Forum Index > Trip Reports > Neve Glacier Walking Tour ~~ June 3-4 2023
 Reply to topic
Previous :: Next Topic
Author Message
freddyfredpants
saucy



Joined: 08 Jul 2018
Posts: 40 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
freddyfredpants
saucy
PostTue Jun 06, 2023 2:27 pm 
This weekend I headed up to the Snowfield Peak area to visit some peaks. After a leisurely start and picking up my permit in Marblemount Saturday morning I headed up the Pyramid Lake Trail at 10:30. To the lake and beyond was the usual. The climbers trail seems more well-established than I remember. Not sure if it's gotten better or my standards have gotten lower. There was a lot of snow on the ground by 5200', and soon I ran into Enji, Ross, Mike, and Miles relaxing before the traverse to Colonial Lake. I pushed on and decided to tag Pinnacle first, arriving for a nice long break at the base of the route by 5. I had attempted it directly from Pyramid in 2015, but had gotten sketched out on the exposed scramble on the east face enough that I didn't feel confident about the last 50' of the north face. But this time I had brought a 30m rope and tat. Upon reaching the top I realized I had left the ATC in my pack at the base of the wall so I had to downclimb this or rap on a Muenter. I chose the rap. I guess it would have been points for style if intentional, but not really since it was carelessness. After that I headed over to Paul Bunyan's Stump, and then to Neve Col by 8:30 to bivy. Overall a good day.
Baker to Hozomeen in an evening
Baker to Hozomeen in an evening
Great Success
Great Success
It was windy overnight but I slept fairly well. I got moving by 6:30 in the morning to go for the obscure stuff. The trek down the Neve Glacier was scenic, if uneventful. I had my eyes on Mantis. I had found very little beta on it, and even less on the approach, so this was definitely in the choose-your-own-adventure category that makes the North Cascades such a wild and beautiful place. I wanted to see if the long steep North Couloir would go, and the map suggested I needed to drop to at least 5000' to reach it. After the big tarn at 5400' the gentle snow covered slope ends and becomes a huge cliff next to a wide polished slab giving way to another gentle snow slope below. The most direct path through here involves about 200' of low angle smooth rock interspersed with a number of water rivulets. Travel on dry rock required some circuitousness as a slip would leave few options for self arrest before reaching the steeper slabs below. It certainly was thought-provoking. Perhaps earlier in the season the snow coverage would make it easier, but this also worked and brought the spice. After reaching the snow and not seeing a way higher up to get over the ridge (and into the couloir), I ended up dropping to about 4900' to pass the toe of the ridge on flat ground where I found a good snow slope to begin the ascent. I took a ramp rightward at 5800' with minimal/easy scrambling to reach the main couloir. Later from the top of Styloid I saw there was a broad snow slope between 6000-6200' that would have worked without any scrambling. But this was hidden from my vantage on the snow at 5400'. The broad lower snow slope gradually constricted to a narrow couloir. After reaching the shade the snow became quite firm and I brought out a second tool and began 1200' of high daggering and front pointing. Topo lines indicate a steeper section in the middle of around 60 degrees slope, but I found that apart from a few short stretches in the top 600' that the slope wasn't much more than 50 degrees. A kind of a garbage-chute runnel had formed on the right hand side which offered an occasional flattish spot to rest. Kicking a side step to rest my calves was generally easy. Slipping in this place would be nonideal, so I climbed methodically and remained comfortable with the whole enterprise. It took from about 9 to 11, and apart from the top, the couloir was in the shade. This was probably optimal since I experienced no rock or ice fall while I was there. That and the cooler temperatures compared to the previous day must have helped (~49F high forecast and 4-5deg cooler than Saturday).
Styloid, Mantis, and The Distal Phalanx from the Neve Glacier
Styloid, Mantis, and The Distal Phalanx from the Neve Glacier
Lowest angle slabs in center-left
Lowest angle slabs in center-left
The ramp I took appears discontinuous, and the broader ramp above it is hidden. The lower ramp looked like it wouldn't go.
The ramp I took appears discontinuous, and the broader ramp above it is hidden. The lower ramp looked like it wouldn't go.
I emerged at the top of the couloir around 7400' to a good vantage of the south side of Colonial, and a well-earned view to the south towards Primus and Austera. At this point I wasn't actually sure whether Distal Phalanx or Mantis was higher. The south facing terrain on both was easy heather and talus walking so I visited both. It turns out DP is perceptibly higher than Mantis (7614'). My GPS read 7626' although the last contour shown on the map is 7560'. Perhaps someone we all know and love with some survey equipment could go out and quantify this discrepancy. As I was walking off DP I startled a ~cat-sized baby goat from its hiding place who ran SE towards the snow slope lower on Mantis. I braced myself for being butted down the couloir by an angry momma goat, but one never appeared. Some minutes later I heard some commotion downslope, like an angry rock ptarmigan making warning cries. A few minutes after that I noticed a large bird of prey like a golden or bald eagle flying west at eye level. It appeared to be clutching something the size and shape of a stuffed animal, or maybe a baby goat. It was difficult to tell for sure, and I lost sight of it low in McAllister Creek. I knew I didn't want to downclimb the couloir, but I did want to get Colonial. The view of Colonial from Mantis showed a very obvious and easy set of ramps I could take from the waterfall slabs. Besides being more direct this also presented the added benefit of also skipping the sketchy slab section to regain the Neve Glacier. To descend I continued SE on Mantis following goat trails and some easy scrambling to reach the Mantis-Styloid Col. And since I was there and Styloid has some prominence I tagged it too.
Looking down the couloir and across to the Neve-Colonial Col
Looking down the couloir and across to the Neve-Colonial Col
Distal Phalanx from Mantis with Snowfield and the Needle
Distal Phalanx from Mantis with Snowfield and the Needle
Looking down from Styloid to the DP N couloir access around 6000'
Looking down from Styloid to the DP N couloir access around 6000'
The falls in the afternoon were running BIG, and I crossed the braided streams below them to make my way towards Colonial. From there it was the path of least resistance for ascent. Along the way I took many photos of the DP Couloir as it came into view. Hard to pick just one. From the Colonial-Neve Col I climbed choss to get higher on Colonial, and followed the ridge east until I could access the final north snowfield and take the standard route to the summit. I reversed the route, then climbed east face snow to reach Neve, and then continued back to Neve Col to retrieve my overnight things. I packed up and was down to the other side of the traverse by 8:30. The sun was setting soon, and I thought maybe taking the direct path to the trail below Pyramid Lake would be a good idea. Can't say that it was, but downhill bushwhacking after dark is kind of my thing. It's also a perishable skill, and I want to keep sharp. So knowing I'd regret it, I did it anyway. I got back to the car after 12:30am having racked up a satisfying 14,400' vertical gain for the weekend.
Neve Falls
Neve Falls
Styloid to Snowfield ridge with a nice background
Styloid to Snowfield ridge with a nice background
Better than trail!
Better than trail!

wyattmullen, Gimpilator, Route Loser, ozzy, Now I Fly, wallorcrawl, Off Route Randy, Prosit, Justus S., jsb, Mesahchie Mark, Nancyann, fourteen410, Roly Poly, yukon222, John Mac, Slugman, LukeHelgeson, RichP, rubywrangler, Dustin R, shane w, contour5, SeanSullivan86  KascadeFlat
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Dustin R
veteran rookie



Joined: 30 Aug 2017
Posts: 21 | TRs | Pics
Location: Seattle
Dustin R
veteran rookie
PostTue Jun 06, 2023 6:49 pm 
Great report and trip & solo no less. Reading this has got me fired up for some fun this season, thanks!

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
PostTue Jun 06, 2023 6:56 pm 
Good stuff Fred, glad you found a way up mantis!!

Eric Eames
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 Jun 06, 2023 8:31 pm 
this is funny, I almost went to Styloid and Mantis last weekend too. That probably would've been the most visitors those peaks have seen in a weekend...ever? Nice job, looks like a great trip

Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!



Joined: 27 Mar 2003
Posts: 16874 | TRs | Pics
Slugman
It’s a Slugfest!
PostTue Jun 06, 2023 10:43 pm 
Great report. I especially liked the baby goat being spooked into the talons of a golden eagle. Maybe.

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


Joined: 17 Dec 2001
Posts: 5085 | TRs | Pics
Stefan
Member
PostWed Jun 07, 2023 9:43 am 
I can only recall two people who have done those peaks in over 15 years. They went up the way you came down. Good on you!

Art is an adventure.
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
rbuzby
Attention Surplus



Joined: 24 Feb 2009
Posts: 1006 | TRs | Pics
rbuzby
Attention Surplus
PostWed Jun 07, 2023 11:01 am 
Love the pics. Is this a good hike for my corgi? He is experienced.

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


Joined: 05 Apr 2021
Posts: 252 | TRs | Pics
Snowshovel
Member
PostWed Jun 07, 2023 4:42 pm 
It’s in the park

rbuzby
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
rbuzby
Attention Surplus



Joined: 24 Feb 2009
Posts: 1006 | TRs | Pics
rbuzby
Attention Surplus
PostWed Jun 07, 2023 5:12 pm 
Snowshovel wrote:
It’s in the park
I have a llama costume I put on him, it works every time.

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


Joined: 06 Apr 2012
Posts: 474 | TRs | Pics
MangyMarmot
Member
PostThu Jun 08, 2023 2:16 pm 
Nice trip, Fred. Way to get some seldom visited peaks!

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
PostThu Jun 08, 2023 7:07 pm 
looks like a much more elegant way than i had always envisioned up the hot, dry slopes along either the east ridge of styloid or the south rib of mantis.

geyer
Back to top Reply to topic Reply with quote Send private message
Gimpilator
infinity/21M



Joined: 12 Oct 2006
Posts: 1684 | TRs | Pics
Location: Edmonds, WA
Gimpilator
infinity/21M
PostThu Jun 08, 2023 9:42 pm 
This is an amazing trip you did. The view we had of Distal and Mantis from Neve Peak is one of my all time favorites. Also, I think your tracks on Lady Peak, a few days ago.

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 > Neve Glacier Walking Tour ~~ June 3-4 2023
  Happy Birthday noahk!
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