I was planning to use Chelan air to save time and start at Weaver point, but... They consider a canister of isobutane/propane fuel to be too hazardous to take on the plane... So it's not clear you can make those logistics work... unless you are willing to cook on a wood fire (which is likely illegal as well) :-(
Very interesting. That must be a FAA mandate for "commercial" flights. But, if so, one has to wonder what folks do in Alaska when most travel is done by air. If it's not an FAA mandate, Chelan Air is stupid for having such a policy because it will drive away business for a non-problem (and, nope, they can't claim an altitude issue).
Thought I would share some of my thoughts on Tupshin on the off-chance that future climbers might find this useful. This is a great page and everything Klenke says about the East Face route is dead-on accurate.
-We went straight up from Bird Creek Camp trending climbers right. Not much brush to speak of (on the descent we took a line closer to the creek and seemed to find every patch of alder in the Bird Creek drainage), a few minor scrambly sections but nothing too bad.
-On 9/6/2018, we found an improbable water source coming out of the rocks at the very highest patch of larch trees just below the east face of Tupshin. This would make a great place to bivy. No water anywhere else that we could find. (Note: we also referenced a report from mid-September, 2017 (very hot summer) and there was water at that time as well. Thus, water is probably a pretty good bet in this location most years in late season).
-The rock quality and opportunities for pro are marginal. We brought a rope and a small rack but only ended up using the rope to rappel. This seems like one of those chossy routes where roping up might not be any safer. We dislodged a few big rocks on the rope-pulls on the descent.
-At the "5.hard" section, we went right, around a corner, and then up the class 4 bypass (steep dirty chimney/gully and then a short downclimb to get back on the standard route). It was exposed and steep class 4 on friable, lichen-covered rock. Pucker-inducing, but also possible we didn't find the best way here.
-The 5.4 crux is only a few moves on decent rock and isn't very exposed. Not too bad. We both climbed it fine in boots, and neither of us are good rock climbers.
-Tupshin seems like one of the least climbed of the Bulger Peaks, one party in 2017 and three parties in 2018 at the time of our climb.
-There's a rap station on the summit now but I wouldn't recommend using it. It takes you through some very loose rock and, if using a 60m rope, deposits you in a weird spot where it's necessary to do some loose class 4 downclimbing to the next rap station.
-60m rope works well for all the other raps. The rap stations are all obvious and marked with pink flagging tape.
-We continued to Devore after we climbed Tupshin and then descended Bird Creek back to camp, which was a brutal day. If you're on Devore, I wouldn't recommend descending Bird Creek. I've heard from several parties that the WF of Devore Creek is an easier descent. If you're descending from Tupshin, just make sure not to get too close to the creek...very brushy in there.
Alan Ellis - Jun 12, 2005 10:50 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGood stuff....
vvujisic - Jun 13, 2005 12:11 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentNice page, nice job!
Gangolf Haub - Jun 13, 2005 3:32 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentBeautiful sig pic! But it somehow lacks your trademark rose tint :o(
That summit pyramid looks impressive.
Martin Cash - Jun 13, 2005 9:02 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentNice!
Scott - Jun 13, 2005 10:13 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat page. The seldom climbed peaks are the best!
IdahoKid - Jun 13, 2005 1:26 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentWhat a rugged looking summit!
Sean
Lee Stamm - Jun 13, 2005 11:19 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentBeen waiting for this one.
Corax - Jun 14, 2005 7:36 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGreat page!
mtwashingtonmonroe - Jun 14, 2005 9:28 am - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentAnother good one!
-Britt
Klenke - Jun 16, 2005 7:37 pm - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentIt's your turn to throw them in the sack--bag them, as it were.
Klenke - Jun 18, 2005 12:49 am - Hasn't voted
Untitled CommentWho would that be? Bob Nielsen? Blake Herrington? Some really cute gal who's got a crush on me? Hopefully the last of these!
desainme - Jul 1, 2005 3:33 pm - Voted 10/10
Untitled CommentGood pix and route description.
dsweld - Aug 16, 2010 10:25 pm - Hasn't voted
Chelan Air Catch 22I was planning to use Chelan air to save time and start at Weaver point, but... They consider a canister of isobutane/propane fuel to be too hazardous to take on the plane... So it's not clear you can make those logistics work... unless you are willing to cook on a wood fire (which is likely illegal as well) :-(
Klenke - Aug 19, 2010 12:55 am - Hasn't voted
Re: Chelan Air Catch 22Very interesting. That must be a FAA mandate for "commercial" flights. But, if so, one has to wonder what folks do in Alaska when most travel is done by air. If it's not an FAA mandate, Chelan Air is stupid for having such a policy because it will drive away business for a non-problem (and, nope, they can't claim an altitude issue).
Jake Robinson - Nov 7, 2018 11:01 am - Hasn't voted
Excellent pageThought I would share some of my thoughts on Tupshin on the off-chance that future climbers might find this useful. This is a great page and everything Klenke says about the East Face route is dead-on accurate.
-We went straight up from Bird Creek Camp trending climbers right. Not much brush to speak of (on the descent we took a line closer to the creek and seemed to find every patch of alder in the Bird Creek drainage), a few minor scrambly sections but nothing too bad.
-On 9/6/2018, we found an improbable water source coming out of the rocks at the very highest patch of larch trees just below the east face of Tupshin. This would make a great place to bivy. No water anywhere else that we could find. (Note: we also referenced a report from mid-September, 2017 (very hot summer) and there was water at that time as well. Thus, water is probably a pretty good bet in this location most years in late season).
-The rock quality and opportunities for pro are marginal. We brought a rope and a small rack but only ended up using the rope to rappel. This seems like one of those chossy routes where roping up might not be any safer. We dislodged a few big rocks on the rope-pulls on the descent.
-At the "5.hard" section, we went right, around a corner, and then up the class 4 bypass (steep dirty chimney/gully and then a short downclimb to get back on the standard route). It was exposed and steep class 4 on friable, lichen-covered rock. Pucker-inducing, but also possible we didn't find the best way here.
-The 5.4 crux is only a few moves on decent rock and isn't very exposed. Not too bad. We both climbed it fine in boots, and neither of us are good rock climbers.
-Tupshin seems like one of the least climbed of the Bulger Peaks, one party in 2017 and three parties in 2018 at the time of our climb.
-There's a rap station on the summit now but I wouldn't recommend using it. It takes you through some very loose rock and, if using a 60m rope, deposits you in a weird spot where it's necessary to do some loose class 4 downclimbing to the next rap station.
-60m rope works well for all the other raps. The rap stations are all obvious and marked with pink flagging tape.
-We continued to Devore after we climbed Tupshin and then descended Bird Creek back to camp, which was a brutal day. If you're on Devore, I wouldn't recommend descending Bird Creek. I've heard from several parties that the WF of Devore Creek is an easier descent. If you're descending from Tupshin, just make sure not to get too close to the creek...very brushy in there.