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Matt Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
Joined: 30 Jan 2007 Posts: 4308 | TRs | Pics Location: Shoreline |
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Matt
Tea, Earl Grey, Hot
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Wed Mar 03, 2010 11:36 pm
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Date: 2/21/10
Destination: Elephant Butte 7380 (side trip from Stetattle Ridge Overnight)
Introduction: The Orphan Elephant
The Orphan
On a cloudy trip up Stetattle Ridge in March 2003, I caught my first glimpse of Elephant Butte framed by clouds at the far end of the ridge.
On a sunnier day in February 2005, I marveled at how neatly it aligned between Fury & Luna (visually, not topographically).
Then in July 2008, I traversed the Pickets with an exit right past Elephant Butte, where it seemed a sure thing to get it. But we made some route errors earlier in the day, and had to leave it an ophan.
Elephant Butte 3/15/2003 Elephant Butte 2/27/05 (note the rock banks low down) Elephant Butte 7/26/2008
The Problem
Looking along Stetattle Ridge, it seems like you could connect right onto Elephant Butte, where a traverse below the summit would take you to Elephant’s easy west ridge.
But there’s problem hiding down below between fine crests, which I’ll call “Torrent Pass” since it’s the pass at the head of Torrent Creek.
You have to go over the 6728 summit of Stetattle, drop all the way down to Torrent Pass at 4950, then climb back up to Elephant at 7380. So a 650-foot net gain becomes 4200 feet of gain, plus much more gain and mileage along the ridges at each end.
And the pass is steep. The Stetattle side is bad enough, covered with brushy forest. And the Elephant side is worse, riddled with rock bands.
But if the snow was deep enough to cover the obstacles, and firm enough to ease the traverses, wouldn’t that be helpful?
Eephant Butte Route Map Elephant Butte Neighborhood Map
The Unexpected Opportunity
Elephant Butte wasn’t on the agenda this weekend. It was a simple trip to camp high on Stetattle ridge, enjoy the overnight colors, and run up to the summits of Stetattle & Sourdough.
But along the way, conditions were unexpected fine. The snow was firm on the ridge crest. Down on the lower flanks of the Elephant, smooth curves of snow covered all of the rock bands. After four days of sunny weather, the upper snow would probably be reasonably stable.
And then we met Kyle Miller. He had turned back from a Pickets Ski Traverse, because his split board hadn’t been adequate to continue beyond McMillan Col. Not only was it possible to get through to Elephant Butte, but there were already tracks cut in! And I could morally stomp my snowshoes on them, because the skiers weren’t coming back!
The others couldn’t go with me for an extra day, but Yana graciously agreed to leave her car at the trailhead and to notify my son that I would be a day late coming back.
The Debate
In the glowing evening, I pre-packed everything and planned to leave early. Inside the tent, I even discovered extra Shot Bloks leftover from its last use in October. I felt energetic and ready to make the attempt.
In the later shadows, the slopes looked steeper and more questionable. Would I want to be on those slopes before dawn in the morning and after dark in the evening?
In the cold dark night, it seemed very far to be out alone, and I decided not to go.
In the bright morning, I could see that there really were good angles up the slopes, and I came up with what I believed was a reasonable judgement. I would put 6 hours into a reconasaince of the peak, checking conditions at each step. If that put me in an acceptable position to reach the summit and get back, I would finish. But if it not, I would just consider it a preparation for next time, and return.
Now I needed to get moving and make the most of the short day.
Part 1: The Ascent
7:40am, Point 6495 Camp
I skipped breakfast and headed down and up-down-up-down-up-down and up-up-up to Point 6728, where the morning sun brilliantly lit up the cornices and flutings on the ridge behind me.
My shadow considering the Elephant en route to Point 6728 Flutings along the ridge
8:45am, Point 6728
I crossed Point 6728 and angled down the long end of the ridge, wishing I could traverse as easily as the ski tracks that I followed. As I got further along the ridge, Elephant’s steep north face became visible. That corniced crown would be the other hazard I’d have to treat with great respect.
1 label The route from 6728 down into Torrent Col & back up the far side Crossing a wind gallery along the way Approaching the drop into Torrent Pass Looking up toward Elephant’s summit
Dropping down into the pass went very well, with the snow reasonably firm, and the ski tracks providing a bearing through the trees.
10:05am, Torrent Pass, 4950
On the Elephant side of the pass, the snow alternated between soft and crusty. I would have exhausted myself on this section, but the ski tracks provided firm switchbacks all the way up. Thank you, thank you, thank you to Kyle, Jason, & Forest.
Skin Tracks on the Elephant’s Flank 1 label Halfway up the flank (tracks ahead angle to the lefthand shoulder Wind-eroded Ski tracks near the Elephant’s Shoulder
11:40am, Elephant Shoulder, 6100
Now I had an open path ahead of me, moderate slopes stretching far across the body of the elephant below it’s steeper face.
Around the corner, traversing onto the wide body of the elephant
After traversing partway, I found the lower slopes littered with debris from slab breaks higher up, but erosion of the debris indicated it was several days old.
Now I had to make choices about time and safety.
The fastest route would be up the snowy face, but it would be too risky.
The safest route would be a low traverse below the debris and then up the moderate west ridge, but it would probably take too long. (This would definitely be the recommended route with an earlier start.)
However, above me on the right was a rock-walled gully that avoided the open snow fields and stretched high up to the crest. It would get me up the face without being exposed to the open snow fields, but would I be able to exit and cross the crest at the top?
I chose the gully and didn’t find an exit till the very top, but there were just enough rocks to let me scramble out.
Looking down from near the top of the gully. Icicles of Doom on the gully wall
1:35pm, Top of the Gully, 7200
Now was there a safe path on the crest between monster cornices on the right and the steep slopes on the left? Scattered rock outcrops gave me just enough of a line to get across.
Route up toward the summit The Summit
1:58pm, Elephant Butte Summit, 7380
Finally I came over the edge and could see the confirmation and payoff that I had made it: I was standing on the eastern outpost of the Southern Pickets, with the range stretching out in its picketed crest ahead of me, dropping down to Picket Pass at the far end, and climbing back up to Mt. Fury on the far side.
4 labels The Payoff View from Elephant Butte Not going any closer to the edge than this
I was feeling far out from home and facing a long trip back, so I stayed only ten minutes and didn’t even sit down, but it was a thoroughly exhilarating and satisfying ten minutes.
Looking SW: North Faces of Glee & Triumph 15 labels Looking WSW: The whole picketed crest 5 labels Looking W: Picket Pass & Mt. Baker 1 label Looking WNW: Mt. Fury (Jason & Forest dropped BELOW the lowest point on this photo & then climbed back out)
Part 2: The Return
As they say about summits: getting up is only half the journey; getting down is the other half.
On this peak, I especially felt that I was only halfway there, with an edgy drop down and strenuous climb back up to my camp still ahead, late in the day while I was already tired. I was acutely aware of being far out alone at the end of a long thin line of tracks.
2:08pm, Depart from Elephant Butte Summit
The trip down let me admire some of the cornices from a different angle.
Here Be Cornices Looking through the cornices to Mt. Prophet
As I curved back around the elephant’s shoulder, Stetattle Ridge stretched far out ahead, and then high up above as I dropped back down to Torrent Pass.
2 labels Lookout out and down to Stetattle Ridge 2 labels Now looking up to Stetattle Ridge On the shoulder, ready to drop back down to the foot at Torrent Pass
3:54pm, Torrent Pass
At the pass, the elephant’s shoulder behind me was already deep in shadow, but up above I could see sunshine higher up on the ridge. However, no matter how fast I climbed, the light fled away from me even faster.
The Elephant in shadow In shadows at Torrent Pass, but still sunlight on the trees above Shadows racing me across the traverse tracks Evening color outpacing me to the ridge crest
Around 5:30pm, Sunset
Shadows outraced me upward over the top of the ridge.
With apologies to Dylan Thomas:
Do not go… ...gentle into… …that good night.
Rage, rage against… …the dying of the light.
After the sun departed, the slopes still reflected subtle deep shades of color from the luminous skies above, and then faded away as the surrounding peaks became dark silhouettes against the final afterglow of the day.
Snowfield/Eldorado Alpenglow before the sunset Last deep shades of color Final silhouette of the Elephant
When the evening became gray darkness, the air quickly chilled, the crust turned icy underfoot, and I had to stop to get out an extra coat and my ice axe. Nauseated by the thought of any more power bars, I munched on a few handfuls of fritos and sucked the last slush in my water bottle as I marched slowly upward.
6:42pm, Point 6728
Crossing Point 6728 summit
After I descended to gentler terrain beyond Point 6728, I was able to relax and savor the nighttime journey. I turned off my headlamp and followed the tracks by moonlight, with the stars shining bright overhead and the peaks as gleaming silhouettes around the horizon, everything perfectly calm and still but for the crunching progress of my snowshoes.
Given the weary plodding pace of my travel, I had plenty of time to enjoy this moonlight stroll.
8:03pm, Home at Point 6495
Home Sweet Home
The sight of my tent in the darkness looked like a luxury hotel welcoming me home.
But the camp felt particularly empty and lonely. On some trips, I’ve enjoyed the solitary intensity of a night up high by myself. But this camp felt acutely empty in contrast to the good humor and companionship of the previous night. Their company had made the high cold ridge-top seem much warmer and friendlier. It was heart-warming to enjoy the mutual support and shared joy of the mountains during the previous evening.
My thoughts turned less charitable when I discovered the FAIL of them leaving the water pot totally dry, so I had to crouch shivering next to the stove feeding it miniscule snowballs to build up a liquid base in the pot before I could enjoy a warm drink. But I was still heated by fond memories of the compulsive shutterbugging, the pervasive sexual innuendos, the bitter sarcasm, the indiscriminate hating….
My dinner was a leftover package of ramens. At the end of a cold tiring day, the hot mushy sodium overload tasted like a feast. This was the silver medal winner of my most memorable hiking meals, and oddly enough all three medal winners have been ramens.
Part 3: The Next Day
Another late start! With my head buried in the sleeping bag, I never heard my alarm go off and didn’t awaken till 6:30am. I had wanted to get up earlier, because I needed to drive Daniel to a dental appointment in Seattle by 2:30.
The biggest morning challenge was getting my feet in to my boots, which had frozen solid from yesterday’s dampness, even though they were inside the tent. I wedged my feet into the boots and didn’t even try to tie the frozen laces till I had hiked a couple miles, when the boots thawed enough to loosen around my feet.
As I hurried down the ridge, the peaks did their glowy thing again.
Alpenglow on Southern Pickets Alpenglow on Stetattle & Luna
Behind me, the elephant stood now as a companion rather than a stranger, joining the ranks of other surrounding peaks that had become acquaintances in previous trips.
Alpenglow summary of my trip – Point 6728’s shadow stretching across to Elephant Butte Morning shadow pointing back toward the Elephant 5 labels Elephant Butte Route (see labels)
Then the peaks did their shiny thing again.
Morning light brought the peaks out of their nighttime silhouettes and showed their faces in crisp detail.
The view of the east wing of the southern Pickets partway was especially intriguing, because Terror tried to sneak in from behind and lurk in the middle of group, even though it’s actually around the curve at the beginning of the west wing.
View down-ridge from Point 6308 in morning light Snowfield 1 label Lurking Terror (due to the curve of the range, Terror’s summit appears to have snuck in among the eastern wing of the southern Pickets)
Lower on the ridge, alongside the myriad ski and snowshoe tracks, I also found some huge bunny tracks.
Tracks from The Abominable Snow-Bunny of Stetattle Ridge
Walking down the trail seemed far more pleasant than last time. Somehow it’s easier when you’re not soaked from rain and tired from eight days of hiking, and when you’ve recovered a long-lost orphan.
Recently I watched “Fiddler on the Roof” together with my son for a school assignment. Its theme song, “If I Were a Rich Man” played in my head as I walked down the trail. But then I looked up from my feet and thought: “There’s no ‘if’ about it. I already am a rich man, to be able to enjoy trips like this one.”
Trip Stats:
Day 1 (TH to Point 6495): 5.5 miles, 5900 gain, 2 power bars, 6 shot blocks
Day 2 (Elephant Butte): 10 miles, 6000 gain, 3 power bars, 11 shot blocks
Day 3 (Point 6495 to TH): 5.5miles, 300 gain, 1 power bar, 3 shot blocks
In case you're wondering about the report title:
"Stuck a fork in it" => it's done
"orphan" => leftover peak from previous trip
"pachyderm" => elephant.
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
“As beacons mountains burned at evening.” J.R.R. Tolkien
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Ingunn Hiking Viking
Joined: 01 Feb 2008 Posts: 1751 | TRs | Pics Location: Redmond |
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Ingunn
Hiking Viking
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 12:21 am
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Fantastic, Matt! This was a joy to read, I felt like I was right there with you.
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jhiker Member
Joined: 24 Jul 2006 Posts: 286 | TRs | Pics Location: Mill Creek |
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jhiker
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:12 am
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Great Effort!
Great story!
Great Pictures!
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Gil Member
Joined: 29 Sep 2004 Posts: 4063 | TRs | Pics
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Gil
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 7:57 am
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Fantastic report -- could really 'feel' the route with you!
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
Friends help the miles go easier.
Klahini
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TrailPair Member
Joined: 17 Apr 2005 Posts: 1699 | TRs | Pics
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This thing called work is interfering with my play
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Trevor Member
Joined: 31 Jan 2004 Posts: 1562 | TRs | Pics Location: Edmonds, WA |
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Trevor
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:34 am
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Thanks for sharing this. I like the 'picket pass details' shot.
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dicey custom title
Joined: 11 May 2004 Posts: 2869 | TRs | Pics Location: giving cornices a wider berth |
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dicey
custom title
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:45 am
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Looks like conditions really came together to make this trip work out for ya!!
Elephant Butte doesn't seem to get climbed all that much. I think that getting to the base of it is more difficult than the climb itself.
Glad you didn't opt for a loop trip by descending torrent creek!
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Jason Hummel Member
Joined: 31 Aug 2006 Posts: 1209 | TRs | Pics Location: Tacoma Washington |
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Jason Hummel
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 11:58 am
Re: Stuck a Fork in the Orphan Pachyderm (2/21/10)
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Quote: | 1 label Looking WNW: Mt. Fury (Jason & Forest dropped BELOW the lowest point on this photo & then climbed back out) |
Awesome story and thanks for the pics. It's so great to see the area again through anothers eye. BTW, in the photo above I marked our route through the cliffs. We were really worried we wouldn't be able to find a route through here, but there was. For those who may contemplate this in the future, I thought I'd point it out. It really wasn't too bad...some 50 degree snow and a steeper ice bulge, but really, overall a nice ramp goes through there (whew...I'm telling you, the options weren't good if it didn't go).
Nice work getting out there Matt.
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Stefan Member
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Stefan
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:20 pm
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cmurph Member
Joined: 18 Feb 2006 Posts: 102 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle, WA |
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cmurph
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 2:42 pm
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What a great write up! I'm glad the conditions and timing all lined up for you and made it possible...fantastic work
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Guiran Member
Joined: 03 Mar 2004 Posts: 621 | TRs | Pics Location: University of Washington |
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Guiran
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:09 pm
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Very cool, Matt.
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Opus Wannabe
Joined: 04 Mar 2006 Posts: 3700 | TRs | Pics Location: The big rock candy mountain |
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Opus
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 3:12 pm
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Great write up and photos! That ridge is indeed a lonely place to camp.
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Dayhike Mike Bad MFKer
Joined: 02 Mar 2003 Posts: 10955 | TRs | Pics Location: Going to Tukwila |
Niiiice! Thanks for the write-up and pics...
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
"There is only one basic human right, the right to do as you damn well please. And with it comes the only basic human duty, the duty to take the consequences." -P.J. O'Rourke
"Ignorance is natural. Stupidity takes commitment." -Solomon Short
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cartman Member
Joined: 20 Feb 2007 Posts: 2800 | TRs | Pics Location: Fremont |
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cartman
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:13 pm
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Great photos and report, Matt. The convergence of factors to make this peak go as a solo this time of year were amazing.
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Roald Member
Joined: 06 Aug 2007 Posts: 367 | TRs | Pics Location: Seattle |
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Roald
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Thu Mar 04, 2010 6:36 pm
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Taking a break at work, I force myself to read just one TR before getting back at it (ok, sometimes I cheat at read two). I sure am glad I chose this one! You tell a great story, Matt. And what a great effort, too. Congrats!
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