Forum Index > Trip Reports > Repulse Pk 8-30-19
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ozzy
The hard way



Joined: 30 Jul 2015
Posts: 475 | TRs | Pics
Location: University place, wa
ozzy
The hard way
PostSun Sep 01, 2019 8:58 am 
This little gem has been on my radar for awhile now. I've been putting it off til I got the right partner and a nice weather window. Bryan was my partner once again and we headed for the swamp creek turnout under grayish skies. The roads were wet on the way so we knew we were in for a wet morning lol. I was willing to deal with the wetness so as long as the clouds cleared out. It wasn't looking very promising either. The noaa forecast was calling for mostly sunny skies after 1100. We arrived at the turnout around 0745 and had a slightly intimidating view of the day's objective! We left the car at 0800 to begin the sh##ty bushwhack! The first mile or so wasn't bad, there was a couple of avy swaths that were annoying but that's it. At 4400ft we started trending upwards to the path of least resistance then leveled out around 4600ft, from previous trs this is a little less brushy. We were slowly finding out why such a short route takes seemingly forever, lol. Lots of tedious travel. We finally broke out into the lower basin where we had some sweet views, Fisher and Repulse looming overhead still cloaked in clouds and a beautiful basin! The only thing we were hoping for was the weather to get better, it seemed as if it was. So we continued to pray to the merciful mountain gods and continue the schwack'! Towards the middle of the lower basin the bush was at its absolute worst! It was mostly waist high but thick and you couldn't see much for foot placement, patience was key for me through here. The slide alder thickets were sh##ty but short. I think we maintained a level traverse around 4700ft and we avoided any additional agony lol. Once through that our moral was restored, no more bush for now! Well at this point it felt more like goin swimming than hiking, we were stoked to be on some rock! So we aimed for the leftmost waterfall and made our way up through the talus. Once at the waterfall there is a gully to the left that everyone usually ascends, but I wasn't goin up that. It was too wet and steep, maybe doable with snow. So we searched around for another way. Success! If you get on the right side of the fall there is a few ways to get up on the spur. Once on that climb straight up through bushes, once you come to a wall start working your way left. You gotta squeeze through a tree then make an exposed class 3 move to get on top of the wall. You're kinda hanging over the waterfall at this point lol! After this it's an easy walk to get into the upper basin proper! We made it there at 1200. We ate some lunch by the waterfall up here and took it all in! Wow! What awesome little place, and praise the mountain gods/noaa forecast the clouds were lifting all around! rocker.gif It was turning out to be a killer day!
Bryan coming into lower basin
Bryan coming into lower basin
praying for clouds to lift
praying for clouds to lift
lower basin bush
lower basin bush
there's our fall
there's our fall
come on blue skies
come on blue skies
don't take gully on left
don't take gully on left
climbing talus
climbing talus
above waterfall thank god, first views of upper basin
above waterfall thank god, first views of upper basin
thank you so much mountain gods
thank you so much mountain gods
Bryan just getting to upper basin
Bryan just getting to upper basin
lunch break and liquid courage
lunch break and liquid courage
After soaking it in we made our way up slabs and gullies to get our first view of the 7240ft notch! It was apparent there was no need for snow travel here so the pons and axe had a free ride up to this point. We made short work to the notch and once again, Wowwww! eek.gif The views of the interior are something to behold! We took another little break here and scouted the route ahead. I had some good beta from stefan/fay/matt trs so I was pretty confident in staying on route. Thank y'all by the way! When we started to climb I kinda just found my own way though lol. I was on route a few times then other times I think we were a little higher. We dropped about 50ft on the west side then started up a dirty gully to a notch between a boulder and a wall. The gully crossing here is rather loose so care was taken. From here the climb stiffened up and we worked our way 200ft up a ridge that had some fun class 4! rocker.gif When said climbing exceeds class 4 back off and look left for a small ledge that gets you across next gully. Now you can hang a right up the gully or go to the left to the broken wall. Either way you need to get to the tree on the side of the wall, when you get there the is a narrow ledge you can step down into. Its exposed too. From here you are under the false summit, so we just climbed straight up and once on top you follow the knifey ridge all the way to the promised land!! banana.gif Amazzzzinggg views!! The historical summit register was the cherry on top! We made the summit around 1500, so slower than most but we made it lol! Drinks were had, views absorbed into our weary minds, register signed, what a day to be alive! cheers.gif I remember looking at Repulse from Arriva last year thinking why no ever climbs it lol! Well now I know!! The approach sucks and if you're not a fan of exposure it's terrifying lol! I don't think I've climbed a peak where I was never on a trail at some point but now I have haha!The climb is generally on sound rock and is sustained class3-4 for almost 700ft!! Soooo much fun!!We basically just climbed up until we had to back off then we just started looking climbers left working up or down and access was always granted in one form or another. Rock fall was a major hazard at times especially it the gullies.
7240 notch
7240 notch
looking down into upper basin and the only snow
looking down into upper basin and the only snow
notch views
notch views
west from notch
west from notch
happy place
happy place
bryan dropping down from notch
bryan dropping down from notch
up to the first notch
up to the first notch
just below first notch, the loose gully crossing
just below first notch, the loose gully crossing
looking back at bryan at first notch
looking back at bryan at first notch
class 4 for a little afternoon snack
class 4 for a little afternoon snack
yewwww!
yewwww!
goodtimes
goodtimes
black pk dominating
black pk dominating
stoked
stoked
bryan on top of false summit, easy peasy from here!!
bryan on top of false summit, easy peasy from here!!
lol bryan looks hungry here, cool little register tin
lol bryan looks hungry here, cool little register tin
when in Rome, or on top of a sweet ass peak!!
when in Rome, or on top of a sweet ass peak!!
so cool
so cool
awesome
awesome
pure joy
pure joy
too many beauties to name
too many beauties to name
We stayed on the summit over an hour and signed the register. Crazy how seldom the peak is climbed and the last person up there was in 2013!! I love fun obscure peaks! We reluctantly made our way down and my memory slowly started to come back as we pieced our route back together. I had fun down climbing too and we were back at the 7240ft notch in 30mins. Took our last break and prepared mentally for the hell that awaited, the schwack'. We ended up getting halfway through the bad brush before darkness set in then it was really slow going the rest of the way to the car lol! We made it back at 2300 so it ended up being a pretty long day! Thanks stefan/fay/matt for the helpful reports and to the rest of nwhikers' finest for all the help over the years! It was a goddamn Glorious day to be alive!! Cheers to all! cheers.gif
departing, slowly lol
departing, slowly lol
ridge leading to false summit
ridge leading to false summit
looking back at main summit
looking back at main summit
hell awaits
hell awaits
the little tree ledge, people have repelled here before
the little tree ledge, people have repelled here before
bryan in negotiations with the tree ledge
bryan in negotiations with the tree ledge
one of many gullies
one of many gullies
broken wall area where one can go left or right
broken wall area where one can go left or right
bryan on the thin ledge, kinda hard to find but it's the only way to cross the gully
bryan on the thin ledge, kinda hard to find but it's the only way to cross the gully
classic ncnp skyline
classic ncnp skyline
back across the loose gully crossing
back across the loose gully crossing
7240ft notch
7240ft notch
sun gettin low
sun gettin low
below waterfall again, bryan stands where we gained the spur
below waterfall again, bryan stands where we gained the spur
don the headlamps, this is gonna suck lol
don the headlamps, this is gonna suck lol

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
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Mike Collins
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Mike Collins
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PostSun Sep 01, 2019 10:02 am 
Everyone has seen the peak from SR-20 but it still has only occasional visits. Thanks for letting me rejoin a memorable summit.

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raising3hikers
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raising3hikers
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PostMon Sep 02, 2019 3:03 pm 
Very nice! Good to see a TR on this one. Maybe iron will do this one with me someday?

Eric Eames
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Jake Robinson
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Jake Robinson
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PostTue Sep 03, 2019 4:16 pm 
Really nice Ozzy and Bryan up.gif you guys are having a great summer

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yukon222
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yukon222
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PostTue Sep 03, 2019 4:23 pm 
ozzy wrote:
one of many gullies
one of many gullies
Great stuff! Hard to even see your friend as he is coming down this steep gully!

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Midnight Slogger
'Schwack Job



Joined: 04 Aug 2017
Posts: 96 | TRs | Pics
Location: Greater Cascadia
Midnight Slogger
'Schwack Job
PostTue Sep 03, 2019 7:32 pm 
ozzy wrote:
one of many gullies
one of many gullies
Could be too generous to call that a "gully"... Love these trip reports. Thanks for putting this one on my radar, Ozzy.

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Bootpathguy
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PostTue Sep 03, 2019 9:36 pm 
ozzy wrote:
there's our fall
there's our fall
What a gorgeous basin! Fall colors already starting. Thanks for sharing

Experience is what'cha get, when you get what'cha don't want
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puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



Joined: 13 Feb 2007
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Location: Stuck in the middle
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostWed Sep 04, 2019 11:31 am 
Impressive stuff. Thanks for the report.

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Sepultura
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Location: Chugach
Sepultura
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PostThu Sep 12, 2019 9:25 am 
Nice one, love that peak. So few ascents. That first ascent team is hardcore. We repeated their route in 2009 and yes, the traverse from Fisher is beautiful choss. Repulse is also the flagship peak for the elusive: Repulsive 69, a list of summits still far from being completed....

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veronika
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veronika
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PostThu Sep 12, 2019 11:35 am 
up.gif up.gif up.gif

Take risks not to escape life, but to prevent life from escaping I may not have anyone rocking my world right now but, I don't have anyone messing it up either.
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JasonG
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JasonG
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PostSat Sep 28, 2019 9:46 pm 
Whatever you do, don't repeat the Firey route! When I ran into Joe (RIP) years ago and mentioned that we had repeated his route on Repulse he laughed and replied, "Not much good rock up there!" I have a piton on my wall that Sepultura pulled while on rappel, as we howled for him to stop and get his weight off the rope. Yowza.

<><
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Fletcher
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Fletcher
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PostSun Sep 29, 2019 2:11 pm 
Where can I find the Repulsive 69 list?? Nice job Ozzy!!

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ozzy
The hard way



Joined: 30 Jul 2015
Posts: 475 | TRs | Pics
Location: University place, wa
ozzy
The hard way
PostSun Sep 29, 2019 9:46 pm 
Fletcher wrote:
Where can I find the Repulsive 69 list?? Nice job Ozzy!!
Thanks Fletcher, and I was wondering about the Repulsive 69 as well! Sounds like a gnarly list, cheers!

“I don’t know what’s gonna happen, but I wanna have my kicks before the whole shithouse goes up in flames”-Mr Mojo Risin
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Sepultura
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Location: Chugach
Sepultura
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PostMon Sep 30, 2019 11:46 pm 
The Repulsive 69 list is kind of a mythical thing... rumors of its content keep circulating. It was loosely based on climbing scripture and notes from one of the original choss dogs Dallas Kloke. Since his passing the torch has been carried on by those summit bagging tricksters the Choss Dog Millionaires with input from peak collectors and loose rock admirers here on NWH and CC. I know Jason G and Trent have been rumored to have an on going master list brewing....

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iron
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Joined: 10 Aug 2008
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iron
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PostMon Sep 30, 2019 11:58 pm 
the master list is complete. but, you will need to pry it from cold, dead hands.

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