Washington Pass, WA - SEW Spire, East Buttress

South & North Early Winter Spire and Liberty Bell

(major formations from left to right)

After a botched attempt with Chris Kouba a week earlier, I returned with a vengeance and my best arsenal: a good weather forecast and Michael Cartwright. Michael met me at Blue Lake Trail Head Tuesday morning ~8:30am with breakfast in hand - nice. We parked his car at Blue Lake and drove my van to the hairpin with the strategy of coming down the South Arete and taking the pleasant Blue Lake trail back to his car. Sorting gear and filling water Michael introduced me to his little blue alpine pack, Cedric, described it as a member of the Spider Pig species and proceeded to sing me the Spider Pig jingle. A little explanation may be required:

Spider Pig would end up being our "light weight" climbing companion for the day and would get a free ride up the route on our backs. Mostly it carried 2 pairs of shoes, a jacket, 3 litres of water, a few bars and 2 Egg McMuffins.

The climbing route is about 10 pitches long, consists of crack and face climbing and back when Fred Becky and Doug Leen first put this up in 1968 it took them 2.5 days to ascend the line. The 2 bolt ladders can now be freed at 5.11a and it was our intention to do just that. Departure time was a little late at 9:30am but hey we are the masters of the casual pace. Michael immediately set pace and with the approach gully steepening I could feel my heart thumping away with the sprint we had going. Temps were just right and so we made good time ~1hr. to the base of the route.

Direct East Buttress, S.Early Winter Spire - 5.11a, 10 pitches

Sprinting up the gully MC sets the pace on the approach

The author cruising up the final approach

Stuffing Spider Pig for the climb

Looking up from the route start

After soloing up a bit of the easier lower section we roped up and I led off on the second pitch which went fast and easy and got us to the 3" 5.9 crack. Michael handed off Spider Pig and launched into some easy flakes which led to a feisty layback jamming crack and a under clinging traverse under a roof. As I climbed this pitch I often cursed at Spider Pig because he was fat and uncomfortable. Happy to drop Spider Pig off, I picked up the continuance of that crack for the next pitch which also included a balancy step left under a small roof. A quick move off the belay and we were at the base of the 1st bolt ladder. Michael decided to free the bolt ladder and made fast time with a pull around the crest to the next belay. I on the other hand had to ferry Spider Pig across this section. I freed most of it until the crest where Spider Pig distracted me and caused me to fall. I almost pitched Spider Pig off had it not been for the water and shoes that Spider Pig so valuably carried. Once again free of Spider Pig I could climb as intended and pitch 5 started off by traversing right two bolts and getting into a beautiful 5.10 Canadian finger crack - that would be 5.10eh for the rest of you. The short crack leads up to a face and a traverse right brings you to a well camouflaged bolt and some slabby faces moves to a good ledge. One more money pitch of 11a bolt ladder begins up and left from the belay. This pitch has a couple of funky mantles and ends below much easier low fifth class terrain. A quick run up easy lines brought us to the summit. At this point we ripped into Spider Pig and emptied its guts while we searched through the internals for something nutritious. After a quick lunch we made our walk down the South Arete and eventually to the trail.

Michael heads into the corn flakes on pitch 3

Spider Pig gets a ride up the crack on pitch 3 - 5.9

Pitch 5: the first bolt ladder - Michael is going for free!

Michael rolling around the corner - 5.11a

Freeing the Canadian (10 eh!) finger crack at the start of pitch 6

Michael & Spider Pig following Pitch 6 up the slabby face

Looking down from Pitch 7

Our car to summit time was 5 hours and the descent down to Blue Lake Trail Head from the summit to us ~2 hours. An awesome day and thanks Michael for coming out!