• Destination: Whistler mountain (7790')
• Date: Jun 05, 2010
• Starting Point:  Highway 20 (c4900.')
• High Point: Whistler mountain (7790')
• Round Trip Distance: 4.3 miles RT, 2.2 miles highway to highway
• Equipment: The ten essentials, ice axe, crampons, light rope and alpine rack (include pins for iced up rock)
• Difficulties: Steep snow, 4th class scrambling

What to climb? Jason, Scott and I wanted some alpine glory, but were hobbled with a few constraints. The weather forecast was for sunny skies on Saturday, but the rain was supposed to move back in on Sunday. In addition, Scott was leaving for Alaska on Sunday, so a one day climb was required. So we put our thinking caps on and cogitated over the options. With this much brain power on the topic, we couldn’t lose! We decided on a route that I have admired for some time and wondered how it would be. Climbing in the Liberty Bell area, Whistler Mountain and the two couloirs on the East side of the peak are prominently displayed for speculation about how the climb would go. Both Scott and Jason had climbed the route previously, and described it as a moderate snow climb followed by a third to fourth class scramble up the north ridge to the summit. This would meet all of our criteria, and be a good test for my (mostly) rehabilitated legs.
The night prior, Scott had to bail due to flu like symptoms, so it was down to Jason and me. After the early morning drive up the highway, which went quickly due to all of the RVs still being tucked safely away in their campsites, we pulled off of the highway below the peak and geared up. The approach is super easy; you basically start climbing right from the car. You know when you put your helmet on at the car, it is a short approach! However, before the fun started, the creek needed to be crossed. We could not find a log to cross the creek on, so ended up picking what looked to be a shallow spot and running across in our boots. The gaiters kept most of the water out.

The route is the couloir on the left

The couloir ended up being variable but mostly soft snow not requiring crampons the entire way. There was the occasional postholing up to the thighs; thanks to Jason for forging the path. About ¾ of the way up the couloir, there was a traverse that had melted out to the nasty slabs underneath surrounded by soft, rotten snow. Jason scratched up it, and then threw the rope down for a belay when I started whining. This was the only belay that we did in the couloir. The final portion of the couloir was threatened by some cornices, the biggest which can be avoided by climbing on the left. Since the fall line on the smaller ones could not be avoided, we climbed as quickly as we could through this section. The steepest section of the couloir was 45-50 degrees where the couloir topped out on the north ridge.

Booting up the route

Once atop the couloir, we followed the north ridge to the summit. On the ridge, it was like we had stepped into a different season. While it was definitely spring in the couloir, it was a late winter on the ridge. The snow had some powdery fresh over a frozen ice slab that required crampons, and the rock was iced up in most places that I wanted to set pro. We elected to rope up here, and did a running belay to the summit. The climbing was mostly secure over steep snow steps and iced up rock. The pins and tri-cams were useful for protection here

Steep postholing!

Nearing the ridge

On the summit we met a solo climber who had ascended the SW side of the peak. He had seen us gearing up on the highway before he started his climb, and offered to give us a ride back to where we parked the car. We descended the SW side on snow until almost at the highway, taking advantage of some long glissades. We had planned to hitch-hike back to the car (a distance of about 2 miles), and were thankful that we had a ride already arranged. The descent of this side of the peak is much quicker and technically easier. A quick celebration and we were back on the road.

On the ridge

Summit glory attained!

Cheesy summit picture

The entire route turned out to be somewhat more difficult in all respects than I had anticipated. Jason, who has climbed it twice, concurred with that assessment. I had expected a quick shuffle across a log for the creek crossing, nice solid snow, no nasty rock in the couloir, and a dry third class rock scramble to the summit. Instead, the peak challenged us a bit more. It was still a very aesthetic route up a peak with super easy access. I would recommend the climb for a quick spring ascent before the couloir melts out.

Gear: Two axes (one would be sufficient, but two are more comfortable and the approach is short), crampons, rope and light rack to include pins. Some have third classed the ridge, but the belay was nice for us.