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Bellingham, Wa
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2006 : 12:48 PM
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Just 5 days ago I was on the Whatcom trail approaching Mt. Dewdney and here I was again, this time with Mike Kittleson & Luna, heading up the same. Our old tracks still showed in the snow until we split off on to the right fork to new territory heading this time for Snass Mountain. We left snow behind for a while where the trail left the valley floor and headed steeply up a wooded ridge. Through a break in the trees I pointed out to Mike a view of our approach ridge to Dewdney. After the trail left the crest of the ridge and proceeded along its flank snow began to cover the trail again. For a while we were able to follow the trail until we began crossing a series of avalanche gullies where we lost it. We could see from the map that the trail continued ahead to cross the creek and soon we were crossing it. We continued up through the woods and found some trail markers for a short distance leading us close to the foot of Snass.
Now the terrain really opened up giving us a view of the SW face of Snass, which looked like a great snow climb and very direct. There were a couple of old avalanches below some bluffs but we had good hard conditions. I hadn’t considered taking this route but it looked too nice to pass up. We angled up and right under the avalanche area to better slopes of about a 35- degree angle. Ice axes came out and we kicked steps up the hard snow; crampons might have been handy here. Luna had no problems as she has built-in cpampons. We followed snow ribs and stayed on the sunnier aspect where possible to get snow of perfect consistency for easy steps. Views were spectacular of nearby and distant peaks and the climb was fun and easy. The slope is about 500m high and up higher we crossed a couple of melted out areas where we encountered horribly rotten rock. Looks as if we picked a good season to do this, as the underlying choss would be a nightmare to ascend. Once we reached the ridge crest it was about 15 minutes to the top passing a false summit on a mixture of rock and snow. We enjoyed a 90 min. summit break after our 5 ½ hour ascent. It was cool and breezy on top and there was a bit of hazy overcast coming in. Luna munched on biscuits and took a nap while we ate lunch and enjoyed the views. Haven’t had such a long summit break for a while, that was really a treat.
The descent went well especially the SW slope which was handled with a combination of standing and sitting glissades; some of the standing glissades felt almost like skiing!
I used snowshoes for about a mile on the return but they really weren’t necessary.
Round trip time was 10.5 hours with an estimated 12 miles and 5500 foot gain. Great fun on a locally high summit(7575') with a high amount of prominence (3031'), well worth taking a day off work.
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 Happy go lucky, plaid wearin, postholin, safeway gaitor sportin, old-school film shootin, giver of many regards
Abbotsford, B.C.
Canada
13441 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2006 : 1:05 PM
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You certainly had an oustanding day for this adventure, good weather, and fabulous views to take great pictures. When you mentioned rotten rock, do you mean a mixture of snow and rock debris mixed in or was the bedrock just crumbling away? The term, "Choss' is a new term to me.
Regards, |
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Peak bagging, bushwhacking, zamboni driving, snowshoeing, self portrait artist, and speed demon who loves to hang out on Mt. Seymour
3996 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2006 : 1:13 PM
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Good job Grant . You picked a good day to take off from work. Snass (and Dewdney) both deserve more visits but I guess they get overshadowed by the higher Outram and it's easy going trail.
Here's a couple of shots from two summers ago. Great views of Dewdney and Outram, and as you say, lots of loose rock to deal with. My friend Alex in both photos.
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Bellingham, Wa
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2006 : 1:19 PM
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| The bedrock, where we saw it was crumbly & there was some exposed scree/ dirt slopes. Simon's pics make it look like a fine summer adventure too. I think he said he took the ridge from the pass near the Punchbowl, a better route when snow-free & probably the standard route. |
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 | Dru
Mountain Grammar Police
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Sardonic sandbagging scoundrel, Cascade Climbers lobotomized spraymeister, space blanket flyer, new millennium vulgarian betaboy and friend to all squids
Climbing, a mountain
Canada
∞ Posts |
Posted - 05/06/2006 : 1:23 PM
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On the geological map it looks like Snazzy is slightly more solid than Snass as the rock changes to a congolmerate unit over there.
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In the void is virtue, and no evil. Wisdom has existence, principle has existence, the Way has existence, spirit is nothingness. |
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Hope, B.C.
Canada
617 Posts |
Posted - 05/07/2006 : 11:09 PM
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Drew is actually right about the rock changing on the northern aspects of the peak and beyond toward Snazzy. I see that many people choose the closer, more direct but looser SW ridge when in fact the rock changes as you go beyond the Punch Bowl and curve around north slopes to ascend the more solid NE ridge. The rock in this area is amazingly diverse. Congrats gm on discovering yet another beautiful area. Here are a few pics from some of our trips to the area.  ...looking up the NE ridge.  ...Snass from Snazzy.  ...rock on NE ridge.  ...more cool rock from the area.  ...sunset over Cheam Range from Snass.  ...climbing west ridge of Snazzy.  ...view looking south from Snass. |
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ass wigglin, cheese lovin, 4x4 drivin, apostrophe hatin, hiking chick who loves camping on snow
spaceship..
Canada
7209 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 08:04 AM
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Your dog is beautiful...What a great name, one of my birds was called "Luna" - sadly she passed away early last year 
Beautiful pictures! I really like that area, although last year it was rather a hot day (in May)which makes for a real slog getting in there - "four hour death grunt" we called it, with full packs on it kinda felt like that!
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Edited by - Shadee on 05/08/2006 08:05 AM |
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Surrey, BC
Canada
405 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 12:01 PM
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| looks like another splendid day grant! i didn't join the birthday ski. stayed local. |
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Simpson quoting tree hunter and canyon rapping rockhound who longs for the return of his trapped Toyota
Salt Lake City, UT
USA
2268 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 1:11 PM
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| And here I was betting that you were going to try for Marmot! Good stuff-Snass is a peak I've admired many times, but never gotten around to bagging. The view of Snazzy is especially alluring. |
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Bellingham, Wa
USA
162 Posts |
Posted - 05/08/2006 : 4:28 PM
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Here's a pic taken from between Dewdney & Ford 5 days before the trip on Snass. It shows the slope we climbed, somewhere in the middle and angling rightward to reach the central area of the ridge. Went over one false summit on traverse to the top.
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Snass Mtn. via SW slope 5/5/06
