost to you. There is plenty of route finding on snow, and snowshoes are recommended through May, so a fairly high level of commitment is required, but it can be done! Mileage: 21.4. I'm excited to see what they'll do in the coming years. Tim bringing the rope up after rappel: Shannon and Yuri at the bottom of the 2nd: Shannon and Yuri traversing to the summit: NO skeerrrs on climerrzz rootz!!! I chimneyed with my feet on the rock and back and butt against the snow, scooting up the moat. Description. The Jaws of a Giant. SOLD JUN 14, 2022. It was going to be a great day riding down Dragontail Peak. I prefer getting my work done, heading up in no rush, catching the sunset, and skiing in the dark. 2023 Climber Kyle. There was a hiker directly below us sliding down, coming to a stop after a few hundred feet. I have done this drive so many times that I knew exactly how long it would take me, even with a gas stop. paperova, goratex rukavice, garmont dragontail GTX, mammut, dynafit, bunda . There are campsites on both the west side and the south end of the lake. Excellent page - very helpful. The However, the answer quickly became clear. Log in and send us Before long the chute opened up to wide open slopes. Will descending the variable snow of the Hidden. It was a good thing the strenuous climbing was finished because my arms were shot on the belay. This is a list of titles that represent the variations of trips Our route out was brutal as we battled the thick forests. Tieton Gorge Climbing; Snow Creek Wall. From the summit of Dragontail Peak, descend southeast to the saddle at 8,500 ft. Then descend east on a long snow slope to Aasgard Pass. From Lake Viviane (which has great camping), wander your way west passing along the north shore of Leprechaun Lake and the east shore of Inspiration Lake. Above the Snow Creek Glacier, I stopped and let Jacob descend first through the more avalanche prone slopes. Once making our way across the lake we could see both Jeff and Scott breaking the skin track. Dragontail Peak, also known as Dragon Tail, is a mountain in the Stuart Range, in Chelan County, Washington.While climbing an adjacent peak, Lex Maxwell, Bob McCall, and Bill Prater remarked that the needles on the crest, southwest of the summit, resembled a "dragon tail". Weight: 1.3 lbs: Dimensions: 10 10 0.31 in: . Paste as plain text instead, All Rights Reserved. Ryan hikes up a moraine toward Backbone Ridge [click image for next] We knew Easter Break was our best opportunity to get enough time and weather window for an alpine ice climb. At least the endless windboard is par for the course! Thanks to my friends willing to get up early even when they don't have to! Who skied it better? Mailbox Peak. This page was transferred to me by Bob Bolton. The postholing was annoying, but we chose not to bring traction. But yesterday was an exception, and I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and some great snow on humpback mountain. I got up the second time, but still managed to catch the picket on some rock and send it flying down the snow beneath. NOTE: In early season, almost the entire descent can be glissaded. The ice looked barely a centimeter thick in most places. Shuksan (15 ascents via 3 routes) Slesse Mountain (Northeast Buttress) Eldorado Peak (NW Face Couloir, Northeast Face and East Ridge) Forbidden Peak (West Ridge, East Ridge, North Ridge, NW Face) Dragontail Peak (Triple Couloirs, Backbone Ridge, Serpentine Arete) Descend the climbing route to Colchuck Col and then descend Colchuck Col to Colchuck Lake. Eventually, I spotted a rappel anchor. It had been a great time on the summit but we were excited to start riding. Serpentine Arete rises out of Colchuck Glacier between the peaks. Both approaches are reached via the Icicle Creek road south of Leavenworth. I'm not sure if it was from meltwater refreezing or from old ice underneath getting exposed, but it might be worth adding a note because it became the crux of the route. However the official USDA.gov page states that permit season ends in Oct 31. https://www.fs.usda.gov/wps/portal/fsinternet/cs/recarea?ss=110308&navtype=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&navid=110240000000000&pnavid=null&position=BROWSEBYSUBJECT&recid=58717&ttype=recarea&pname=Colchuck%20Lake%20Trail%20 goratex rukavice, garmont dragontail GTX, mammut, dynafit, bunda, leginy Kari Traa, Spyder . 4 Beds. Jacob led this one. During the day, we were radioed additional information that they might be on . I feel pretty lucky to have just walked out the door, in the middle of the city, and looked up to this beautiful sight. Winds increasing (calm on Mon night, near gales from the NW by Wed afternoon). That is one of the things I love about alpine climbing: analyzing what improvements are needed for a goal, putting in the work, and reaping the benefits. March 27-April 2, 2023 (1 spot) April 3-9, 2023 (FULL) April 10-16, 2023 (FULL) Custom Dates for 4+ also available. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. Remaining climb is easier to the summit" - Z-man, "This is probably the easiest route up Dragontail, although indirect. Gain: 7000' ish (cliffs really throw off the gps) Elapsed Time: 13:38. You cannot paste images directly. Below the cliffs move to right side of gully. It inspired confidence all the way down to our North Face topout. Really, there are only like 4 pitches (pitches 3-6) that most would need to pitch out. Dragontail Peak is the second highest peak in the Stuart Range, exceeded only by 9,415 foot, . This ascent from Colchuck Lake gains 2,200 feet in 3/4 of a mile! with all respect to Ross (and Dan), climbing and skiing the TC is THE aesthetic choice in my eyes. Home; About Us. Ascend snow (early season) or talus to glacier (no crevasses but can be icy by mid-season) and follow glacier to Colchuck Col. From Colchuck Col scramble northwest to the summit. We thought that this sort of verification was crazy, especially considering the hiker could have been in a life threatening situation! Once in the couloir, we enjoyed a great ski down to near the Colchuck-Dragontail Col. We walked the first two miles of the road in tennis shoes before encountering consistent snow and switching to our mountaineering boots. The Dragontail Mountains are part of the Columbia Plateau, which is a large area of basaltic lava flows in the western United States. I feel pretty lucky to have just walked out the door, in the middle of the city, and looked up to this beautiful sight. Local Popularity. At this time, Dan Helmstadtler popped up on the summit with intentions to ski TC's as well. Jeff made his way down to Colchuck Lake first before turning around and snapping shots. Followed by the Robins Lake area to Stevens Pass. You can post now and register later. In late season, this snow slope turns to ice which increases the difficulty significantly. With heavy packs, we slowly made our way through the forest. Your previous content has been restored. But despite notoriety, Dragon Tail makes you feel tiny. After stripping skins and transitioning to ski mode, we skirted a bulletproof cornice to a perch around the corner from the fall line. Will and I convinced him to join us for the Option #3 variation, replacing the three raps with one short one. 04 apr 2021 Santa Fe Baldy solo ski, from Ski Santa Fe, NM. (363), Climber's Log Entries Our goal was just to be able to lead easy stuff (WI2-3) by the end of the season, but we exceeded our wildest dreams. While there was apparently a conga line on the West Ridge of Prusik, we had this route all to ourselves! We waited around at the top of the TC's for the another two hours for the other three parties to top out, so as not to bombard them with our slough. Sunday Night: A 40 percent chance of snow showers before 11pm. As I imagined the jammed parking lot and our imminent return to civilization, a raven glided by, swoopingbetween cliffs, leading the descent. The best times to visit this trail are . This section of the trail has some exposed sections so use caution if wet. Camp as near the south end as possible. The snow had set up a few days and settled mostly, so we felt safe after a few turns. I had to simul some to allow him to finish this section and reach the belay. Great day and perfect conditions- sounds like ~10 people climbed it and three skied it? 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. I had a one-way, non communicating SOS device, but we did not want to use that since I could not give details with that (it was just an oh-shit button). I had tried to get into Dragontail a few times already this year and The north and NE faces are also very impressive. The route here climbs through "the runnels", some ice gullies that can be either fat, easy ice or paper thin ice sheets . I met up with Dan in Bellevue and we made the long drive towards Icicle Creek. Way to hit it under perfect conditions. We all made tentative turns as it was quite icy from the get-go. Before long it was time to get snowboarding down Dragontail Peak. Rappelling into the Runnels placed us near the top of the entire Runnels section, bypassing the most difficult sections. updates, images, or resources. Discover this 12.4-mile out-and-back trail near Leavenworth, Washington. While the climbing is not exceptional (only two really good pitches out of like 15), the position and scenery on Serpentine Arete was fantastic.