Forum Index > Trip Reports > Davis Peak ~ NCNP ~ 1/21/21
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
Fletcher
Member
Member


Joined: 29 Jul 2009
Posts: 1870 | TRs | Pics
Location: kirkland
Fletcher
Member
PostMon Jan 25, 2021 11:17 am 
I missed out on a winter attempt on Davis Peak when Eric, Jake, Dave and Kyle did it a couple years ago. I have been eager to get up there ever since. This past Friday, the stars aligned and Dustin and Fred were down to join me. At 7am, we began making our way up the slope from the Gorge Creek Overlook parking lot just east of Newhalem. The lower route on Davis has been made more challenging since the Goodell Fire of 2015, the slope down low littered with downed burnt trees. Our progress on this slope was so slow that we were all concerned that we may not have time to summit. As we got higher though, the travel became more efficient, and we hit continuous snow around 3000 ft.
somewhere between 3 and 4k
somewhere between 3 and 4k
finally to the snow
finally to the snow
It was an absolutely gorgeous day, and the expanding views fueled our stoke as we climbed towards Pt 5872. From there, we set up a single rope rappel down to the broad saddle to the north, which we would leave in place as a hand line for our return.
The Snowfield Group
The Snowfield Group
Fred on Pt 5872 with route crux ahead
Fred on Pt 5872 with route crux ahead
Jack to Ragged Ridge
Jack to Ragged Ridge
From the saddle, the route crux up the steep step on the south ridge looked intimidating. Dustin offered to gun the ropes up this section which I was thankful for. We climbed the crux in 2 pitches which consisted of steep snow with bad runout. Snow conditions were variable and pro was minimal.
Dustin leading out
Dustin leading out
Fred midway up the crux
Fred midway up the crux
Fred making his way up the crux with Dustin belaying
Fred making his way up the crux with Dustin belaying
Once we all topped out of the crux, it was a sloggy final 800 ft to the magnificent summit of Davis Peak. The day had been breezy and bitterly cold, but the summit was dead calm and almost felt warm. We enjoyed our only real break of the day on the summit soaking in the views. Jack, the Chilliwacks, and the Pickets were the stars of the show. I felt very thankful to have the opportunity to be up there in the dead of the winter.
some steeps above the crux
some steeps above the crux
give those cornices a lot of room
give those cornices a lot of room
Shuksan, Pickets, Chilliwacks
Shuksan, Pickets, Chilliwacks
Jack
Jack
Snowfield and friends
Snowfield and friends
We reluctantly left the summit, knowing we had a long descent ahead. A full 60m double rope rappel got us just barely down the crux. We made our way back up to Pt 5872 while enjoying the amazing winter sunset.
looking back at the summit
looking back at the summit
Fred on rappel
Fred on rappel
fading light
fading light
Jack
Jack
Fred at the saddle
Fred at the saddle
sunset
sunset
Dusk on the snowfield group
Dusk on the snowfield group
The snow below 5500 ft had softened throughout the day and we postholed downward which made for slow progress. Eventually, we hit snowline and continued down through the burnt forest with thousands more feet to lose before hitting the road around 8:20pm. Another great day in the North Cascades! ~ 7 miles ~ 6500 ft of gain ~ 13.25 hours

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks



Joined: 13 Feb 2007
Posts: 7216 | TRs | Pics
Location: Stuck in the middle
puzzlr
Mid Fork Rocks
PostMon Jan 25, 2021 5:25 pm 
Congrats on getting this one -- it always seems to be a challenge. Great photos.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
raising3hikers
Member
Member


Joined: 21 Sep 2007
Posts: 2343 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, Wa
raising3hikers
Member
PostMon Jan 25, 2021 5:52 pm 
nice job getting that one guys! that sure is an exposed crux pitch with bad runout, glad you made it through safely up.gif

Eric Eames
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Stefan
Member
Member


Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 5084 | TRs | Pics
Stefan
Member
PostTue Jan 26, 2021 10:37 am 
thank you for the show!

Art is an adventure.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
geyer
Member
Member


Joined: 23 May 2017
Posts: 462 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
geyer
Member
PostTue Jan 26, 2021 2:06 pm 
Nice work! Those upper slopes look like a hell of an adventure. I remember Jake talking about how technical this one got after his trip. Can't beat the conditions you had I tried Davis solo in April 2016 but it started misting when I got up to around 5000'. The weather was supposed to be nice, but it hadn't been sunny all day and weather was getting dicey so I turned around. (I definitely wouldn't have summited anyway.) Those slabs you show around 1:05 in the video, when wet, are an absolute horror and they nearly killed me on the way down! Slipped on one and was saved by a fingernail catching a lip of rock and flipping inside out, but slowing me down just enough to not fall off a cliff into a gully. That was the scariest sh## I'd done at the time. Haven't been back since

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
iron
Member
Member


Joined: 10 Aug 2008
Posts: 6391 | TRs | Pics
Location: southeast kootenays
iron
Member
PostTue Jan 26, 2021 4:55 pm 
with the current snow conditions, perhaps a winter ascent of jack via the nohokomeen is in the cards for someone ambitious enough to do so. nice trip!

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Off Route Randy
Member



Joined: 29 Jan 2021
Posts: 26 | TRs | Pics
Location: Tacoma
Off Route Randy
Member
PostFri Jan 29, 2021 10:34 pm 
Siiiiick peak dude. Your body of work is truly impressive.

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
   All times are GMT - 8 Hours
 Reply to topic
Forum Index > Trip Reports > Davis Peak ~ NCNP ~ 1/21/21
  Happy Birthday speyguy, Bandanabraids!
Jump to:   
Search this topic:

You cannot post new topics in this forum
You cannot reply to topics in this forum
You cannot edit your posts in this forum
You cannot delete your posts in this forum
You cannot vote in polls in this forum