Mt. Buckner - North Face 7/12/2008
Trip: Mt. Buckner - North Face
Date: 7/12/2008
Trip Report:My wife told me she wanted to climb the Mt. Buckner for her birthday weekend. Sounded like a good idea to me -- I had done the route years ago in September conditions, and wanted to go back and attempt the NF Couloir this time. As it turned out, we climbed the standard NF route instead.
Day One -- Friday the 11th -- Got a late-ish start from Seattle, and enjoyed the long rolling terrain of the Sahale Arm which led us into camp before dark, only to find every established campsite taken by a party of 12 from a large climbing club. This sucked a little bit, but we threw down in the snow near running water and away from the crowds.
TeeWa on the Sahale Arm
Our pee-lickin' camp buddy
Our friends Sam and Joe rolled in LATE that night (around 1 AM!) after a 9 PM trailhead departure...impressive effort, given our 3:30 AM wakeup time!
Day Two -- Saturday July 12 -- Sam and Joe located us in the dawn hours and we ate, got packed up, and were crunching up firm snow towards Sahale (past the huge party of 12).
And soon, we were established on the ridge linking Sahale to the chosspile that is Boston Peak. There are several glorious bivy sites at the Boston-Sahale Col...and nice views along the way....
The easy ledges that lead from the ridgecrest to the Boston Glacier....
And finally we could see our objective! We also noted an appreciable schrund at the base of the NF Couloir....and a strange, green glowing orb near the summit???
Passing crevasses along the lovely and remote Boston Glacier
We decided to climb what we could see rather than use up time and energy looking at the schrund on the Couloir (it might have gone, but the consensus was to climb what we could see would go)...And soon we were on the North Face proper, passing the schrund lower down via easy ramps and ice tunnels on climber's left...
The small rock rack I had brought for the NF Couloir worked well for the rock walls and outcrops of the NF...
There was a substantial trough carved into the NF by runoff and rockfall -- it was about 6-7 feet deep and 4-5 feet wide, with fairly steep walls....an interesting obstacle! TeeWa did a very nice job of leading through and across the trough, which we called "the funnel"...here she is entering into it:
Here, Sam and Joe follow us up the route, with the Funnel off to their right...
Having passed the funnel, the easy neve slopes led up to steeper rock and ice above, along with some rockfall which went barrelling down "the funnel" intermittently....TeeWa tried to lead through that section, and ultimately thought better of it. Instead, we traversed off to climber's left through some easy (loose) rock gullies and ledges. Here she is seen following that traverse, as Joe belays Sam up...
Above the rock bands (3rd/4th class) we were back on snow again, climbing a glorious snow arete leading to easy neve slopes above...
and topping out....
Soon, there was strange rejoicing at the summit!
And the long descent/traverse of Horseshoe Basin and the Davenport Glacier, past the mine and down to cold running water....then back up the snowfinger and ridge seen leading back up to the Sahale Glacier camp....
Where we found the relief for which we had been seeking all along...in the throne room of the mountain gods!
under the watchful eyes of the overseer...
Sunday, July 13 -- hiked down the Sahale Arm, hesitated at Cascadian Farms, and headed home....
A great birthday weekend with great folks. Thanks!!!
Gear Notes:2 ice screws, 1 piton (didn't use)
3 pickets (used a lot)
5 stoppers (used)
5 cams (used all)
2 ice tools
Approach Notes:Sahale Arm mostly melted out. Boston Glacier very straightforward, as is the descent down the South side and the Davenport. Everything is in good condition...
