Trip Report
North Peak - a trivial trip report - middle gully pics and conditions - 10/30/11

by BMcC
Tuesday November 1, 2011 7:34pm
Visited North Peak on Sunday to check out the middle gully. Did not really expect ice this year and my expectations were met. Less almost snice/neve in the middle gully this year than I found in either the left or right gullies last year ( http://www.supertopo.com/tr/Tis-the-season-back-to-North-Peak-left-and-right-couloirs-9-8-10/t10762n.html ).

Some pics:
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North Peak (12,242')
North Peak (12,242')
Credit: BMcC
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All three gullies looked snowy.
All three gullies looked snowy.
Credit: BMcC
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Other people made some nice steps in the soft surface snow leading up to the right couloir. I took advantage of them.
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Schrund for the right couloir looked easily passable (to the right...
Schrund for the right couloir looked easily passable (to the right out of this pic).
Credit: BMcC
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Looking up to what I thought would be the crux - getting past the choc...
Looking up to what I thought would be the crux - getting past the chockstone. The ridge of snow up the center of the gully was nicely frozen - snice or neve. The snow was very soft to the left and in the steps to right. I went up the middle.
Credit: BMcC
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The view looking down the narrows.
The view looking down the narrows.
Credit: BMcC
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Enough space to get under and up behind the chockstone - with my pack ...
Enough space to get under and up behind the chockstone - with my pack off.
Credit: BMcC
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Used about 20' of the rope I was trailing to haul my pack up after pas...
Used about 20' of the rope I was trailing to haul my pack up after passing the chockstone. The light rack I was carrying remained unused.
Credit: BMcC
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The view above - snow on the right was mostly very soft; unappealing i...
The view above - snow on the right was mostly very soft; unappealing ice-tool dulling sandy/gravelly stuff on the left.
Credit: BMcC
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A peek back down the gully past the chockstone and narrows.
A peek back down the gully past the chockstone and narrows.
Credit: BMcC
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Another peek from the top of the col.
Another peek from the top of the col.
Credit: BMcC
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Mt. Conness
Mt. Conness
Credit: BMcC
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Heard some distant voices. Perhaps coming from hikers on Mt. Conness, perhaps only in my head...
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Combining the N ridge on North Peak (this pic) and the N ridge...
Combining the N ridge on North Peak (this pic) and the N ridge on Conness (next pic) makes for a fun day of scrambling...
Credit: BMcC
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Mt. Connesss - fun hiking (low 5th class scrambling) from the ...
Mt. Connesss - fun hiking (low 5th class scrambling) from the right foreground and long the right skyline.
Credit: BMcC
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Requisite Mt. Dana pic:
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Dana in the distance on the drive down from Saddlebag Lakes.
Dana in the distance on the drive down from Saddlebag Lakes.
Credit: BMcC
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Summary:
Hiked the middle gully on N Peak with perfect weather (clear and chilly). Some soft snow, quite a bit of wonderful almost-snice/neve, and some rotten, precariously piled, loose rock on sloping ledges and at the crux chockstone (easy chimney move and stemming behind it). Trailed a rope which was handy to pull my pack up after the crux. Experienced no spontaneous rockfall and knocked no rock off - was glad nonetheless that no one was below me. Also, no worries about establishing anchors and adequate belays... No blue ice. Seemed sort of alpine.

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BMcC 		About the Author
BMcC is a trad climber from Livermore.

Comments
GhoulweJ

Trad climber
El Dorado Hills, CA
  Nov 1, 2011 - 07:37pm PT
TFPU
tom woods

Gym climber
Bishop, CA
  Nov 1, 2011 - 08:09pm PT
Cool. If we could get another warm week before a cold week, it might get good?

When you get to the top of North Peak, those couloirs on Conness look pretty good too.

I did those one time with a guy who doesn't post here I don't think.

It's funny, I was just thinking of that guy last night. I should look him up.

Thanks for posting. Sometimes the photos stir up the mind mud.
BMcC

Trad climber
Livermore
Author's Reply  Nov 1, 2011 - 08:27pm PT
DMT - I dunno. The rock on my left as I climbed was more broken and appeared more friable than that on the right. Maybe this gully is a few years (millions?) behind the left and right gullies in the process of eroding to become wider.

Tuloumne-Tradster or one of the other SuperTopian geologists could probably tell us that it has something to do with how the granite cooled when the mountain was being formed as part of the Sierra batholith, and was later uplifted tectonically, fractured and eroded.
Sheets

Trad climber
Livermore, CA
  Nov 1, 2011 - 09:32pm PT
Go Livermore!

I was thinking about climbing N. Peak this year but looks like it is best left for the next.
Stewart Johnson

Gym climber
top lake
  Nov 1, 2011 - 10:32pm PT
thanks for the report!
bergbryce

climber
East Bay, CA
  Nov 1, 2011 - 10:48pm PT
Sweet man. I've been wondering what conditions were like on North Peak this year. Way to get after it regardless of the conditions!!
rwedgee

Ice climber
CA
  Nov 1, 2011 - 10:54pm PT
Good job, thanks !!
tuolumne_tradster

Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
  Nov 1, 2011 - 11:50pm PT
My guess is that the rock debris it is due to generally warming trends and melting of former "permanently" frozen talus
Zander

climber
  Nov 1, 2011 - 11:54pm PT
Great pics man! I bet it was still fun- ice or no.
Thanks for posting.
Z
tuolumne_tradster

Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
  Nov 2, 2011 - 12:10am PT
North Pk is all Kcp Cathedral Peak Granodiorite
rhyang

climber
SJC
  Nov 2, 2011 - 01:16am PT
Nice work Bill !
mike m

Trad climber
black hills
  Nov 2, 2011 - 01:26am PT
Super cool.
BMcC

Trad climber
Livermore
Author's Reply  Nov 2, 2011 - 01:45am PT
Tuolumne_tradster -- your comment makes perfect sense: "My guess is that the rock debris is due to generally warming trends and melting of former 'permanently' frozen talus." That is consistent with the rock you and I encountered a few summers ago on the Mt. Dana couloir, that is, it was rock exposed by melting of the old ice in the couloir as opposed to new weathering and new rockfall on top of the ice. Thanks!
BMcC

Trad climber
Livermore
Author's Reply  Nov 2, 2011 - 03:02am PT

bpope

climber
Mountain View, CA
  Nov 3, 2011 - 02:41am PT
heard some voices, eh? that was me and my buddy at the base, seeing you top out in the couloir! we went up the right hand one just after lunch

also...for those interested, the right hand couloir is in great shape, no tool dulling scree to speak of, just good fun.

edit: could've been the guys skiing the conness glacier across the way, too.
Ezra Ellis

Trad climber
North wet, and Da souf
  Nov 2, 2011 - 01:22pm PT
Awesome quality photos thanks!
survival

Big Wall climber
Terrapin Station
  Nov 2, 2011 - 01:50pm PT
Excellent!!

Thanks for the awesome photo run.
tuolumne_tradster

Trad climber
Leading Edge of North American Plate
  Nov 2, 2011 - 02:09pm PT

Another photo at the base of Dana Couloir from 2008...If I recall, we decided to bail after a suitcase size boulder came tumbling down the couloir at us while we were donning our crampons.
BMcC

Trad climber
Livermore
Author's Reply  Nov 2, 2011 - 03:15pm PT
Everyone - thanks for the comments! It was fun day out in a very pretty area.


Tuolumne_tradster - as I recall, that suitcase-sized boulder (footlocker-sized?) that came uncomfortably close to you convinced to fully engage our better judgement and get the heck down and out of there...


National Weather Service forecasts inclement conditions (IMO - while a little bit of snow wouldn't necessarily hurt the already snowy gullies, it could make the approach and descent somewhat slower):

"Thursday: A 30 percent chance of snow showers after 11am.. Strong and damaging winds... with gusts as high as 105 mph. New snow accumulation of less than a half inch possible.

Thursday Night: Occasional snow showers. Low around 3... Winds could gust as high as 90 mph. Chance of precipitation is 100%. New snow accumulation of 2 to 4 inches possible...

Friday Night... blustery, with a low around 4."
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