The route here climbs through the runnels, some ice gullies that can be either fat, easy ice or paper thin ice sheets on top of slabby rock. Mount Shuksan is a glaciated massif in the North Cascades National Park.Shuksan rises in Whatcom County, Washington immediately to the east of Mount Baker, and 11.6 miles (18.7 km) south of the Canada-US border.The mountain's name Shuksan is derived from the Lummi word [qsn], said to mean "high peak". From the Mountaineer Creek trailhead at the end of the Eightmile Road, begin hiking up the trail towards Stuart and Colchuck Lakes. All around us the surrounding mountains were plastered in new snow. 2 talking about this. The highest point on the mountain is a three-sided peak known as Summit Pyramid. Seasonality. Above us Dragontail Peak rose dramatically out of the valley making a beautiful backdrop. Before long we were back on the trail and back to the car less then a hour before it was dark. The summit is a small bedrock clump that drops on the north. At the junction take the left fork, the Colchuck Lake Trail. Trailhead Co-ordinates: 47.5279, -120.8205 Open in Google Maps. 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! 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 prey? The summit ridge extends about 1/2 mile and includes several summit towers. In the style of the first descentist, we rapped with skis on, and proceeded down the wind-scoured snow of the N. Face to the top of the Hidden Couloir. Powered by Invision Community, [TR] Dragontail Peak TC Ski - Triple Couloirs: Option #3 3/21/2010, WELCOME TO THE CASCADECLIMBERS.COM FORUMS. At 6,400 feet, make sure you stay left of the small cliff band with the waterfalland stay near the base of the huge cliffs coming down from the Enchantment Peaks. All around us, there was a maze of granite gendarmes and towers. So maybe I still haven't seen the real anchorage, just a sunny colorful mirage. That is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger. Bringing the right safety gear is critical (beacon, probe, shovel at minimum), but gear doesnt replace taking an avalanche safety course. If I do this again, I will unrope here and just move together. The trail is steep and reaches Colchuck Lake via switchbacks in 1,100 feet of elevation gain and 1.6 miles. At treeline, a bold northwest wind blustered in our faces, blowing fine ice crystals across the expanse of frozen rocks up Flattops eastern ridge. Impulses from my youth began to surge in me and I decided to take a swim. Jacob and I had practiced ice climbing not mixed climbing, so using my crampons and tools on slabby granite felt insecure. A number of fee forest camps can be found along the Icicle Creek road near the trailheads. Our route out was brutal as we battled the thick forests. But use cautionserious accidents have happened glissading from Aasgard Pass. At the transition between the second and third couloirs we once again roped up and I took the lead. Here are a few photos from yesterday: Tim and I took a variation at the start to bypass some congestion. I'm stoked to be back in Alaska! and Ski Mountaineering Guides, as well as IFMGA Licensed Guides. This ascent from Colchuck Lake gains 2,200 feet in 3/4 of a mile! 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. 14. Seattle, WA 98104. Cross the Snow Lake dam which could be difficult in early season and continue up the well maintained trail but steep trail and reach Lake Viviane at 6,800 feet. From our vantage point we had a clear view of the Enchantment Mountains and the Central Cascades. Continue until you get to Colchuck lake. Reach Leavenworth by driving US 2 east from Everett or west from Wenatchee. The rating of "grade IV" is from Nelson and Potterfield guidebook and is probably on the conservative side; class 5.8 rating comes from a. Dragontail Peak is the second highest peak in the Stuart Range, exceeded only by 9,415 foot Mt. It is 4.5 miles one way to the lake with 2,000 feet of elevation gain. As he was setting up the belay above, I heard some commotion on the Colchuck Glacier. Mountain: Haute Route Ski Traverse. SOLD JUN 14, 2022. Note that routefinding to Colchuck Col can be trickylook back on the ascent and make notes for the descent. Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District, You can improve or add to this guidebook entry, Washington Trails Association See Red Tape. Log in and send us Ryan hikes up a moraine toward Backbone Ridge [click image for next] Suddenly, one of my picks blew and I fell onto the rope! Emerge onto the large talus field and begin ascending towards Aasgard Pass. From there, it was more steepness over hardpacked crud. Print/PDF map. Small cams and pitons were helpful. 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! Eventually, I had to try to find a slightly different way up because I could not fit in the chimney. Looking back we would occasionally see our tracks now in the shade. A lengthy and difficult hike up an iconic peak inside the Enchantments. From the notch the crest can be followed over excellent mid-fifth class cracks for about 200 meters to a distinct exposed arete. 47.75N 121.09W (Elev. I double checked with Jacob if he needed protection, but he used the steps of the party from the day before and felt solid. Fun afternoon exploring some new zones around exit 54. Sweet pictures and great TR. In the fall, the area becomes world famous for the larch trees that turn golden yellow beginning in early October. Park at the end of the road and begin hiking on the Mt. It was time to head back to the car as we skinned across Colchuck Lake. We had finished the route! WTA Pro Tip: Save a copy of our directions before you leave! A few hundred feet above the lake the trail veers off to the climbers left of the creek. Looks like fun. The page states that permit season ends on October 15th. Fortunately we still had a few hours of daylight and headlamps in our backpacks. Its just chossy scrambling from there. Start time: Alpine Start, maybe 3AMish. However, the answer quickly became clear. Close We were about 3 hours from the car. Finally we were all back on Colchuck Lake and looking at our tracks. For information regarding the permit system or to apply for a permit visit the Recreation.gov site linked below. Home > Trips > Dragontail Peak + Little Annapurna via Colchuck Lake / +. Photos (7,350) Directions. Its position above Colchuck Lake was tantalizing. It had went from powder snow to wet slush with the sun beating down on us. Expand. Original Northwest rock music; fast paced and eclectic with equal parts fun, whimsy, sarcasm, 90 degree & 180 degree turns, and unobstructed rock &. From the higher snow, I spotted a nice rocky ledge we could get to and figured that would be a good place to rack up. Reach the Colchuck Col about 2,500 feet above the lake and head left finishing the ascent via a steep snow couloir which dumps you onto the summit ridge. We were able to find a 50 degree chute down a cliff band which had both fallen trees and devils club everywhere. On March 28, Thurmer's wife called 911 and said she was concerned because she . Thank you! 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. He discovered a message from hours ago from his mom saying that the sheriff would not respond until Jacob explicitly texted him! This is a very popular area for backpacking, camping, and hiking, so you'll likely encounter other people while exploring. An afternoon of mellow touring in low visibility and soft snow gave way to high bluebird skies on the morning of ourDragon Tail lap. @heinelogan or @samchaneles ? Cross Mountaineer Creek on a good foot bridge and reach the signed junction after a couple miles. Use radios to communicate from one stopping point to another. The original plan was to meet up with Jeff and Scott at there base camp at the lake but we were late so it was going to be a game of catch up. Thanks. Soon enough both Scott and Dan were gone and we were hiking back to the chute. The easiest routes are scrambles from the south and / or the Colchuck Col at the top of the Colchuck Glacier to the east. And besides, I call "bullshit". App-based driving directions aren't always accurate and data connections may be unreliable as you drive to the trailhead. We conducted a thorough search of Dragontail, including this route and all moats at its base. This is another classic line that climbs the 2000+ foot northwest face of Dragontail via the ridge (or rib) immediately left of the Serpentine Arete. Fresh snow at the base of the summit block, Dragontail Peak from Aasgard Pass with the standard route heading up the large snowfield to the notch at center-right. Generally considered a challenging route, it takes an average of 15 h 11 min to complete. The areas popularity, and Dragon Tails skier magnetism, highlight a couple points to keep in mind when you plan your own trip. This hike primary trail can be used both directions. Generally I'm not a fan of the dawn patrol. It was quite exhausting. Even at the top, I struggled to find any belay anchor given the rotten snow and thin ice. My main skill on display was an ability to tread extremely carefully as to not trundle rocks down on Jacob. I finally got this ski off my chest, having thought about it all season. Local Popularity. This route is somewhat popular and generally gets climbed by one variation or another several times each spring. .GPX File. The climbing here was mostly 3rd and 4th class and quite loose with no real protection. I have joined your rss feed and stay up for For the Colchuck Lake approach, continue up the Icicle Creek road and turn left on road no. Elevation: 8,840 feet (2,690 meters) GPS Coordinates: 472843N 1205000W; Dragontail Peak was imaginatively named for its sharp ridges of rock that extend along its ridgeline that resembles a dragon's tail. Climbing gear and expertise required. 7601 (Eightmile Road), eight miles from Leavenworth. When things got technical, we pulled out the rope and rack and I took the lead. 2023 Climber Kyle. On the way in, we met a party that was hiking out. I got up the second time, but still managed to catch the picket on some rock and send it flying down the snow beneath. Saying yes was a bit of a leap for me. Discover trails like Dragontail Peak East Ridge via Asgard Pass Washington, find information like trail length, elevation, difficulty, activities, and nearby businesses. Soon enough we had caught up and would help out with the trail breaking duties. We crossed to a rock island and followed fourth class ledges up to a higher snow finger. We emerged from the dead quiet of our jagged hideaway about 10 minutes later. I earn a small commission on sales via these links at no additional cost to you. Looking forward to many more together . The surroundings mark one of the states most iconic places. Stuart trail, but at around 2.5 miles go left towards Colchuck Lake (there will be a sign at the split in the trail). Dragontail Peak, Triple Couloirs, 1st Ski Descent. Hiking Dragontail Peak. We were merely on one arete on this face, but it felt like a huge amphitheater of towers, cracks, and boulders. All Rights Reserved. Thank you so much. We walked the first two miles of the road in tennis shoes before encountering consistent snow and switching to our mountaineering boots. All Rights Reserved. Baker (30+ ascents via 5 routes, ski descent) Mt. Also, apparently the northern lights show was the best in many years. Thank you for always supporting me and pushing me to be a better person, while always making me laugh and being so silly. And way off in the distance you could see the backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass, Crystal Mountain and Mount Rainier. 705 2nd Ave, Suite 300 Dragontail Peak Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for Dragontail Peak is: A moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Mon morning. For Colorado adventure skiers, springtime means hunting season. The helicopter spotted a body in the snow at the base of Triple Couloirs, north of Dragontail Peak, around 11:15 a.m., deputies said, though the helicopter could not land because of strong winds. Triple Couloirs 4/1/2017. Chance of precipitation is 60%. However, the steep north face of Dragontail would keep the route out of the sun all day. Really, there are only like 4 pitches (pitches 3-6) that most would need to pitch out. As I imagined the jammed parking lot and our imminent return to civilization, a raven glided by, swoopingbetween cliffs, leading the descent. To the west we had a good view of the Alpine Lake Wilderness. To the west we had a good view of the Alpine Lake Wilderness. The upper hand crack was super cruiser. Yes, I agree to receive newsletters from Bergfreunde GmbH by email comprising the Alpinetrek Newsletter (product information, promotions) and Alpinetrek Deals (special offers) for Dragontail Peak is located about 15 miles southwest of Leavenworth within the Alpine Lakes Wilderness in the Cascades. Expect steep, loose, and dirty, but reasonably well-protected climbing. They had followed me the entire route all the way to the summit! It actually had a very nice, thick WI2 step of ice, which we soloed easily. 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. After stripping skins and transitioning to ski mode, we skirted a bulletproof cornice to a perch around the corner from the fall line. 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. Ascend southeast on a broad, steep slope to Aasgard Pass. Jacob was up and ready to go. We were now at the base of the crux 5.8 finger crack. The route had taken us 7 hours and 10 hours from car to summit. Log in and send us Thanks to @brigettetakeuchi for allowing me to be the ski subject for once and getting this sick capture. A few hop turns and we were below the entrance cliff to TC's. Skiing steep terrain in soft snow feels electric. Continue 3.8 miles to the trailhead (3,400 ft). 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
Drive 4 miles on this good dirt road to the Mountaineer Creek Trailhead (Colchuck Lake) with an elevation of 3540 feet. 25 apr 2021 Sin Nombre solo ski, from Taos Ski Valley, NM. I'm stoked to be back in Alaska! The lower part of the finger crack actually felt pretty tough, but I am completely out of practice for rock climbing. 2006-2021 SummitPost.org. Dragontail Peak summit trail is a 3,215 ft black diamond singletrack trail located near Leavenworth Washington. Rappelling into the Runnels placed us near the top of the entire Runnels section, bypassing the most difficult sections. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest . The sheriff had responded! But yesterday was an exception, and I was rewarded with a beautiful sunrise and some great snow on humpback mountain. Soon enough Scott was dropping in and taking the first turns of our trip. The north and NE faces are also very impressive. 2023 Climber Kyle. 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