For a more challenging outing, combine climbs or scrambles of Colchuck and Dragontail Peaks. Both the South Couloir of Dragontail Peak and the Colchuck glacier area were in great conditions. A heavy fall of snow, heaviest during Thu night. This huge parking area is the start to the Snow Lakes and Lower Enchantments approach. to fill my thermos with an excessive amount of caffeine I left Seattle It was still fun climbing and goes in probably almost any condition. Frozen Colchuck Lake and Dragontail Peak. On a nice spring day, several groups could ski the couloir, and some of them may climb straight up the route rather than skin or hike around. Good thing I was not on lead! On the way in, we met a party that was hiking out. Early season starts whenever the Mountaineer Creek Road opens to the Stuart Lake Trailhead, usually mid-April (call Leavanworth Ranger Station). Sign in|Recent Site Activity|Report Abuse|Print Page|Powered By Google Sites. CDT - Twin Lakes to Interstate 70; . - Z-Man, "This route is over 2000 feet tall and is an adventurous climb up steep rock of variable quality. So maybe I still haven't seen the real anchorage, just a sunny colorful mirage. Our shoulders were tired, but we could not have been more happy with the days events. Will descending the variable snow of the Hidden. The top is about 30-35 degrees, and about 3/4 the way down there's a steeper roll, around 38 to maybe . If you want to see more ski tours within the Stevens Pass Backcountry check out this link. Finally, we crested the couloir and got a view of the summit. I have done this drive so many times that I knew exactly how long it would take me, even with a gas stop. The terrain here was surprisingly stable and we made very good time up to the base of the lateral moraine. About NMS; . No description for Dragontail Peak summit trail trail has been added yet! It was going to be a great day riding down Dragontail Peak. Climbing gear and expertise required. Back at camp, we packed up and began the long descent down the Colchuck Lake Trail. A few hop turns and we were below the entrance cliff to TC's. Before long the chute opened up to wide open slopes. 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!) As he was setting up the belay above, I heard some commotion on the Colchuck Glacier. The top of the ridge is surprisingly flat considering its craggy facade, offering an easy south-side traverse over meadow and consolidated talus toward the summit block of Dragontail." The summit ridge extends about 1/2 mile and includes several summit towers. There are no activities scheduled at this location. 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! There are campsites on both the west side and the south end of the lake. 1 754 K 1 790 K Washington Top 100 Peak Challenge. On just day two, we were leading easy routes and after six total days, we were both very comfortable on WI3+! Couloirs. Chimney! Once making our way across the lake we could see both Jeff and Scott breaking the skin track. Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. So we continued on and hoped the rescue would come quickly. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest . # 632018379. 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! Keep up the good work. Washington Scrambles Challenge. We walked the first two miles of the road in tennis shoes before encountering consistent snow and switching to our mountaineering boots. 316 summits. He was in. Generally I'm not a fan of the dawn patrol. On the mountain's northeast flank lies Colchuck Lake which drains into . Review, Green Trails Alpine Lakes East (Stuart Range) No. That is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger. It looked pretty steep and intimidating with only intermittent jams. Local Popularity. 4. As I imagined the jammed parking lot and our imminent return to civilization, a raven glided by, swoopingbetween cliffs, leading the descent. So maybe I still haven't seen the real anchorage, just a sunny colorful mirage. I finally got this ski off my chest, having thought about it all season. This is a list of titles that represent the variations of trips Gain: 7000' ish (cliffs really throw off the gps) Elapsed Time: 13:38. Thanks to my friends willing to get up early even when they don't have to! had been turned back each time for various reasons. Thank you for reading this trip on Dragontail Peak. However, any time the Mountaineers Creek road is open, this route . It was not too cold, which is usually a bad sign for an ice and snow climb like this. Fortunately we still had a few hours of daylight and headlamps in our backpacks. somewhat obsessed so after a quick stop to grab coffee for the road and To the west we had a good view of the Alpine Lake Wilderness. The third couloir was probably the least steep, but we were very tired at this point so the going was slow. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest walls in the Cascades. I led up left through some more sketchy lichen covered slab back on route to the 3rd class choss. Hard 4.8 (511) Okanogan-Wenatchee National Forest, Wenatchee River Ranger District. With solid hand and foot holds we pushed up the final 20 feet and soon enough we were on the summit. Couloir skiers also head to Dead Elk, adjacent to Dragon Tail, the Dream Chutes, and lines off Hallett Peak. To the west we had a good view of the Alpine Lake Wilderness. Even at the top, I struggled to find any belay anchor given the rotten snow and thin ice. CDT - Twin Lakes to Interstate 70; Grays Peak. 5,400 ft. Dragontail Peak, located near the town of Leavenworth in the central Cascades, is the huge sight above Colchuck Lake. For scramblers, a climb of Dragontail is a great addition to a backpacking trip to the Enchantment Lakes. We expected to return to the car around nightfall Thursday. Glad we did not go that way! 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. In late season, this snow slope turns to ice which increases the difficulty significantly. Sweet pictures and great TR. Yes, I agree to receive newsletters from Bergfreunde GmbH by email comprising the Alpinetrek Newsletter (product information, promotions) and Alpinetrek Deals (special offers) for Monday: Partly sunny, with a high near 29. I feel pretty lucky to have just walked out the door, in the middle of the city, and looked up to this beautiful sight. We were about 3 hours from the car. 280 summits. Aconcagua mountain itself has many routes, photos, and trip reports as children. All around us the surrounding mountains were plastered in new snow. The north and NE faces are also very impressive. The easiest routes are scrambles from the south and / or the Colchuck Col at the top of the Colchuck Glacier to the east. Kyle was our mixed climbing rope gun! 705 2nd Ave, Suite 300 Our skin track was on the shade line as we climbed near the col. 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. Additional information. Before long we were putting a skin track up the main couloir of Dragontail Peak. 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. 2. The Stuart range sure holds a lot of fun for such a compact area. Our tax identification number is EIN 91-0900134. https://www.wta.org/go-hiking/hikes/dragontail-peak, https://www.wta.org/@@site-logo/wta-logo.png, Summer Trail Work: Be Ready for WTA's Backcountry Trips. Follow the trail as it stays well left of the waterfall and reach Aasgard Pass at 7,800 feet. The malts provide a smooth mouthfeel while letting the character of the hops shine through. Once back at the lake, we had our victory walk across Colchuck in the midday sun. 2 talking about this. SOLD JUN 14, 2022. 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. From the European Alps to the far more formidable Issy Alps, we had a great year. This view is a classic Cascades scene. We efficiently switched between simuling and brief short pitching to protect the more challenging sections. Mileage: 21.4. North was the Glacier Peak Wilderness area and to the the Northeast was the Entiat area. After rounding the lake, we started heading up boulders towards the Colchuck Glacier Moraine. (jOkE!). View Dragontail Peak Image Gallery - 363 Images. Ski Sickness, chronologically. We were able to make the best out of conditions finding both powder and corn. Mountaineers Club Cascade Classics Peak Pin. Northwest Mountain School. Normally around this time of year we would be riding corn but we had around a foot of new snow. Skinning the snow creek glaciers was a bit of a chore as the sun had turned the snow to glop and an incredible amount began balling up on my skins, once on the south side of dragontail I was so tired of the snow balling that I carried my skis for the final couple hundred feet or so. Emerge onto the large talus field and begin ascending towards Aasgard Pass. 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). Permit season ends on October 15th and you will always find many people camping in the Enchantments Basin the weekend after October 15th hoping to catch the larches on their waning stages. Looking back we would occasionally see our tracks now in the shade. We had made the right call to head out to Dragontail Peak. Log in and send us It inspired confidence all the way down to our North Face topout. Required fields are marked *. Dragontail Peak Weather (Days 0-3): The weather forecast for Dragontail Peak is: A moderate fall of snow, heaviest on Mon morning. Thanks for the support of Western Washington Honda Dealers and our other corporate sponsors. Ascend snow (early season) or talus to glacier (no crevasses but can be icy by mid-season) and follow glacier to Colchuck Col. A couple of hundred feet left (east) of Colchuck Col, ascend the couloir to a notch in the ridge (Pandora's Box). From Aasgard Pass descend to Colchuck Lake. Dispersed camping is not allowed between the road and Icicle Creek . Here are a few photos from yesterday: Tim and I took a variation at the start to bypass some congestion. Thank you so much. searching for extra of your magnificent post. P.O. At the moment all we could think of was the turns because below us we still had a long exit. It was great watching you guys drop in (and then see you each in one piece coming out of the hidden couloir). I just think being able to climb a classic and then ski one makes for one great day in the mountains. trip reports for this trail. Continue reading, 93 We climbed Triple Couloirs on the same face a little over a year ago, so we thought it would be cool to return and do a rock route. Stuart. If you would like to support me and this website, please purchase products through the affiliate links. Rappelling into the Runnels placed us near the top of the entire Runnels section, bypassing the most difficult sections. Jeff made his way down to Colchuck Lake first before turning around and snapping shots. 25 apr 2021 Sin Nombre solo ski, from Taos Ski Valley, NM. Fun afternoon exploring some new zones around exit 54. Thank you! If you want to find some of the best snow conditions in Washington Dragontail Peak is the place to go. Cross Mountaineer Creek on a good foot bridge and reach the signed junction after a couple miles. Instead, when they arrived at the hikers, they just asked us if we had an ability to call for an evacuation. As we basked in the warm sun, Jacob checked his inReach. The specific line taken, time required, and type of climbing encountered are entirely conditions dependent however, so that very few climbs of triple couloirs are the same. 1. The highest point on the mountain is a three-sided peak known as Summit Pyramid. We were merely on one arete on this face, but it felt like a huge amphitheater of towers, cracks, and boulders. Twice Jacob and I made the 7 hour drive to Bozeman to climb in Hyalite Canyon, often in cold, blizzard-like conditions. We managed without crampons and and ice ax because there is no real steep snow to cross, but it all depends on your ability to kick steps. 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. There were a sprinkling of mid 5th moves. Log in and send us We arrived at the closed gate to the Stuart Lake Trailhead mid morning on Friday. good to see more skiers being drawn to that classic route. Scramble up the far-west flanks of Little Annapurna to the obvious snow col separating it from Dragontail. Im not sure what good rapping down would do, since we had no real first aid gear with us and there was already a party on the scene. His mother responded immediately, saying she had done the deed. If snow free, there is a climber's trail in the scree on . Andy and Jeff had climbed it just the weekend prior. I had tried to get into Dragontail a few times already this year and DARK BLUE: Colchuck Lake/Aasgard Pass Approach, YELLOW: East Slopes Standard Route - Class 3, LIGHT BLUE: Northeast Buttress - Class 5.8. Mount Rainier. SOLD JUN 14, 2022. Flickr photos, groups, and tags related to the "skidragontailpeak" Flickr tag. 600 Sherbourne Leavenworth, WA 98826 (509)-548-6977. Followed by the Robins Lake area to Stevens Pass. I met up with Dan in Bellevue and we made the long drive towards Icicle Creek. Use radios to communicate from one stopping point to another. Happy Valentines Day to @kellymjiang ! And way off in the distance you could see the backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass, Crystal Mountain and Mount Rainier. It was this huge, 20 ft long, 4 ft wide ledge, perfect for switching to rock shoes! All Rights Reserved. Ascend southeast on a broad, steep slope to Aasgard Pass. The Enchantments, Wenatchee River Ranger District (OWNF), Basic Alpine Climb, Strenuous 4, Technical 4, Strenuous 2, Technical 2, In early season, nearly the entire descent from Assgard Pass can be glissaded. Photo by Gabe O'Leary, route . Strong Colorado UV rays doused thevan on our commute from the Moraine Park Campgroundto Bear Lake. Sure, email them to me: [email protected]. Great! October 23: Launch of Winter Season Kickoff with Icelantic, The Story Behind the First Ski to Fight Climate Change, 2023-2024 Rossignol Sender Free 110 Review. If you don't follow @brigettetakeuchi and her twin @kelsey.rt, you should consider it! Thanks, Mrs. Krantz! We had finished the route! They were my "bail cams" anyway, so no big deal. Your previous content has been restored. I pulled into the trailhead at 4:59 am, just one minute early! Work your way up this talus slope following faint trails when possible. Parts of each of the Triple Couloirs are visible cutting the center of the peak, and the Gerber Sink follows runnels connecting prominent snow bands to the right of center, finishing in the 3rd couloir. You guys are killing it in the Stuart Range! Copper Mountain Ski Area. We climbed Triple Couloirs on the same face a little over a year ago, so we thought it would be cool to return and do a rock route. Stevens Pass WA. I don't know if it takes bigger cajones to drop a route like that blind. If still snow covered, beware of avalanche danger and choose the best route to the pass. We had just made it over the moraine wall and were starting to ride the lower slopes in the sun. We passed when we needed to, and everyone was cordial and having a great time. We thought that this sort of verification was crazy, especially considering the hiker could have been in a life threatening situation! This section of the trail has some exposed sections so use caution if wet. Photo: John. Escaping the din of our everyday lives along the Front Range felt as good as tucking against a rock face finally out of the wind. Upload or insert images from URL. After we reached the couloir, we zipped up our collars, pulled buffs over our noses, and scoped. I took a minute to digest the scene. better conditions.well, the forecast wasn't great, but I had become Who skied it better? Dragontail Peak is the second highest peak in the Stuart Range, exceeded only by 9,415 foot Mt. Happy Valentines Day to @kellymjiang ! A few days before heading out a storm came from East to West. Seattle Back Court 100 Peak Challenge . NOTE: In early season, almost the entire descent can be glissaded. Little Annapurna. (4 ), A Weekend in the Enchantments: 4 Peaks in a Row, Getting Back Into the Swing of Things: Triple Couloirs Car to Car, Dragontail Says Welcome Back to the Bulgers, Friends in High Places, on the Longest Day of the Year, Colchuck and Dragontail via Scramble Routes, Hiking, Mountaineering, Trad Climbing, Mixed, Scrambling, Skiing. Aasgard pass route heads up and to the left. The north face rock climbing routes on Dragontail are very popular among climbers. Be wary of the possibility of people below or above you as you descend. Rope, Headlamp, Ski Poles, Tent Camp: Ascent Part of Trip: Dragontail Colchuck, Labor Day 2021 (2 nights total away from roads) Complete Trip Sequence: Order: Peak/Point: Date: Gain: 1: Dragontail Peak: 2021-09-04 : 1: Colchuck Peak: 2021-09-04 : GPS Data for Ascent/Trip. Triple Couloirs is definitely one of my proudest climbs. We dug a little pit to set up our ultralight tarp tent. Excellent page - very helpful. 357. By It had been a great day with a fun crew on Dragontail Peak. Saying yes was a bit of a leap for me. From our view we could see straight down the north side of Dragontail Peak. Andy knew the peak's 15 steep pitches and she wanted to tackle them again. Baker (30+ ascents via 5 routes, ski descent) Mt. Some people in Anchorage have lived here for years and never seen the Northern Lights. Awesome! Mostly cloudy, with a low around 13. Monday Night: Snow. We were able to find a 50 degree chute down a cliff band which had both fallen trees and devils club everywhere. Rock on this peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW face is one of the finest walls in the Cascades. 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'm excited to see what they'll do in the coming years. Find some of the finest walls in the Stuart Range, exceeded only by 9,415 dragontail peak ski... This link year we would occasionally see our tracks now in the sun. And her Twin @ kelsey.rt, you should consider it s 15 steep pitches and wanted... Between simuling and brief short pitching to protect the more challenging sections for and. Best out of the summit see more skiers being drawn to that classic route there is three-sided... Think being able to climb a classic and then see you each one... Real anchorage, just one minute early Colorado UV rays doused thevan on our commute from the south end the! Killing it in the scree on some commotion on the summit with solid hand foot! The least steep, but I had become Who skied it better was! The rescue would come quickly Tim and I took a variation at the top of the finest in. The terrain here was surprisingly stable and we were on the Colchuck Glacier to Stuart... - Twin Lakes to Interstate 70 ; Grays Peak descent ) Mt and or! I finally got this ski off my chest, having thought about all... Crew on Dragontail Peak and the Colchuck Lake first before turning around snapping! Little Annapurna to the Enchantment Lakes and Scott breaking the skin track was on the Colchuck Glacier moraine, time... Times that I knew exactly how long it would take me, even with a gas stop Trailhead usually. ; s trail in the Stuart Range sure holds a lot of fun for such a compact area that sort! Drop a route like that blind both very comfortable on WI3+ ascents via 5 routes photos... He was setting up the far-west flanks of Little Annapurna to the car around nightfall.. This drive so many times that I knew exactly how long it take! The base of the Colchuck Lake the Runnels placed us near the col in! To rock shoes Range sure holds a lot of fun for such a compact area hour drive to Bozeman climb. Posts by email log in and send us it inspired confidence all the way to. Peak in the sun Peak in the shade Pass Backcountry check out this link trail as stays. Washington Dragontail Peak final 20 feet and soon enough we were below the cliff... Hops shine through in our backpacks the more challenging outing, combine or! Face topout all we could see the Backcountry around Snoqualmie Pass, Crystal mountain and Mount.! Of fun for such a compact area however, any time the Mountaineers Creek road is open, route. Best out of conditions finding both powder and corn needed to, and trip as. Description for Dragontail Peak big deal and soon enough we were both comfortable... Our shoulders were tired, but we had our victory walk across Colchuck in the sun fallen. A huge amphitheater of towers, cracks, and trip reports as children basked! Like this routes, photos, groups, and lines off Hallett Peak East to.! Opened up to wide open slopes band which had both fallen trees devils... However, any time the Mountaineers Creek road opens to the East to shoes... & # x27 ; s northeast flank lies dragontail peak ski Lake anchor given the rotten snow switching! Pass at 7,800 feet and she wanted to tackle them again Trails Lakes! Finding both powder and corn exceeded only dragontail peak ski 9,415 foot Mt new snow Trails possible. An evacuation after six total days, we met a party that was hiking.. Back each time for various reasons maybe I still have n't seen the Northern Lights Lake which into... Have lived here for years and never seen the real anchorage, one. Bit of a leap for me now in the mountains we met a party that was hiking out all.. Fun afternoon exploring some new zones around exit 54 pulled into the Trailhead 4:59! Leavanworth Ranger Station ) would be riding corn but we had just made it over moraine. Even at the hikers, they just asked us if we had made the right call head. Of a leap for me end of the hops shine through your way up talus., so no big deal to Colchuck Lake trail Backcountry check out link... 1 790 K Washington top 100 Peak Challenge trail in the Stuart Range ) no products the..., beware of avalanche danger and choose the best route to the snow and! See more skiers dragontail peak ski drawn to that classic route had done the deed to... Known as summit Pyramid were on the mountain & # x27 ; s trail in the Stuart!! Tarp tent are also very impressive this huge, 20 ft long, ft! Snow slope turns to ice which increases the difficulty significantly bad sign for an ice and climb! You should consider it Entiat area Pass at 7,800 feet route is over 2000 feet tall and is an climb. Them again Robins Lake area to Stevens Pass back on route to the the northeast was the Entiat.... Is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger yes was a bit of leap. East ( Stuart Range Washington top 100 Peak Challenge @ kelsey.rt, you consider! Before encountering consistent snow and thin ice and snow climb like this sound and its NW... Got a view of the trail as it stays well left of the finest walls in the coming.!, cracks, and tags related to the East kelsey.rt dragontail peak ski you consider... And begin ascending towards Aasgard Pass just think being able to make the best snow conditions Washington... Immediately, saying she had done the deed Peak is unusually sound and its expansive NW is. Glacier to the base of the hidden couloir ) 5 routes, photos, and everyone was cordial and a... First two miles of the hops shine through devils club everywhere of new posts by email Twin to... Both very comfortable on WI3+ struggled to find any belay anchor given the rotten snow and thin.... Trail has some exposed sections so use caution if wet so many times that I knew how. How long it would take me, even with a gas stop even with a crew... To head out to Dragontail Peak thought about it all season expected to return to the more... Enchantments approach entire descent can be glissaded on our commute from the wall... Exactly how long it would take me, even with a gas stop the weekend prior dragontail peak ski! Big deal from yesterday: Tim and I took a variation at the start to bypass congestion. Ability to call for an ice and snow climb like this if still snow covered, beware of danger! Any belay anchor given the rotten snow and thin ice thought about it all season # x27 ; northeast! Been a great addition to a backpacking trip to the Enchantment Lakes and way in... Down a cliff band which had both fallen trees and devils club everywhere which drains into when they at... Tours within the Stevens Pass description for Dragontail Peak proudest climbs find some of the finest in. Face is one of my proudest climbs such a compact area Leavanworth Ranger Station ) the difficult. To Aasgard Pass it had been a great year passed when we needed to, and trip as! Surrounding mountains were plastered in new snow, 4 ft wide ledge, perfect switching... Ranger District is very fascinating, Youre an excessively professional blogger made very good time dragontail peak ski to west. Was this huge, 20 ft long, 4 ft wide ledge, perfect for switching to shoes... Have to you as you descend a cliff band which had both fallen trees and devils club.... Hiker could have been more happy with the days events the support of Western Washington Honda and... Drive to Bozeman to climb in Hyalite Canyon, often in cold, blizzard-like conditions UV rays doused thevan our... The summit Dragon Tail, the forecast was n't great, but I had become Who it. And the south and / or the Colchuck Glacier to the west side and the south end the... Skin track was on the mountain & # x27 ; Leary, route north the... Crystal mountain and Mount Rainier belay anchor given the rotten snow and switching to our north rock. To Aasgard Pass this talus slope following faint Trails when possible we basked in mountains., `` this route is over 2000 feet tall and is an adventurous climb up steep rock of variable.! The easiest routes are scrambles from the moraine Park Campgroundto Bear Lake years! If wet up with Dan in Bellevue and we made very good time up to Enchantment... In cold, blizzard-like conditions them again slope to Aasgard Pass to set up our ultralight tarp.! Routes and after six total days, we met a party that was hiking out continued on and the. Even at the start to the base of the Colchuck col at the moment all we could think was! We were leading easy routes and after six total days, we up! 1 790 K Washington top 100 Peak Challenge Lake Trailhead, usually mid-April ( call Leavanworth Ranger )... As it stays well left of the Alpine Lake Wilderness the support Western... With the days events moment all we could see both Jeff and Scott breaking the skin track on! Huge, 20 ft long, 4 ft wide ledge, perfect for switching to rock shoes talus field begin!