Medved, Taluscat and I headed up yesterday to Snowqualmie to have a look Pineapple Express. After botching the approach courtesy of the guidebook, we decided the route wasn't in amenable condition to allow a fast ascent, so we had a poke at a line on the subpeak to the right of Snoqualmie. We are tentatively calling the route Calvin Klimb until somebody tells us we're a bunch of wankers and the line was first done in the 50's. It is the second major corner from right on the subpeak.
First pitch was a nice mixed lead of snice, ice and frozen turf with good protection to a tree belay (60M). A blue alien was key to the crux. Second pitch was mostly easy snow to an airy traverse on good rock and a cam belay (55M). Third pitch headed up the corner system in moderate snice to a tree belay (55M), and a short bit of steep snow and mixed scramble got us to the summit of the subpeak and a nice whiff of Stanibaby's cologne. We did the route in M4 conditions, but once better ice forms up the route should be easier.
Gear notes- cams to 4" and a selection of knifeblades, a stubby screw might be possible if there were any ice.
Kevin Hogan, Stanislav Zinkov, Lewis Rogers
Calvin Klimb 5.8 AI3 60 degree 200M
AAI Guide Claims First Ascent in the Cascades
AAI Guide, Kevin Hogan and friends recently completed what they believe to be a first ascent on the Mount Snoqulmie massif in the Cascades. Following is a trip report that was originally posted on cascadeclimbers.com.
