11 O'Clock Couloir

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Page Type: Route

Location: Oregon, United States, North America

Lat/Lon: 44.08310°N / 121.6986°W

Route Type: Moderate/Hard snow climb

Time Required: Half a day

Difficulty: AI3

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Page By: eckdoerry

Created/Edited: Nov 28, 2003 / Nov 28, 2003

Object ID: 159504

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Page Score: 43.97% - 3 Votes

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Table of Contents

Approach

This description is for winter climbs.
Approach from Mt. Bachelor parking. Depending on conditions, bring snowshoes/skis, or walk on hard snowpack. Use topo and line-of-sight to steer for the large open south-facing bowl --- the broken caldera of the volcano. Camp somewhere near the base. The apprach is about 7 miles, all slightly uphill. I can recommend climbing up the hogback running up the middle of the bowl, and chopping a ledge on it, more or less near the middle of the bowl. This is scenic, allows you to eyeball the route in the morning, and keeps you away from stonefall coming off the walls. Return along the same route.

Route Description

As you stand in the bowl, imagine yourself in the center of a clock, with north (and the highest summit) being 12 noon. You will see a couloir at 9 Oclock, one at 11Oclock, and one at about 3 Oclock. The 11Oclock on is steep, about 70 degrees at the top, depending on snowpack. Traverse the bowl and climb the couloir. As you top out onto the ridge, traverse around the back side, coming around to the north side of the summit. Steep snow will take you up the summit and a yield a fantastic view. Return by the same route, using caution downclimbing the steep couloir. If you''ve been too slow, rocks will start whizzing by you as the sun hits the upper reaches...

Note that this is certainly not a first ascent; I am merely posting a description for this site.

Essential Gear

helmet and ice axe, obviously.
you can get by without crampons in the right conditions (loose), but I would strongly recommend them unless you like extreme anxiety. This couloir is steep and long and the conditions CHANGE as you climb --- what is kickable low down turns into whimpering sketchy without crampons higher up.

In general, this climb in winter requires strong fitness, with a long, cold, uphill approach. Success in the winter time requires a perfect weather window, preferably during an artic cold snap.

Miscellaneous Info

If you have information about this route that doesn't pertain to any of the other sections, please add it here.