ridge

All Locations > Washington > Central-E Casca… > Stuart-Enchantm… > Dragontail Peak > Backbone Ridge (5.9 5c 17 VI 17 HVS 5a)

ridge

ID 110041468 ·

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Pre-dawn glow on the approach to the Backbone Arete in August 2004. Very warm night. High 90s down in town.

The route

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4.9 from 14 votes

Ted Baker

Feb 6, 2015

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You can't beat the views from belays.

Shirley following one of the Fin pitches high on Backbone Ridge With Fin Direct. Colchuck Lake below. July 2006.

Lance leading out on the 2nd half of The Fin.

Rockfall on the ramp before the fin.

Pre-dawn glow on the approach to the Backbone Arete in August 2004. Very warm night. High 90s down in town.

ridge

The route

Overlay by JPlotz posted on Cascade Climbers. Red is where many parties seem to head up early. The blue line is the route described in Nelson's selected climbs.<br>
<br>
http://cascadeclimbers.com/forum/ubbthreads.php/topics/594125/TR_Dragontail_Peak_Backbone_Ri

Shirley on the Fin high on Backbone Ridge (July 2006).

Kim Smith approaching the base of the OW pitch in August 2004.

Approach to the start of the scramble/base of the route - June 18, 2018

View after the snow approach and looking up the scramble to the beginning of the first pitch

View from the top of the 1st pitch and start of the OW. Belay/anchor here or next to the OW and the crack to the left

Heading down from the summit

Looking down the crux corner

Topped out on the right of the fin

Somewhere on Backbone Ridge.

Where we started up the 1st pitch of the fin from the top of the 5.5 loose ramp. We debated other options but this seemed to match the route description and was straightforward to get to the next ledge above.

Evan Watts on the fin

One of the 5.fun middle pitches, after the ow, before the first simul block.

View from the belay on top of the fin - final two pitches... stay right and then left up the gully and scramble to the summit

heading across the fin

we chose to go up the left side of the fin.

The "right leaning ramp" that takes you to the fin has disastrously loose stone. Trent got hit in the jaw with a block and it took 12 hours until he could get to the ER. If it's possible try to come out of the gully-ish part of the ramp to the face.

descent snow conditions. We were happy to have light crampons. (no axes)

Discovering we might have made a mistake not bringing an axe or crampons - August 2004. But we were able to squeeze into the gap between snow and the grey rock, downclimb a bit and leave two wires on a rap that got us over the bare ice on the slope below.

View from part way up the first pitch - 2 cracks are the first pitch and the fin like piece at the top left of the phone is the off-width start

summit bivy/break spot and the dragon's tail

looking at the OW from the belay. Wide but secure, can sling chockstones inside. good features for feet on the right wall.

Climbing up through the dihedral in the center of the fin, right of the backbone route, possibly the 'underclung' description ... to a loose rock belay station. Fantastic climbing with a commiting hand jam to a delicate belay ledge.

approach

somewhere on route. lichen crack climbing.

first rappel

Pitch 1: low angle white corner with offwidth hidden by block on horizon. There are clear small sandy ledges at the base where people rope up. We climbed the easy ramp midway on the left that starts out of frame.

Climbed this route at the end of August 2022 attempted the rappel descent to avoid snow, ice, and crampons. The rappel is NOT a viable option. The 2nd rap anchor was absolutely appalling. DO NOT RAPPEL. Brave or naive take your pick

Climbed this route at the end of August 2022 attempted the rappel descent to avoid snow, ice, and crampons. The rappel is NOT a viable option. The first anchor looks good but the subsequent options were not. This is the 1st anchor

Approximate route as seen from the approach

In This Photo

Daniel Shaw

Coeur d'Alene, ID

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