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ren - Nov 5, 2005 1:15 pm
Route Climbed: Aasgard Pass Date Climbed: May 29, '05Camped in the snow filled basin and summitted Little Annapurna the day before. Bright sunshine ( I believe record highs). The plan was to summit on the 28th but as we topped Aasgard around 10:00am the snow was already slush so we waited till early next morning and headed up. Fantastic views in an incredible area!
mandrake - Aug 1, 2005 4:24 pm
Route Climbed: Aasgard Pass / Snow Creek Glacier Date Climbed: July 30, 2005Group of seven of us made summit about 11am Saturday. Beautiful weather and spectacular views off of the summit. Thanks to 'rpc' for the great beta!
hkutuk - Jun 21, 2005 5:41 pm
Route Climbed: Snow Creek Glacier Date Climbed: June 19, 2005My intention was to climb DT from Aasgard quickly and be down before the afternoon thunderstorms hit the mountains. I always hear horror stories about hiking to Aasgard pass but there was a decent path from Colchuck lake to the pass so made good time. Snow on the glacier was very soft and some point release debris were visible but it was very straightforward. Finally caught up with a very fast paced climber, Jeff, on the summit. It was still around 10 and he suggested to climb Witches Tower and Little Annapurna. So we first went down the south ridge of DT and off the ridge steep soft snow on to the south side of Witches tower and scrambled up a class-3 route to its cool summit. From there a gentle raising traverse to Little Annapurna. After a well earned lunch break and exchanges of our climb stories back down to the pass and at 5pm arrived at the car. Admired the climbers on the rocks along Icicle road as I drove back to L-worth and eventually made it back to Portland before midnight.
I had a great day in one of the most beatiful places and dedicated this little trip on Father's Day to my dad who passed away a year ago and is missed dearly...
Brian Jenkins - Jul 12, 2004 10:40 pm
Route Climbed: Aasgard Pass/Snow Creek Glacier Date Climbed: July 11, 2004Quite the littany of flexibility on this one. Plans changed numerous times. Originally was going to meet up Saturday evening with friends Mark/Natasha and Chris/Shauna. They were each going to do Serpentine Arrete in two teams and I was going to do Colchuck and Dragontail via Colchuck Glacier. I got a late start out of Portland and didn't get to the trailhead until almost 11 pm so I opted to crash in the truck and start at first light.
Got going about 4:30 am at the same time as another party of 3 who slept at the trailhead too. Made Colchuck Lake by about 6:30 or so. Had been on the walkie talkie to try to contact my friends all the way in but no response and never saw them on the route. Ran into them at their tents by the lake. They had started up much earlier and the weather window they needed never opened. By the time I got there though the weather was clearing so they decided to hike up to the lakes basin. I opted to enjoy the trail with them instead of the glacier. Lots of laughs all the way up.
At the Pass we headed to the lakes for a bit and ran into a very curious goat. I departed for the glacier while they then headed east for a hike. Scrambled up and over a few minor ridges. Be careful on these if you do so, I slipped on a polished slab and rode a 45 degree rock down about 30 feet hoping I wouldn't turn an ankle.
Luckily I didn't and I then started up the glacier. Pretty slushy by this time of day (about 11 am). Went mostly straight up until the top, then did a switchback to gain the saddle. Ditched the axe and crampons and scrambled up to the summit. Knew I would be late getting back home to Portland so opted to descend the same route instead of downclimb to Colchuck. Hiked out with Chris and Shauna.
Back at the trailhead as I rubbed my feet and moaned, I ran into the group that departed a few minutes before me that morning. They had done the 10 mile hike into Prusik, did the South Arrete route as a team of 3, and hiked out in the same amount of time (about 15 hours) as it took me o Dragontail. I quickly shut up as I knew I had just gone from long, tough dayclimber to wuss in like 15 seconds.
Still don't think I'd recommend this as a dayhike although it certainly can be done as one. Just made for another late night drive home for me. Hit my bed about 2:30 am but still glad I did it as it was great to hang with friends and get a peak in.
seth - Apr 29, 2004 6:38 pm
Route Climbed: Serpentine Arete Date Climbed: August 1995Slow group, made even slower by initial route-finding difficulty. While descending, group above kicked down a grapefruit that landed on my pack, about an inch or so behind my helmeted noggin, smashing my compass into bits... It's on the list for this summer...
Sharon - Jul 23, 2003 12:05 am
Route Climbed: Serpentine Arete IV, 5.8 Date Climbed: August 13, 1989Partners: John Middleton & Allan Thousteinson.
Joe Hahler & Ruth Martin were on a separate rope team.
Stay left on final pitches to hit the big exit ledge...critical...it looks like you should go to the right, but that traps you under the big roofs of the summit towers & moves must be reversed. I still fondly remember a wonderful pitch of chickenheads warmed by the sun.
Minimal pro: #1 & #2 Camalots, 2-3 Friends, 2 Tech Friends, several stoppers. Plus helmet! This was my first multi-pitch alpine rock climb & I'll never, ever forget it...as well as the 1st time I had ever been exposed to serious rockfall (no one was hit). From talking later to another party, who had experienced the same thing in what we agreed upon was the "Death Gully", we all may have been slightly off-route. Beckey terms this route "distinctly sporting."
Roped up at 7:45 am...summitted 7:30 pm...& that was with all 5 of us. Descent via Aasgard Pass.
wallspeck - May 8, 2003 3:59 pm
Route Climbed: Backbone Ridge Date Climbed: July 1995Climbed with Phil Dyment who was living in Ellensburg then. We went light; car to car in 16 hours. The 80 foot long 5.9 offwidth in the middle may have a couple of 5.9 moves but it's reputation far exceeds it's bite. Don't be afraid, it's easy. The wet rock down low was harder. The finishing pitches on the fin were wild. Very beautiful area.
Honkeydong - Mar 4, 2003 7:55 am
Route Climbed: south ridge trail Date Climbed: August 1984Pete and I did this walk-up in howling wind and blue skies. I thought we'd get blown off, but by the time we got near the top the winds died down some. Awesome scenery from the top. Dark clouds to the west moving east chased us back to the truck the next day.
MikeB - Dec 26, 2002 11:18 am
Route Climbed: Triple Couloirs Date Climbed: April 4, 2002Got lost in the dark on the approach - lots of bushwacking; missed the last bridge that led to some dicey creek crossings via icy logs. Good climb with several pitchs of veneer ice plastered over granite, plus several pitches of neve; sustained climbing of 50-70 degrees for entire route; outstanding exposure that really made the climb worthwhile. Great glissade down Asgard pass to Colchuck Lake - beats walking. Horrendous hike out in soft snow - numerous plunges to chest height while crossing the boulder field below Colchuck Lake. Simul soloed entire route with partner - car to car in 12 hours.
geoffcasey - Sep 25, 2002 1:26 pm
Route Climbed: Colchuck Glacier Date Climbed: June 25 2002Great Weather, Great Company, Great mountains,
Though a tiring one day trip.
Fred Spicker - Jul 25, 2002 5:11 pm
Route Climbed: West Route via Colchuck Glacier Date Climbed: 13 June 1976 & 16 June 19851976 with Monica Spicker.
1985 with Jim Spearman and a Spokane Mountaineers group.
Approach via Colchuck Glacier and descent via Aasgurard Pass - both trips.
D Smith - Oct 1, 2001 10:54 am
Route Climbed: Aasgard Pass/Snow Creek Glacier Date Climbed: 9/30/01After camping at Colchuck Lake Saturday night, hiked up Aasgard Pass and ran into pretty steep, solid snow on permanent snowfield that is the Snow Creek Glacier. We were able to chop steps to the top (about 100' from the bottom)--Pretty slow going. Summitted at 1:30. A beautiful, clear sunny day with views South to Adams, North to Baker, West to the Olympics, and East to the Columbia Plateau.
We decided decent via the ascent route would be too dangerous given the snow conditions, so we traversed the S ridge of peaks, decended into the Upper Enchantments Basin, and hiked back over Aasgard and out.
Bob Bolton - Jun 2, 2001 1:16 am
Route Climbed: South ridge Date Climbed: September 5, 1987Once again it was a perfect day for high wandering on the rim of the Enchantment basin. We ascended the slopes south of Brynhild Lake and upon achieving the ridge traversed west and north to the south ridge of Dragontail. We stayed on the summit for a rather long time enjoying the early September sunshine and the magnificent views of Colchuck Peak, Mt. Stuart, Mt. Rainier, the western peaks of the Alpine Lakes Wilderness, and north to Glacier Peak and Mt. Baker.
Bob Bolton - Jun 2, 2001 12:52 am
Route Climbed: South ridge Date Climbed: September 2, 1984After being snowed on two nights before, the weather was gorgeous on this day and we set out to climb Dragontail up the Snow Creek Glacier above Aasgard Pass. The snow was perfect for climbing and for the eventual glissade back toward our camp near Freya Lake. The summit views were spectacular on a perfectly clear day as we could easily see Mt. Adams to the south, almost in Oregon, and Mt. Baker to the north, almost in British Columbia.