Dragontail Peak, Backbone Ridge (5.9 IV+)

(Pre-read note: Finally something that might live up to 'journeys to the steepest heights'- as I sit here writing this, it feels almost unreal that we pulled it off. Huge thanks to Sol for lending us the offwidth gear!)

   Backbone Ridge, Dragontail Peak. Various descriptions warn of complex route finding, loose rock, and a long day in the hills...but 'it's just 5.9', right? About a month ago, in late June, my good friend Brayton and I attempted this route- at the far end of Colchuck Lake, we were turned around by poor weather and snow and wet-looking rock on route. Probably a good decision, but it sucked to drive six hours each way just to go on a hike (even though Colchuck lake is among my favorite places!). In retrospect, neither of us were ready for it, even though 5.9 trad isn't our limit. Alpine climbing means more than numbers, a concept hard to come by with our experience in bouldering and sport climbing!

Every day since then, we've mentioned how bad we want Backbone. This weekend? Next? When can you get work off (that's a joke, by the way...)? Finally, it materialized. We had planned for the weekend, but Brayton couldn't hold his stoke in, and said we should leave Thursday. I mentioned we should climb Orbit or Outer Space, both Leavenworth classics, in addition to the ridge, to make the most of our six hour drive. Stoke was high...in fact, so high, we left Wednesday (two days ago)- with plans to climb Outer Space, hike in to the base of Backbone, send it, then go home with a Grade III and IV+, respectively. Sounded like a plan!! We needed a #5 camalot to protect the crux offwidth pitch on Backbone, so I hit up Sol in Leavenworth and we stopped by. He lent us a #5 and #6, and shared some beta so we'd hopefully stay on route, and not epic (like his first time, apparently!). It was around 10pm at this point, and Brayton asks me- "Why don't we just climb Backbone tomorrow?". After a few seconds of pondering, I figured it was the best option. We wouldn't be tired from Outer Space, we would car-to-car and not have to worry about camping or permits, and it was our primary goal, and should be treated like such (when we returned the cams, Sol admitted he was going to tell us that we should have gone for it- glad we did!). Minor details from here- a glorified protein dinner (aka: you want some pasta and sauce with that TVP?), a cramped nap in the back of my Subaru, and suddenly it was 2:30 am.

3:00am. Ready to roll. Ready for the longest day (I'm not sure 'day' applies here...) I've had in a while. In sneakers, not climbing boots, we crush the trail to the lake by 4:45am. Moving fast is essential for an undertaking of this nature. We camel up at the lake, take some pictures, and gaze in awe at the massive granite walls, especially our objective.

Predawn Colchuck Lake

Headlamp mohawk!

Colchuck Balanced Rock and like peaks

A foreshortened Dragontail peak, the route follows the ridge to the left of the snow finger

Too bad we take our sweet time climbing the moraine to the base of the route, and gearing up...Brayton had said "Base of the route at 8:00am?". I tell him he has to be joking, we're moving too fast...a fourth class scramble and some route-finding confusion later, it actually is 8:00am. Strange how that happens, isn't it? We rope up, and simul-climb the best looking corner, which went around 5.6.

Coming up the first pitch

Still a little dark

We top out on a large ledge, and check out the splitter offwidth another blocky pitch up. A quick jaunt up that, and we're at the base. I had considered leading the glory pitch, but at the base I know it's going to be all Brayton- sure is steeper than photos make it look, but 'its only 5.9'! He cruises it, and before I know it I'm setting up a complex (read: ghetto, extended cordelette) system to haul the packs. I take a final glance up the wide, glorious splitter, and start up. I'm stoked to use offwidth technique I had only read about, but it ended up most of the pitch is stemming and sidepulls. I manage to get my knee stuck for a few minutes, which hurts like a bitch to get out and gave me The Fear we'd get stuck (two days later, knee still hurts like a bitch!). At the top, we try hauling packs...they get stuck. We fix the rope and Brayton rappells down, to wear both packs at the same time, while ascending with a belay device- burly! Finally he gets to a point where they won't get stuck, I bring him up, then the packs, and he racks up for the rest. We've taken our time to this point, so I tell him he should probably lead everything so we aren't benighted on route- I'll follow as quickly as I can, but he's the faster leader (this actually worked well- I didn't lead one pitch, but I did follow as fast as I possibly could, guess that counts, right?).

Beat from the burly jug

Colchuck Balanced Rock

Fast forward a few pitches of lichen-coated choss (I make it sound it worse than it was), and we're at the 'low fifth-class' section. Time to solo! By the way, the 'exposed 5.8' traverse pitch was definitely my favorite of the actual ridge, super fun climbing and some exposure. As far as 'exposed'...I don't know about that- the entire route is 'exposed' but its pretty ledgey and you're never over a mind-boggling amount of air, probably because it's not too steep. Maybe that's just me...back to the story.

Soaring granite walls

Up and up

Some thousands of feet down to the right

Top of the 5.8 traverse? Exposed...but not

Almost to the Fin!

Getting tired

Stoked!

A few hundred feet of 5.fun and we're at the base of the Fin...just as thunderstorms roll in! It has been sunny up to this point, but we're feeling raindrops and the rest of the Cascades looks like they're getting soaked.

Glad its not raining on us

As Mark Twight says, sometimes Up is the only Down- on a committing grade IV+, all we can do is climb as quickly as possible to avoid getting soaked, or shocked by lightning on the summit. The Fear is in our eyes; looking at each other only amplified the uncertainty, the lack of control we had over the situation. Brayton leads the initial easy pitch of the fin, and yells down that I should start climbing and NOT fall, because he needs to reach a belay. I oblige, excited to be living out a scenario I've only read about (simuling to find a suitable belay), and soon reach the belay. A little confusion over where the route goes (Sol's beta was: follow the obvious weaknesses on the Fin), and Brayton the ropegun is cruising up face moves en route to the crack system.

Ropegunnin'

At the next ledge, another routefinding question arises- left up the weakness, or right up the cracks? We choose right (not far right, more like the middle of the ledge), and quickly figure our way up to the top of the Fin. I reach the belay to find Brayton crashing hard- I ask him if he's doing alright, to a response of: "I just had a talk with my guardian angel...she told me I should talk with her more...". Yikes! Time to get moving.

Faded

Almost there!

I split the last cliff bar with him, give him the rest of my water, and pass the gear to keep moving. This belay definitely has the best position of the route; I straddle a block 'au cheval' (like riding a horse, some French talk there), with huge exposure on both sides!

Top of the Fin looking down

Another foot-shuffle crack leads to a notch behind the first blocky gendarme, where we decide to solo to the top. With a precipitous drop under us, making 5.fun (5.sketch?) moves to the 4th class section is exciting- luckily it hasn't rained more than a few drops yet, and the rest of the Cascades seems to be clearing up. Finally, with the summit in sight, we scramble up to the top, put approach shoes on (never felt better), and take a few summit photos.

Yeah buddy!

Fear the wide?

Improving weather

When I climbed Triple Couloirs, the top was whited out, so I had never seen the core Enchantments region- seeing it for the first time (for both of us) was beautiful! An azure and green Colchuck lake on our left and the alpine granite paradise of the Enchantments on our right, what an awesome position!

Enchantments

Didn't realize Prusik was so far away...

The descent involves a very shitty glissade, a liter of ICE COLD glacial tarn water, and the heinous knee-jarring descent down Aasgard Pass, getting destroyed by mosquitoes the entire way down. Actually, from cameling up at the base, to the top, to the bottom again, there were mosquitos- what gives? I have at least 100+ mosquito bites all over my arms, back, and neck...it looks like some sick skin condition! We take a rest at 'goat rock', the scenic slab at the far end of Colchuck Lake (where we saw a goat the previous time), and stare at the stars slowly illuminating the soaring granite peaks around us. "We did it!!" along with "This hike is going to fucking suck", and "I'm so hungry, I'm not even hungry" are common phrases on the way out. The last part of the hike is a bitch, it always tricks you into thinking you're there, when you're not. But then...you are. Exhausted, starving, dehydrated (almost puked a few times because of it), and never happier to see the car after 22 hours on the go. The bagels are stale (rock hard, somehow), but we're too tired to eat much anyway. The next morning sees us dropping the #5 and #6 off at Sol's house, with plenty of thank you's and "glad you didn't get rained on" type comments. Outer Space would have to wait- we're wasted! Shitty coffee that doesn't keep me awake and a six hour drive later, we're back in Salem. Brayton keeps telling me: "So many things went right for us to do it...I'm stoked we're alive!". I can only agree, and remind him that in the grand scheme of alpine climbing (even in Washington), we only took a baby step. He also doesn't want to go back to Colchuck lake any time soon...but the 'fun' just magnifies with time- he doesn't know what's coming! All in all quite an adventure, can't wait for the next one!

Sunset in the Cascades