January 23-25,2004, Colchuck Peak N.ButtressCouloir

Decided on a little more of a mountaineering oriented trip for this weekend, and set out for the North Buttress Couloir on Colchuck Peak.  Left icicle creek road for the four mile skin up to the Stuart Lake TH. The four miles took about 1:45.  We had hoped to make it all the way to the junction with Colchuck Lk. trail that evening, but after getting a late start we decided on spending Friday night at the trail head.  Saturday we skinned up the Stuart Lake trail and made the junction in about 2 hrs.  The skinning was pretty easy over firm snow.  There was a track to follow from some skiers who were up at the lake a few days before.  After the junction the trail ascends the steep slope leading to Colchuck lake.  Skinning up through the three rock outcrop sections near the top of that hill made for some interesting situations but eventually we finally made the lake, in about 4 hours from the trail head.  Conditions at the lake were quickly deteriorating, and soon it was a near whiteout.  We crossed the lake to the south shore and made camp among some trees and large boulders where there was some protection from the wind.  That afternoon we had hoped to climb the Colchuck Glacier, but weather had us pretty much pinned down at camp. We ended up spending the rest of the day in the tent.  Woke up 6:30 on Sunday morning and set out for the NBC.  Skinned for about 1/2 hour up to the glacier moraine where we swapped skins for crampons and made our way to the bottom of the couloir.  The couloir is really spectacular, coming right off of the N Buttress at a consistent 40-45 with some sections of near 50 deg.  It is bordered by rock spires and walls directly opposite the couloir is the impressive face of Dragontail.  A truely awesome setting.  Climbing the couloir was straightforeward, although conditions were great for climbing, very hard snow and ice, I kept thinking that the ski down was going to be interesting.  There were some nice soft spots which, while I was thinking they were going to be great skiing, postholing through knee to waist deep snow up a 40-50 degree slope was less than fun.  We made it nearly to the top of the couloir where it tops out on the N. Buttress, when we encountered a 1-2' deep windslab.  With my partner safely behind a large rock outcrop off to the side of the couloir, I slowly made my way up along the rock wall bordering the couloir.  After about 5 feet a large fracture went all the way across the couloir and the entire slab went.  Following that excitement it was a few steps to the top of the couloir. Took ~2 hours to climb the couloir.  We decided to pass on finishing the climb to the summit on the NW face due to the avy conditions and decided just to ski the couloir from the top of the N Buttress.  The descent alternated between really nice turns on the soft layer that the slab had exposed, to the most heinous icy boilerplate imaginable.  But for the most part the ski was enjoyable, with a few nerve wracking sections.  Back to camp and a quick pack of the gear and we were off.  The entire ski out from the lake down to the car was less than 3 hrs.  Exhausted, we high tailed it to Leavenworth for much needed burgers and beer.