Dragontail Peak: Triple Couloir. 05/07/2023
My friend Alexander and I climbed Triple Couloir on Dragontail Peak on May 6-7 2023. We did not know the current conditions as last trip reports were from the end of April and after that date
there was a heat wave that apparently affected the route. The forecast was promising, showing overnight freeze at Colchuck lake.
The gate at the bridge was still closed and we had to hike to the Stuart Lake trailhead.
We started at 11:15 on Saturday. Almost all of the road was bare with snow only closer to trailhead. On approach to Colchuck lake the snow was well consolidated and we did not need any flotation.
Closer to the lake in the forest I noticed that a lot of fir trees were ill with needles orange at the branches ends and falling down. Snow in many places was all covered with dry needles.
This is not that I remembered from previous years.
We met some people closer to the top of the hill. They were collecting things from a camp. It turned out that they were friends and relatives of climbers from New York City who suffered in the avalanche
on Colchuck Peak NorthEast Couloir in February. Their camp has been here for two months. Grim reminder about avalanche danger...
The view on Dragontail Peak from Colchuk lake
Hidden couloir closeup
The lake was still covered in ice and people walking on it. However, there were swamps here and there on ice surface and especially at the lake shore.
We found a nice place for our camp at the flat boulders, almost snow free.
The forecast proved to be wrong and it was pretty warm with temperature barely touching freezing level at night.
At 4:15 am we were hiking towards our goal. We lost about 20 minutes wandering in the dark in the woods in a smaller lake vicinity. At 5:45 we were at Hidden couloir entrance.
Our friends Anton and Ilya started later and we saw rhem crossing the lake.
The snow conditions were perfect and we climbed Hidden couloir unroped until the start of the runnels. I took the lead. Ice in the corner provided secure climbing, but was not
thick enough to put good screws. There was good protection in the rock on the right side and some in-situ gear.
Anton and Ilya caught up with us at that time.
Second pitch
Alexander took the 3rd pitch - the corner. It was snow free with small patches of ice and verglass over rock. There was poor pro in the beginning and Alexander put in couple of pitons of questionable quality. Furter up he found good cam placements.
In the second couloir we unroped again and climbed unroped until the transition to the 3rd couloir. We belayed the transition with some easy mix (M2?). In the 3rd couloir we unroped again and climbed unroped to the summit.
A crown from recent avananche
We summited at 11:30 am and spent some time an a summit having lunch and enjoying the views. When descending to Asgard Pass we've seen Anton and Ilya also summited.
Postholing from Asgard Pass was pretty much secure and we put of our crampons to avoid snow balling.
We were back at camp at 3 pm.
Conclusion: The route was still in climbable condition although drier compared to when I first climbed it 9 yeras ago in the same time.
Approach:
No flotation is needed.
Gear notes: